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For Release Upon Receipt - August 18, 2009
Contact: Lauren Domingos, 617-358-1688, ldomingo@bu.edu

THE BOSTON UNIVERSITY ART GALLERY PRESENTS MISSIONARY PHOTOGRAPHY IN KOREA: ENCOUNTERING THE WEST THROUGH CHRISTIANITY
Exhibition Dates: September 11, 2009 – October 25, 2009 Opening Reception: September 10, 2009 from 6-8 PM

(Boston) - The Boston University Art Gallery (BUAG) opens its season with the largest ever exhibition of Korean missionary photographs in the United States, Missionary Photography in Korea: Encountering the West through Christianity. A travelling show, organized by The Korea Society, the exhibition documents the encounter between East and West which occurred in Korea during the late 19th century. Missionary Photography captures the dawning of the new religious identities, culture clashes, and altered societal landscape of Korea which resulted from these Western Missions.

Drawn from four private collections and six institutional archives, the photographs and artifacts illustrate the forging of contemporary institutions and values in the crucible of encounters with American Christian missionaries by Koreans. The impact of early Western contact on Koreans is evident in the telltale signs of new cultural norms and new religious identities, and clues that these new ways were conflicting with long-held traditions. Less directly evident, but equally important, the images also allow the viewer to surmise how Koreans in turn had a formative impact on the missionaries, which led to intertwined personal histories that became a foundation for subsequent relations between Korea and the United States.

Dedicated to serving the public of New England as well as the university community, Boston University Art Gallery (BUAG) is a non-profit art gallery geared toward an interdisciplinary interpretation of art and culture. Maintaining an ongoing exhibition schedule in its current location since 1958, now named the Stone Gallery, exhibitions focus on international, national, and regional art developments, chiefly in the twentieth century. BUAG has a particular commitment to offer a culturally inclusive view of art, one that expands the boundaries of museum exhibitions.

BUAG is located at 855 Commonwealth Avenue, at the Stone Gallery inside the College of Fine Arts building on the Boston University campus (BU West T stop on the "B" Green Line). Gallery hours are Tuesday-Friday 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM, Saturday & Sunday 1:00 – 5:00 PM (closed Mondays and holidays). For more information, please visit www.bu.edu/art.

Founded in 1957 by a group of prominent Americans, The Korea Society is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the relationship between the United States and Korea. To promote this goal The Korea Society hosts programs and lectures on issues in the areas of policy, business, arts, film and education.

EXHIBITION AND GALLERY EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

SUPPLEMENTARY PROGRAMMING
Wednesday, October 7, 2009 at 1:00 PM
Noted Korean author and Boston University School of Theology professor Chai-Sik Chung will lead a gallery talk. (Location: BUAG at the Stone Gallery)

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