The Mildred Schnitzer Memorial Lecture in Asian Art
We welcome visitors to this year’s Mildred Schnitzer Memorial Lecture in Asian Art, with internationally recognized scholar of Korean art Hyunsoo Woo.
While a folding screen is one of the popular painting formats in Korea, screen paintings functioned not only as fine artworks but also played many practical roles in the daily life of the Joseon dynasty. Screen paintings sometimes served as architectural components, such as room dividers or protection against the wind. They were also used as backdrops at special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, and funerals. Consequently, the subject matter of screen paintings often reflected auspicious wishes associated with a specific event or location. Using examples of the late Joseon dynasty’s screen paintings, this lecture will explore the meanings and symbolism hidden behind their visual charm. Relevant Chinese and Japanese works will serve as interesting comparisons, highlighting the distinctive characteristics of these closely related cultures.
This lecture is funded by the Mildred Schnitzer Asian Art Endowment Fund, celebrating its 25th year of support for bringing renowned scholars of Asian art to Portland Art Museum audiences.
Hyunsoo Woo, Pappas-Sarbanes Director of Collections at the Philadelphia Museum of Art, formerly held the position of Maxine and Howard Lewis Curator of Korean Art and Head of the East Asian Art Department. Woo is widely recognized as a leading authority on Korean art, with a range of curatorial interests spanning from traditional to contemporary Korean art. Throughout her career, Woo has been instrumental in organizing groundbreaking exhibitions that illuminate various aspects of Korean art. Notably, she co-curated The Shape of Time: Korean Art After 1989 in 2023, accompanied by a scholarly catalogue published by Yale University Press. Her earlier exhibition, Treasures from Korea: Arts and Culture of the Joseon Dynasty, 1392-1910 (2014), along with the catalogue of the same title also published by Yale University Press, was the first major exhibition dedicated to the subject of Korean art at PMA. Before joining the Philadelphia Museum of Art in 2006, Woo held positions at the Brooklyn Museum (1997-2001) and the Japan Society Gallery in New York (2001-2005). She holds a Master of Arts degree in Visual Arts Administration from New York University, as well as a Master of Arts degree in Korean Art History and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Chinese Language and Literature from Ewha Womans University in Seoul.