The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is set to make history this November by hosting the first international exhibition of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s private art collection — one of the most significant and celebrated in Korea. The exhibition marks the first overseas traveling show of the collection and will later move to the Art Institute of Chicago and the British Museum in London.
The Sackler Gallery at the National Museum of Asian Art Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
Founded in 1923 as the Smithsonian’s first art museum, the NMAA remains the oldest among the Institution’s 21 museums and galleries. The Lee Kun-hee exhibition is part of a broader cultural partnership between Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Smithsonian Institution, formalized during former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to the U.S. in 2023.
Featuring more than 200 objects, the exhibition presents a sweeping narrative of Korean art history — from the ancient Three Kingdoms period through the 20th century. According to NMAA Director Chase F. Robinson, who visited South Korea in May to prepare for the exhibition, the show offers “an unprecedented opportunity to present to the American public a comprehensive view of Korean art.”
A 13th-century ewer similar to one owned by the Leeum Museum of Art, except this one doesn't have a lid ,Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
“There’s a powerful parallel between our museum and this collection,” Robinson said. “Our institution was founded upon the gift of an extraordinary industrialist and collector, Charles Lang Freer. Likewise, Lee Kun-hee’s collection was a deeply personal project, ultimately gifted to the Korean people.”
While the NMAA holds Korean artworks that resonate with those in the Lee collection — including a Goryeo Buddhist painting and a rare celadon ewer reminiscent of a National Treasure held by Seoul’s Leeum Museum — the upcoming exhibition will not feature pieces from the museum’s own holdings.
“This is an exhibition devoted to Lee Kun-hee’s vision and passion for collecting,” Robinson emphasized. “But we certainly hope that visitors drawn in by this show will also explore our permanent Korean galleries.”
A 14th-century Buddhist painting from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) owned by the National Museum of Asian Art, Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
The NMAA’s Korean collection, one of the earliest in the U.S., now includes over 800 pieces. Among its treasures is a Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara painting from the Goryeo Dynasty and a celadon ewer shaped like a lotus leaf. Only three such ewers are known to survive today — another is housed at the Hamburger Kunsthalle in Germany. The museum is planning a multi-year joint conservation study of similar ewers in collaboration with Seoul’s Leeum Museum.
The NMAA is also expanding its focus on contemporary art. In 2023, it opened a new gallery dedicated to modern works to mark its centennial, selecting Korean media artist Park Chan-kyong for the inaugural exhibition. His multimedia work Child Soldier tackled themes such as the Korean War and shamanism — subjects largely unfamiliar to many American audiences.
Chase F. Robinson, director of the National Museum of Asian Art, Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
Last year, the museum installed Korean artist Do Ho Suh’s renowned sculpture Public Figures in its central plaza. “It asked fundamental questions about how societies remember and commemorate,” Robinson said. “Both artists had important things to say, and American audiences responded thoughtfully.”
When asked why the museum is intensifying its focus on Korean art, Robinson pointed to the surge in global interest in Korean culture. “Korean popular culture has captured the imagination of American audiences. At our Chuseok festival alone, we had between 8,000 to 10,000 visitors,” he said. “It made clear that we needed to deepen our engagement with Korean art and artists.”
Under Robinson’s leadership since 2018, the museum’s collection has grown by more than 5,400 works. A scholar of Islamic history, he previously served as a professor at the University of Oxford and later as president of the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. He holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University.
″Public Figures″ by Do Ho Suh installed at the National Museum of Asian Art [SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION]
“Our visitor numbers are up 15 to 20 percent from pre-pandemic levels,” Robinson noted. “And our audience skews younger than your typical American art museum — a sign that our contemporary programming is resonating.”
On the future of museums, he added: “I think the future lies less in accumulating and more in collaborating — less in speaking with a single voice and more in embracing many voices.”
As both the U.S. and South Korea enter new political chapters, Robinson remains confident in the longevity of the museum’s partnerships. “Governments change, but our museum was founded over a century ago on a vision that began nearly 140 years ago,” he said. “Our collaborations with the National Museum of Korea, MMCA, and Leeum — these are built for the long term.”
Sayart / Maria Kim sayart2022@gmail.com
Historic showcase to highlight Korea’s artistic legacy, with stops in Washington, Chicago, and London
The Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art (NMAA) is set to make history this November by hosting the first international exhibition of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s private art collection — one of the most significant and celebrated in Korea. The exhibition marks the first overseas traveling show of the collection and will later move to the Art Institute of Chicago and the British Museum in London.
The Sackler Gallery at the National Museum of Asian Art Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
Founded in 1923 as the Smithsonian’s first art museum, the NMAA remains the oldest among the Institution’s 21 museums and galleries. The Lee Kun-hee exhibition is part of a broader cultural partnership between Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Smithsonian Institution, formalized during former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol’s state visit to the U.S. in 2023.
Featuring more than 200 objects, the exhibition presents a sweeping narrative of Korean art history — from the ancient Three Kingdoms period through the 20th century. According to NMAA Director Chase F. Robinson, who visited South Korea in May to prepare for the exhibition, the show offers “an unprecedented opportunity to present to the American public a comprehensive view of Korean art.”
A 13th-century ewer similar to one owned by the Leeum Museum of Art, except this one doesn't have a lid ,Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
“There’s a powerful parallel between our museum and this collection,” Robinson said. “Our institution was founded upon the gift of an extraordinary industrialist and collector, Charles Lang Freer. Likewise, Lee Kun-hee’s collection was a deeply personal project, ultimately gifted to the Korean people.”
While the NMAA holds Korean artworks that resonate with those in the Lee collection — including a Goryeo Buddhist painting and a rare celadon ewer reminiscent of a National Treasure held by Seoul’s Leeum Museum — the upcoming exhibition will not feature pieces from the museum’s own holdings.
“This is an exhibition devoted to Lee Kun-hee’s vision and passion for collecting,” Robinson emphasized. “But we certainly hope that visitors drawn in by this show will also explore our permanent Korean galleries.”
A 14th-century Buddhist painting from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) owned by the National Museum of Asian Art, Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
The NMAA’s Korean collection, one of the earliest in the U.S., now includes over 800 pieces. Among its treasures is a Water-Moon Avalokiteshvara painting from the Goryeo Dynasty and a celadon ewer shaped like a lotus leaf. Only three such ewers are known to survive today — another is housed at the Hamburger Kunsthalle in Germany. The museum is planning a multi-year joint conservation study of similar ewers in collaboration with Seoul’s Leeum Museum.
The NMAA is also expanding its focus on contemporary art. In 2023, it opened a new gallery dedicated to modern works to mark its centennial, selecting Korean media artist Park Chan-kyong for the inaugural exhibition. His multimedia work Child Soldier tackled themes such as the Korean War and shamanism — subjects largely unfamiliar to many American audiences.
Chase F. Robinson, director of the National Museum of Asian Art, Courtesy of NATIONAL MUSEUM OF ASIAN ART
Last year, the museum installed Korean artist Do Ho Suh’s renowned sculpture Public Figures in its central plaza. “It asked fundamental questions about how societies remember and commemorate,” Robinson said. “Both artists had important things to say, and American audiences responded thoughtfully.”
When asked why the museum is intensifying its focus on Korean art, Robinson pointed to the surge in global interest in Korean culture. “Korean popular culture has captured the imagination of American audiences. At our Chuseok festival alone, we had between 8,000 to 10,000 visitors,” he said. “It made clear that we needed to deepen our engagement with Korean art and artists.”
Under Robinson’s leadership since 2018, the museum’s collection has grown by more than 5,400 works. A scholar of Islamic history, he previously served as a professor at the University of Oxford and later as president of the City University of New York’s Graduate Center. He holds a doctorate in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University.
″Public Figures″ by Do Ho Suh installed at the National Museum of Asian Art [SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION]
“Our visitor numbers are up 15 to 20 percent from pre-pandemic levels,” Robinson noted. “And our audience skews younger than your typical American art museum — a sign that our contemporary programming is resonating.”
On the future of museums, he added: “I think the future lies less in accumulating and more in collaborating — less in speaking with a single voice and more in embracing many voices.”
As both the U.S. and South Korea enter new political chapters, Robinson remains confident in the longevity of the museum’s partnerships. “Governments change, but our museum was founded over a century ago on a vision that began nearly 140 years ago,” he said. “Our collaborations with the National Museum of Korea, MMCA, and Leeum — these are built for the long term.”
