“I believe that preserving artistic and cultural traditions is a great way to understand and connect communities, and I want to build bridges between cultures”
– Youngmin Lee
Come see a sample bojagi tapestry, a traditional Korean textile form, at the Columbia Public Library for a limited time. The 18-by-6-foot art piece, made from reclaimed fabric remnants on silk, is on loan from the Gateway Korea Foundation in partnership with the St. Louis Art Museum.
Korean-born artist Youngmin Lee led a series of workshops teaching the ancient art of bojagi in the St. Louis area. Each workshop participant contributed a section to the collaborative tapestry that is now on display at the library.
Historical accounts, legends and folklore dating to the Three Kingdoms of Korea (57 B.C. to A.D. 668) indicate that Korean women have crafted bojagi for centuries. The textile was commonly made from silk or ramie for everyday use to wrap, cover and carry objects. Koreans also believed that the bojagi carried wishes for good fortune and happiness.
The bojagi tapestry will be on display until October 13, 2023.