Porsche Korea, in collaboration with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation, is hosting a special exhibition titled ‘1899, Gifts to Prince Heinrich’, showcasing three replicas of gifts from King Gojong displayed at the Museum of Ethnology in Hamburg, Germany.
The ‘1899, Gifts to Prince Heinrich’ exhibition commemorates the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and Germany, highlighting the historical significance and value reflected in diplomatic gifts and promoting the importance of cultural heritage preservation.
As part of the Porsche Do Dream social contribution campaign, Porsche Korea has been running the ‘Porsche Future Heritage’ support project for the inheritance of intangible cultural heritage in collaboration with the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation since last year. To date, a total of 280 million won has been donated to this project.
This special exhibition includes three replicas of art pieces from over 40 artifacts gifted to Prince Heinrich von Preußen, the first visiting dignitary of the Korean Empire, highlighting items like armor, helmets, and protective equipment that demonstrate the dignity of the Korean Empire.
Additionally, visitors can view the development process of art replicas created by ten bearers of intangible cultural assets from various craft categories, showcasing their efforts from last year to this year, as well as records of state visit protocols during the Korean Empire period. The audio guide for the exhibition features actor Lee Seung-joon, who portrayed King Gojong in the drama ‘Mr. Sunshine’, adding more meaning to the experience.
The exhibition will commence with an opening ceremony on the 19th and will run until July 2 at the Deoksugung Deokhongjeon. The replicated artworks showcased in the exhibition will be donated to Deoksugung.
Meanwhile, Porsche Korea plans to continue efforts to create a sustainable environment for the preservation and transmission of cultural heritage. At the opening ceremony, they will present a 30 million won support fund for intangible cultural heritage.
Entry to the special exhibition is free (note that additional fees apply for Deoksugung admission), and more details can be checked on the Korea Cultural Heritage Foundation website.
Reporter: Lee Sang-jin daedusj@autodiary.kr