By Diplomacy Journal Kayla Lee

A grand exhibition titled “K-Folk Painting Artists Invitational Exhibition” will be held at the National Museum of Folk Art in Minsk, located in the capital of Belarus in Eastern Europe from October 27 to November 16.

This exhibition is co-hosted by the Belarusian Ministry of Culture and the Diplomacy Journal, and co-organized by the Belarusian National Museum, the K-Folk Painting Research Institute, and the World Peace Art Exhibition Organizing Committee. It is expected to mark a new leap toward the globalization of K-Folk Painting.

This exhibition is a large-scale event utilizing the entire first and second floors of the museum, introducing a total of about 100 K-Folk Painting works in a colorful display that harmonizes tradition and modernity.

In particular, about 30 invited artists will donate their representative works to the local museum and receive a letter of appreciation from the Minister of Culture of Belarus in gratitude. General participating artists will receive a letter of appreciation from the director of the National Museum of Folk Art in Belarus.

The opening ceremony will be attended by the Belarusian Minister of Culture, the South Korean Ambassador to Belarus, the National Museum director, and the chairman of the Diplomacyc Journal, Lee Jong-young, who will deliver congratulatory remarks. All participating artists will receive two copies of the official exhibition catalog.

During the exhibition period, cultural education programs will be held where visitors can experience K-Folk Painting firsthand. K-Folk Painting experience classes will be held twice a day for two days for the general public, and a special lecture on K-Folk P:ainting will also be held at the National University of Belarus to raise interest in traditional Korean culture in the local community.

This exhibition is considered a symbolic event of cultural diplomacy between the two countries, going beyond a simple art exhibition.

On April 2, Ambassador Andrew Chernetsky of Belarus to Korea and Lee Jong-young, chairman of the Diplomacy Journal, met at the Belarusian Embassy in Seoul and finalized discussions on this exhibition, and the two countries agreed to further expand cultural exchanges in the future.

This exhibition is particularly significant as it was realized after the Belarusian Ministry of Culture formally requested a solo exhibition of K-Folk Painting following the cultural and artistic exchange exhibition commemorating the 32nd anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Belarus in July 2024.

In addition, a special tourism program will be prepared for visiting artists. The Belarusian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Culture have agreed to provide participating artists with a special tourism itinerary that allows them to experience the local culture and natural scenery.

Participating artists will only need to cover their airfare and accommodation costs to participate in the travel program organized by the Belarusian government. Through this program, artists are expected to experience the true essence of Belarus at a low cost.

Furthermore, Lee Jong-young, chairman of the Diplomacy Journal, plans to select two Belarusian students who have shown interest in K-Folk Painting and award them scholarships of 1 million won each, thereby realizing a new form of diplomacy that goes beyond culture and art to include human exchange and educational support.

This exhibition will be a meaningful international cultural event that conveys a message of peace and harmony through art, set against the historical context of the 80th anniversary of Belarus' liberation from World War II.