The Korean Cultural Centre Canada (KCC) and the Seoul Museum of Craft Art (SeMoCA) are pleased to present the special touring exhibition <The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans>, on view from Thursday, October 23 to Friday, December 12, 2025. This exhibition is organized as part of the Touring K-Arts Project, supported by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and administrated by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE).

Focusing on the theme of “Mother-of-Pearl through Drawings,” the exhibition highlights najeon designs, the drawings that serve as blueprints for the intricate patterns created by cutting and inlaying pieces of shell. Featuring more than 100 works, it brings together rare designs and masterpieces by master artisans of the modern era alongside new creations by contemporary artists, offering a unique perspective on the enduring beauty and innovation of Korean mother-of-pearl lacquerware.

Exhibition Details

- Exhibition: The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans

- Dates: October 23 – December 12, 2025

- Venue: Korean Cultural Centre Canada(150 Elgin St #101, Ottawa, ON K2P 1L4)

- Opening Reception: October 23, 2025, at 17:30 (ET) * No registration is required. 

- Featured Artists: JEON Seong-gyu, KIM Bong-ryong, SONG Joo-an, SHIM Bu-gil, MIN Jong-tae, KIM Tae-hee, KIM Sung-soo, SONG Bang-ung, LEE Hyeong-man, SOHN Dae-hyeon, CHOI Sang-hoon, KIM Seol

The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans

<The Drawings of Mother-of-Pearl Inlay Artisans> highlights the work of six Najeonjang (master artisan of mother-of-pearl inlay)—JEON Seong-gyu who led modernization of the Najeon (mother-of-pearl) art and, KIM Bong-ryong, SONG Joo-an, SHIM Bu-gil, MIN Jong-tae, and KIM Tae-hee, who were influenced by JEON but developed their own distinct style, by focusing on the Doan (圖案, drawings). Najeonchilgi (mother-of-pearl lacquerware) is a Korean traditional craft that has continued for over a thousand years since Goryeo period. It involves inlaying thinly sliced abalone or turban shell onto surfaces of objects, completed through repeated coatings of Ottchil (lacquer in Korean). The doan functions not only as a blueprint for laying out designs but also as a vital component that shapes the visual language of the work. More than a design, it embodies cultural knowledge, aesthetic ideals, and symbolism of the time, while also revealing each artist’s philosophy, sensibility, and lived experiences.

Until the early 20th century, artisans used unsophisticated form of doan. Starting from 1920’s, artisans began to use more modern methods—drawing doan on paper, then using them as templates for applying mother-of-pear inlays. This led to greater efficiency and mass production, marking a turning point in modernizing the craft. The exhibition introduces the artisans who pioneered these changes and presents works by the next-generation artisans, who carry on the tradition today. From doan to the finished objects, we invite you to take a close look at the masters’ challenges, experimentation, and the enduring spirit of craftsmanship embedded in their creative making process.

JUNG Eun-joo, Curator, Seoul Museum of Craft Art