Korea: A Land of Hats, an Exhibition of Korean Hat Fashion and History
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Korean Cultural Center New York and
the Charles B. Wang Center presents
Korea: A Land of Hats, an Exhibition of Korean Hat Fashion and History
Exhibition Dates: Tuesday, September 10 - December 16, 2019
Charles B. Wang Center | Skylight Gallery & Zodiac Gallery (100 Nicolls Road, Stony Brook, NY)
Opening Reception: September 10, 2019, 5 pm
New York, September 4, 2019 - Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY), a branch of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Korea, is pleased to announce the opening of KOREA: A LAND OF HATS, co-organized with the Charles B. Wang Center and Coreana Cosmetics Museum in Seoul, Korea.
This exhibition highlights the rich culture of Korean hat fashion a century ago by showcasing various hats, including those that differentiated class, occupation, age, marriage status, special occasion, and season of the year. These authentic traditional Korean hats were recreated by surviving artisans, who have been designated as living persons of Important Intangible Cultural Heritage.
Hats were key items in every Korean’s wardrobe during the Joseon dynasty (1391–1910). A hat was not just an article of clothing; it was an important symbol of social status and authority, as well as a badge of ceremony. No outfit was considered complete without an appropriate hat, and this custom was practiced across all ranks of
Korean society, from the highest elites to the lowest merchants, from newborn baby boys to venerated old gentlemen. For at least 500 years, hats served as indicators of class, gender, occupation, and affiliation in Choson Korea.
The exhibition is complemented by prints by Paul Jacoulet (1896–1960) and Elizabeth Keith (1887–1956), as well as by early twentieth century photographs of Korea. These two travelers visited Korea at the dawn
of the twentieth century and provided an interesting Western perspective into the then vibrant hat culture of Korea during that era.
Opening Reception
Tuesday, September 10, at 5 pm
Skylight Gallery
FREE and Open to the public; RSVP at www.thewangcenter.org
Gallery Hours and Admission Information:
Monday - Friday, 9:00 AM–8:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday, 12 PM–8:00 PM
Free Admission & Open to the public
Related Programs:
ART CRAWL | Korea: A Land of Hats
Tuesday, September 10, 4:30 PM | Skylight Gallery
WORKSHOP | Korean Men’s Hat-Making
Monday, September 9, 11 AM | Fashion
Institute of Technology, New York City
Supported by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Korea; this exhibition is co-organized by the Coreana Cosmetics Museum in Seoul, the Charles B. Wang Center, and the Korean Cultural Center New York.
The works by Paul Jacoulet and Elizabeth Keith are on loan from the collection of Young-Dahl Song, and the photo archives on display are from the collection of Norman Thorpe.
For press inquiries, contact Mickey Hyun
mickeyhyun@koreanculture.org, 212-759-9550 (ext. 212)