"The World's First K-Folk Painting Exhibition" -- Invited by the National Museum of Folk Art of Belarus

By Diplomacy Journal Lee Jon-young

The traditions of Korea, the easternmost tip, are blossoming in Minsk, Belarus, the heart of Eastern Europe. The "World's First K-Folk Painting Exhibition," held from October 30 to November 16, is the first overseas special exhibition of Korean folk painting, officially invited by the National Museum of Folk Art of Belarus.

This exhibition, co-hosted by the World Culture Promotion Foundation and the Diplomacy Journal, features 52 Korean folk painting artists, opening a forum for cultural diplomacy where tradition and modernity, East and West, converge. Under the theme of "K-Folk Painting Globalization," the exhibition will explore the intersection of tradition and modernity, East and West.

Exterior of the National Museum of Folk Art of Belarus located in the heart of Minsk, the capital of Belarus. The national art museum has stood as a symbol of Belarusian art and a leading cultural institution since its founding in 1939. As the venue for the invited exhibition 「K-Minwha, The Beauty of Korea」, it became the stage opening a new chapter in cultural and artistic exchange between Korea and Belarus.

Folk painting is a painting of hope born from the hands of nameless people. Tigers, the sun, the moon, fortune and longevity, lotus flowers, and carp are all symbols of the peace and harmony that humanity longs for.

Now, K- folk painting, embodying its ancient spirit, is expanding its global reach, incorporating a modern sensibility and artistic creativity. This is not simply an exhibition of paintings, but a historic moment where the Korean spirit and aesthetic sense are translated into the language of the world.

- World Culture Promotion Foundation and Diplomacy Journal, leaders in cultural diplomacy -

At the heart of this exhibition are two institutions. For 28 years, Diplomacy Journal, a specialized diplomatic media outlet, has consistently explored cultural diplomacy and world peace through art.

Furthermore, the World Culture Promotion Foundation, guided by the philosophy that "culture is diplomacy," has established a private cultural diplomacy platform connecting artists and diplomats from around the world. The collaboration between the two organizations goes beyond mere cultural events and is gaining recognition as a practical example of diplomacy that speaks of peace through art.

Damwhachongsa, who oversaw this Belarusian invitational exhibition, is a leader in the globalization of traditional art and the modern inheritance of cultural heritage, driven by the belief that "art is the language of peace and a bridge between humanity."

He has expanded traditional folk painting beyond mere art genre to become a spiritual legacy and a means of cultural diplomacy.

K-Folk Painting, born from his hands, is bringing the warm sensibilities of the Korean people, Buddhist philosophy, and Eastern aesthetics to a new level of blossoming on the world stage.

- The first step toward the world: the dawn of an era of K-Folk Painting -

This exhibition held at the National Museum of Folk Art of Belarus will mark the first official entry of K- Folk Painting (Minwha) into the annals of global art history.

At this moment, as Korea's traditional beauty permeates the sensibilities of people around the world, K- Folk Painting is no longer simply "Korean painting," but is being reborn as "an artistic language resonating with humanity."

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