Opening on October 15 at the Musée de la Vie Bourguignonne in Dijon, France

The Korea Confucianism Culture Institute (Acting President Lee Sang-gyun, hereinafter referred to as "KCCI"), hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister Choi Hwi-young), held the opening ceremony for the exhibition The Connector: Beyond the Gaze at 6:00 PM (local time) on October 15 at the Musée de la Vie bourguignonne in Dijon, France, as part of the "Traditional Culture Expansion International Exchange Project (Journées de la Corée à Dijon)."

This exhibition serves as the opening event for "Korea Day in Dijon," commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France. The opening ceremony was attended by around 60 people, including local figures such as Christine Martin, Deputy Mayor of Culture for the City of Dijon, the KCCI delegation, and local visitors.

The exhibition is a reinterpretation for French audiences of the convergence special exhibition The Connector: Expansion of Worldviews previously presented in Korea. Based on the natural philosophy of Silhak (practical learning) scholars—"All things are interconnected; if I harm all things, all things will in turn harm me"—it expresses Confucianism’s ecological view that humans and nature are connected as one through modern art. The title "Connector" signifies that visitors themselves become entities bridging the past and present, humans and nature.

The exhibition consists of three parts:

Part 1 features a series of works reinterpreting life forms from Joseon Dynasty paintings and folk art—such as paintings of grass and insects, fish and crabs, birds and flowers, alongside domestic animals and tigers—through pop art.
Part 2 presents Hwayang Dialogue, a three-channel video exploring the notion that "humans and all things are equal" found in the Silhak scholar Hong Dae-yong's Iesan Mundap (Answers in Mount Yee).
Part 3 features the video Splendid Lament by artist Ellie Heo-kyungran, who is active mainly in London and Zurich. The work captures the death and rebirth of a fallen cherry tree in an orchard in southern France.
Park Jung-eun, the researcher who curated the exhibition, stated, "I hope Dijon’s visitors experienced connecting Joseon's small grass insects and tigers with the cherry tree of southern France in a single line, and that each visitor becomes a 'connector' linking the two countries."

Christine Martin, Deputy Mayor of Dijon, stated in her welcoming speech, "I am delighted that Dijon citizens are getting to know the values of Korean Confucian culture on the occasion of the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic relations, and I hope to continue this philosophical connection linking Korea and France."

Acting President Lee Sang-gyun stated, "We expect that the Confucian value of cherishing all life will transcend cultural boundaries and gain deep empathy."

The exhibition runs through October 18. During the "Korea Day in Dijon" period, various programs and events are scheduled to take place, beginning with the "Korea Day Proclamation Ceremony" on the 16th, alongside humanities concerts and interactive cultural experiences.

[ⓒ Global Economic Times. 무단전재-재배포 금지]