By Claudia von Duehren
The exhibition “Ari-Arirang” takes you to the previously closed kingdom of Korea and is dedicated, among other things, to the art of sensational headgear.
The headgear makes it possible: In the Humboldt Forum, visitors can transform themselves into a Korean bride, a scholar or a shaman. In the special exhibition “Ari-Arirang. Korea – Fascination for a Closed Kingdom” there are talking hats.
The headgear was created by star hat maker Fiona Bennett (57). “Korea is also considered the country of hats,” explains curator Marion Sobotka (35). The daughter of a Korean mother, she organized the exhibition.
A total of 120 exhibits from the ethnological museum are shown on around 500 square meters, as well as some contemporary paintings from the National Museum of Korea. The paintings, ceramics, sculptures, traditional costumes, uniforms and hats give an impression of the rich Korean culture from the 19th century to the present.
The exhibition also opens the last two rooms of the Humboldt Forum. “Compared to China and Japan, Korea only takes up a small part of the third floor, but this is also due to the significantly smaller collection,” explains Lars-Christian Koch (64), director of the Ethnological Museum and the Museum of Asian Art.
The reason for the exhibition was the 140th anniversary of official diplomatic relations between Germany and Korea.
Behind the title of the exhibition lies a rather dark chapter in German-Korean relations: the folk song “Arirang” tells of the longing of two lovers. In the exhibition, rare recordings from German prisoner of war camps during the First World War can be heard at two stations, in which young Russian-Korean men sing the song.
The exhibition tour begins with an introduction to Korean society during the Joseon Dynasty (1392–1910). Social values, scholarship, the military and the role of women are examined. Korean brides had to prepare for the fact that they would never be allowed to marry again after their husband’s possible death.
The finale is the Korean mask theater. The tradition of humorous and satirical mask theater, which dates back to the Silla period (668–935), has been preserved to this day. It served as an opportunity for the people to criticize the social elite. The masks represent renegade clergy or immoral nobles. Some of the masks are also used in rituals for good harvests and to ward off demons.
Until April 21, 2024, Wed-Mon 10:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m., admission free