KOREA FOUNDATION

KF Global Challenger Internship Letter

Hello! My name is Bokyoung Hong, and I’m a KF intern assigned to the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art (JSMA) at the University of Oregon in the United States.

As an institution affiliated with the JSMA, the museum is noted for its educational role. During the last year alone, more than 9,000 students attended classes at the museum, designed to introduce them to and allowing them to utilize the JSMA collection. My main duty is to support these classes, which are attended by the university’s undergraduate and graduate students. I withdraw and arrange necessary items for these classes from the museum’s collection and help guide the students.

I also take part in other activities aside from my usual assignments. I participated in a welcoming ceremony hosted by the university’s Center for Asian and Pacific Studies together with Anne Rose Kitagawa, the chief curator of collections and Asian art and the director of academic programs at the JSMA. The event enabled newcomers like me to meet with people who were already working at the museum. It was great to see and speak with Korean professors and researchers at the University of Oregon. I also attended a special lecture by Choi Yoo-kyoung, a visiting assistant professor in the university’s Department of the History of Art and Architecture within the College of Design. Professor Choi teaches courses on contemporary Asian art and female Asian artists. Her lecture, which was on Korean artist Yun Suknam and Yun’s interpretation of the mythical story of Princess Bari, the abandoned princess, was especially intriguing.

One of the most memorable things I’ve done in my time here is to conduct research on Korea-related works created by Scottish artist Elizabeth Keith. Keith is well known for having visited Korea in the early 20th century, creating many works of art that realistically depicted Korean folklore, scenery, and people. I surveyed the overall status of these works and investigated how many were in the museum’s collection and how many were not. I also studied publications and exhibitions on Keith.

During my remaining four months at the museum, I’ll try my best to work well and spend my time meaningfully with the other staff here in order to finish my internship successfully.

I wish good luck to all the KF Global Challengers in the coming spring.

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art, University of Oregon, United StatesHong, Bokyoung

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