Lee Kun-hee Collection, Will It Be Seen at the Smithsonian in the U.S. Too?

Chase Robinson, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, "Discussing with the National Museum of Korea"
Plans to Increase Collaboration with Korean Artists and Appoint Curators Dedicated to Korean Art

Chase Robinson, Director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art. Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Culture Reporter Intern Young] The Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art is planning to exhibit the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection,' cultural assets and artworks donated by the family of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee to the nation, in Washington D.C., the capital of the United States.

According to related industries, Chase Robinson, director of the Smithsonian National Museum of Asian Art, who recently visited Korea, met with Yoon Sung-yong, director of the National Museum of Korea, to discuss the exhibition of the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection' and stated that "discussions are ongoing."

The Smithsonian is located in Washington D.C. and is one of the world's largest comprehensive museums, consisting of 19 cultural institutions including the National Museum of Asian Art and other museums and art galleries. It attracts about 30 million visitors annually and has a budget of approximately 2.1 trillion KRW. The National Museum of Asian Art, one of its affiliated museums, handles Asian artworks from Korea, China, Japan, and others, including Goryeo celadon, Joseon white porcelain, and Goryeo Buddhist paintings.

Director Robinson said, "The Lee Kun-hee Collection encompasses not only traditional Korean art but also contemporary art," and added, "I am well aware that the exhibition was successfully held in Korea." However, regarding the results of consultations with the National Museum of Korea, he added, "Nothing has been decided yet."

He continued, "Korea has unique characteristics that neither China nor Japan possess. These are not yet well known in the United States, but I hope they become better known." He mentioned the Joseon Dynasty Uigwe (儀軌) and said, "Japan has the image of woodblock prints, China has paintings, but Korea does not yet have a specific image that immediately comes to mind."

Yoon Sung-yong, director of the National Museum of Korea, previously stated that discussions are underway with museums to showcase the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection' overseas. So far, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in the U.S. in 2025 and the Chicago Museum in early 2026 have been mentioned.

Recently, the National Museum of Asian Art has been collaborating consecutively with Korean artists. While planning a dedicated exhibition space for contemporary art within the museum, discussions are ongoing with media artist Park Chan-kyung. There are plans to work with prominent installation artist Seo Do-ho in 2024. The museum also plans to hire a curator dedicated exclusively to Korean art. It is known that this will be the first time personnel solely responsible for Korean art have been appointed.

The National Museum of Asian Art is approaching its 100th anniversary next year. Director Robinson expressed his intention to expand beyond exhibiting past collections to include contemporary art and culture, explaining, "Our plan for the next 100 years and what we want to achieve is not simply to exhibit and show artworks, but to actively share living contemporary culture with visitors to the museum."

Meanwhile, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art Seoul branch has been holding the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection Special Exhibition: Lee Jung-seop' from August until April 23 next year. Among the 1,488 pieces donated by the family of the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee, 90 works by Lee Jung-seop and 10 pieces from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s collection are exhibited, totaling about 100 works.

Also, the 'Lee Kun-hee Collection Special Exhibition Collection: The Great Journey,' which opened on the 11th at the Busan Museum of Art, features works by masters who marked a milestone in Korean art history such as Kwon Jin-kyu, Kim Ki-chang, and Park Go-seok, and includes pieces like Park Soo-keun’s 'Woman Pounding Rice.'

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.