Caucus Member Study Tour to South Korea
May 24 – June 4, 2009
Download and Print Registration Form here
The James Renwick Alliance Board of Directors and tour leaders Clemmer and David Montague invite Craft Leaders Caucus members on a Craft Study Tour to South Korea. Departure from the United States is on Sunday, May 24 and the return from Seoul to the United States on June 4.
Alliance members who upgrade their membership to Caucus level and new Caucus members who join JRA are invited to join the tour.
We plan to begin programs on May 26 with a light day of venues and end JRA activities the night of June 3 with a big farewell bash in a spectacular restaurant, arranged by Kiwon Wang whose knowledge of restaurants cannot be surpassed. The dates of the trip coincide with the World Ceramics International Biennial in the cities of Icheon, Kwangju and Yeoju which begins in late April and ends in mid June.
Robert Turley, founder and director of the Korean Art Society and owner of Korean Arts and Antiques in the Chelsea area of New York City, has provided invaluable assistance in planning and identifying significant collections, craft artists and unique venues in this magnificent and ancient country.
Rob will accompany us on the trip as guide and interpreter, and he calls South Korea his “second home.” Kiwon Wang of New York City, studio craft jeweler and a JRA member, will accompany us on the final three days of the trip, introducing the history of the development of craft in Korea and her areas of expertise: metalwork, jewelry and restaurants.
Komelia Okim of Rockville, eminent metalsmith who is well connected with the Korean world of craft, is putting together a magnificent itinerary. She has arranged for museums to open exhibitions of craft. She is introducing trip members to the wonders and venues of historical significance in Korea. She has contacted a working ceramic artist to arrange the venues for ceramics for the World Ceramics Foundation Exhibition and to visit the studios of eminent ceramic artists.
Okim has talked with the fiber community which is planning special programs, and she has contacted the best known lacquer and paper artists to show their work. Along with Chunghie Lee, she has arranged for visits to five residences/studios of artists working and living at the Heyri Artist Village. She is planning on a visit to the DMZ while in the area as well as to the studios of well known ceramic artists where the founder and director of the village will host a reception. We are visiting several of the Hanek, houses built by hand using wood representing the heavens in the roof, man in the house and the earth as the foundation and built in the tradition of the arts and crafts movement of the early and mid 20th century.
Two days will be spent visiting the Korean World Ceramics Biennial Exhibition 2009 in the cities of Icheon, Kwangju and Yeoju. We are arranging a meeting with the organizers at the headquarters in Icheon.
There is enough to do to fill the nine days. More specific details will be available once the hotel and charter bus service contracts have been completed. A final itinerary will be published and updated prior to departure.
We have arranged a hotel based on location, the Somerset Palace Residence Hotel, located in the In-Sa-Dong area. Prices range from $89 (280,000 kwn) a night for a studio apartment, $96 (320,000 kwn) for a one bedroom deluxe suite, $102 (360,000 kwn) for a one bedroom executive suite, $156 (480,000 kwn) for a two bedroom deluxe suite with two bathrooms, and $170 (540,000 kwn) for a two bedroom executive suite with two bathrooms. (Prices are based on the current exchange rate and may be more or less than the USD amount quoted.) An arrangement with the hotel allows one to arrive three days early and depart three days later at the same price.
The cost to Caucus members for the study tour has been reduced from $3,950 per person to $3,750 without affecting the quality and quantity of the itinerary and still includes excellent food, venues and a private Korean speaking guide. This price includes daily motorcoach transportation, nine lunches and four dinners, all admission fees, gratuities, fee for the guide and a voluntary $250 contribution to the James Renwick Alliance. The cost does not include hotel accommodations, airfare to/from South Korea, transportation from/to the airport and other personal and incidental expenses which are the responsibility of each traveler.
Limit is 30 people; however, no one will be turned down.
Please send in the deposit of $1000 per person by to the JRA office by one of these ways: by e-mail at admin@jra.org, telephone 301-907-3888 or fax 301-907-3855.
Please call Clemmer Montague at 301-248-6130 if you have further questions.