Jointly held by Korea Foundation ASEAN Culture House and the International Information and Networking Centre for Intangible Cultural Heritage in the Asia-Pacific Region under the auspices of UNESCO (ICHCAP), the collaborative exhibition Alternative Identities: Masks of ASEAN and Korea introduces “other faces” created by the people of Korea and ASEAN countries under the theme of “Mask,” the cultural heritage of humanity. The masks of Korea and ASEAN, which encompass the accumulated aesthetic sense and techniques of handicrafts in each region, can be said to reflect aesthetic traditions in different epochs of each country.
The exhibition consists of a total of five sections. The first, “Origin of Masks,” showcases and introduces the origins of shamanistic masks intended to ward off disaster and disease and to pray for good harvests, and masks for performance in plays and other entertainment forms. In the second section, “Representation of Myth,” ASEAN mask dramas that portray an ancient epic are displayed, “Alternative Realities,” Tuong (Hat Boi) of Vietnam is introduced as a traditional opera that contains moral messages, featuring its unique makeup that almost resembles masks. The fourth section, “Reflections of Self,” shows masks used in local festivals in which the citizens of the Philippines participate, and presents contemporary art works to contemplate the modern meaning of masks. The fifth section celebrates the inscription of “Talchum, mask dance drama in the Republic of Korea” on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in November 2022, and exhibits thirteen kinds of masks, all of which were displayed when Talchum was nominated.
This exhibition presents the real masks of Korea and ASEAN, which are the fruit of critical consideration of reality as well as a product of imagination on the unknown world. At the same time, the history and stories contained in masks are illuminated through various audio-visual materials. We hope that this exhibition will be an opportunity to allow Korea and ASEAN countries to think about the significance of efforts to safeguard and develop valuable cultural heritage, and the ways of communicating and expressing our identity today.