Exposition « La grotte de Seokguram : le Secret millénaire de l’art bouddhique »

On the occasion of the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, the Korean Cultural Centre, the city of Gyeongju and the Korea National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage present an exhibition devoted to the Seokguram Grotto, inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List and located in Gyeongju, former capital of the Silla kingdom. Through this emblematic site, the exhibition invites the public to discover the Buddhist art that flourished during this era.

Located in the south-east of the Korean peninsula, Gyeongju served for nearly a thousand years as the capital of the Silla kingdom (57 BCE – 935 CE). It is home to numerous archaeological sites and remains bearing witness to the cultural richness and traditions of this period.

Seokguram, situated on Mount Toham in Gyeongju, is an artificial grotto built from finely cut granite blocks assembled with remarkable precision.

A true masterpiece of Buddhist art from the Unified Silla kingdom (668-935), it bears witness to the artistic refinement, architectural mastery and openness to the wider world that characterised this period.

In 1995, Seokguram was inscribed on UNESCO's World Heritage List in recognition of its exceptional heritage value. This exhibition has been designed to offer visitors a more immersive discovery of Seokguram, a true jewel of Silla culture and a reflection of the Buddhist universe.

It presents the original architecture and the remarkable construction techniques of the monument.

Thanks to the photographs taken by Han Seokhong, who devoted his life to immortalising Korean cultural heritage, visitors will also be able to appreciate the beauty of the sculptures that make up the grotto.

Among them, the statues of monks, bodhisattvas and buddhas bear witness to the sacred dimension of religious art. The exhibition also offers an immersive and sensory experience through various digital and educational devices.

An LED screen notably allows visitors to explore the main historical sites of Gyeongju, including Bulguksa Temple and the Seokguram Grotto, while Braille supports and tactile devices invite visitors to approach the works through touch.

These different approaches thus offer a discovery that is both tangible and accessible to Korean cultural heritage.