Fulbright Forum
7:00 P.M. on Friday, December 11th, 2009
R.S.V.P. by Tuesday, December 8th
The Korean-American Educational Commission warmly welcomes you to our tenth Fulbright Forum of the 2008-2009 program year with Fulbright Junior Researcher Carla Stansifer.
“The Mysteries of Goryeo Dynasty Shell Inlayed Lacquer Wares”
Open to all, the Fulbright Forum serves as a periodic gathering for the Fulbright Family at large, including past and present grantees and friends of Fulbright. Please reply to Emily Kim Goldsmith (executive.assistant@fulbright.or.kr) by Tuesday, December 8th to confirm your attendance. Regrets do not need to RSVP. This month's Forum will be held at 7:00 PM sharp on Friday, December 11th in the 6th floor conference room at the KAEC Building in Mapo-gu, Seoul, with a reception to follow in the 3rd floor administrative offices. Please visit the KAEC website for maps and directions (http://www.fulbright.or.kr/en/kaec/map.php).
To respect both the audience and presenters, late arrivals will not be allowed to enter after 7:05 PM.
Summary
By the Goryeo dynasty (918-1392), Korean inlayed lacquer wares emerged as a unique and highly refined art form. For 7,000 years the sap of the lacquer tree has been used throughout Asia to protect and beautify objects used for daily needs, rituals, and as fine art. The basic process of collecting, processing, and applying the sap was introduced to the Korean peninsula by China over 3,000 years ago. Throughout the centuries, Korean artisans perfected the techniques and motifs of inlaying shell and other natural materials to form durable works of art. The artisans of the 10th century gradually created an icon of Korean culture and elegance.
Today, there is only one example of Goryeo dynasty inlaid lacquer extant in all of Korea. Ms. Carla Stansifer unravels the mysterious of this fascinating artistic technique. Join her as she examines the particular characteristics of the Goryeo style inlayed lacquer wares. Explore why these works are so rare. Learn how this art form transitioned into the more familiar and stately motifs of the Joseon dynasty, and why this shift is so significant in understanding Korean history.
Biography
Ms. Carla Stansifer is a United States Fulbright fellow. She has been living in Seoul along with her family, for over a year, studying Korean language, culture, and arts. She is currently producing and directing a special documentary on contemporary Korean lacquer arts called, “Lacquer—Korea’s Brilliant Art”. In addition, she conducts research on Goryeo period (918-1392) lacquer objects at the National Museum of Korea.
Ms. Stansifer is from Colorado. She has been an adjunct art history lecturer at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the University of Colorado at Denver. She served for six years at the Denver Art Museum as the curatorial associate of Asian art. She holds a M.A. in Classical Japanese Language and Literature from CU-Boulder (2000) and a B.A. from the Ohio State University in Japanese Linguistics (1994).
