In some cultures of nineteenth-century Korea, the coffin of a deceased family member was traditionally carried to the burial grounds on a platform called a bier. Symbolically, the bier represented a temporary home for the deceased as he or she traveled to the next world. Kokdus, carved and painted wooden figures, were attached to the bier and accompanied the deceased on this journey.
In "Korean Funerary Figures: Companions for the Journey to the Other World," over 70 kokdus will be displayed for Museum visitors from Tuesday, March 2 to Sunday, July 11, 2010. The figures represent a variety of people, including caregivers, guides, acrobats, and noblemen, as well as mythological creatures such as phoenixes and dragons.
The opening celebration for the exhibit will be held on Saturday, March 13, from 1 to 4 PM. In addition to gallery exploration, the celebration will include performances of Korean folktales and craft activities for all ages. The event is open to the public, and admission is free. For more information, contact Kim Sheahan at 217-244-3355 or ksheahan@illinois.edu (email link).
The exhibition was organized in association with The Korea Society and is Courtesy of The Korea Society and The Ockrang Cultural Foundation. The Korea Society is a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan, 501(c)(3) organization that is dedicated solely to the promotion of greater awareness, understanding and cooperation between the people of the United States and Korea. For more information, please visit: http://www.koreasociety.org/ (external link).