“Imprinting the Spirit of Art on Wood, Carrying On Tradition,

Illuminating with the Breath of the Artist, and Perfecting an Abstract Beauty in Refined Harmony.”

A Lifelong Journey with Wood –
Master Artisan of Wooden Joinery, Park Myeong-bae

This special exhibition, “The Auspicious Beauty Carved in Wood Grain – Korean Bandaji Chests,” presents for the first time in Korea more than forty works by Park Myeong-bae, National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 55 (Wooden Furniture Joinery, Somokjang).
Among them are over thirty Bandaji (traditional Korean half-lid storage chests) from every province of Korea. Each piece embodies decades of time, much like tree rings that bend and record their years, revealing a delicate sense of restraint and a striking beauty of empty space.

To create one-of-a-kind works from the natural beauty of wood, Park engages in a quiet dialogue with his material.
“For me, wood is my very being and my path,” he says.
Daily he listens to the unseen and untouchable breath of the wood, infusing it with spirit.
Through his refined sense of proportion in line and plane, Park’s Bandaji transcend traditional aesthetics, modernizing classical beauty and showing how Korean sensibility flows naturally into contemporary art.

His works preserve the grain of the wood and capture nature’s breath.
Their simplicity and elegance reveal an unforced, purely Korean abstraction.

In a rapidly changing society, this exhibition offers a contemporary perspective on Korean traditional decorative arts.
It explores the expanded world of Park’s artistry, allowing visitors to experience both the depth of a creator who respects nature and the enduring future of Korean culture.
 

 
 
 
About the Artist

“Beautiful furniture comes from the perfect proportion
and the natural grain of the wood.”

Born in 1950 in Hongseong, Chungcheongnam-do, Park Myeong-bae was designated in 2010 as holder of National Intangible Cultural Heritage No. 55 (Somokjang – Master of Wooden Furniture Joinery).
Influenced by his carpenter father, Park began woodworking at an early age.
He later studied basic woodworking under Professor Choi Hee-gwon at Seorabeol Art College in Seoul before fully devoting himself to traditional furniture making.
He learned precision joinery from Master Heo Gi-haeng and absorbed aesthetics and philosophy from art historian Choi Soon-woo, deepening the artistic dimension of his craft.

Park’s works emphasize natural wood grain (mok-ri), classical proportions, and refined structural beauty expressed through restrained lines and planes.
His pieces, celebrated for combining simplicity with modern design, have earned him numerous honors, including the Presidential Award and the Order of Cultural Merit (Ok-gwan Medal).
His furniture is held in the collections of the Blue House (Presidential Residence), Unhyeongung Palace, the Vatican Museum in Rome, and the Korean Cultural Centers in Los Angeles, Washington, and Berlin.
 

 
 
Greeting from the Artist

Preparing for my sixth exhibition,
the theme this time is “Korean Bandaji.”

Since ancient times, the Bandaji chest has been an essential part of Korean daily life, embodying the wisdom and refined taste of our ancestors.
It stored clothing and safeguarded a household’s treasures.
Through this exhibition, I wish to share the deep beauty of Bandaji not merely as furniture, but as living traces of culture and the stories of lives past.

Grouped by region—Gyeonggi, Chungcheong, Jeolla, Gyeongsang, Pyeongan—each chest reflects the character of its province.
Using zelkova and ailanthus woods that have withstood centuries, I sought the unique expressions of their grains and embedded auspicious motifs that once wished for longevity and prosperity.

These chests display the essence of Korean traditional craftsmanship.
I hope visitors will rediscover the value of tradition within today’s life and feel the true elegance of our wooden furniture heritage.

With more than thirty carefully crafted Bandaji pieces,
this exhibition is my heartfelt offering of Korea’s finest joinery.
May it serve as a small gift that reminds you of the unique beauty of Bandaji and the preciousness of our cultural heritage.
I extend my deepest gratitude to all who have offered encouragement and support for this exhibition.
 

November 2025
Park Myeong-bae