“A clear, green town.” “The source of greenery.” Can you guess what these phrases describe? They are the literal definitions of “Cheongju (淸州)” and “Cheongwon (淸原).”

This exhibition, Woods of Crafts, is organized into three parts featuring works by artists dealing with trees, which humanity has lived with for a long time. Part 1, “Wise Roots,” showcases woodcraft that expresses nature and the source of life, as well as the works of artisans passed down from our ancestors for generations. Part 2, “Human-like Trees,” includes works by artists who communicate using living, breathing trees and art pieces that ponder the true essence of things. In the final part, “Woods of Crafts,” you can get a glimpse into the colorful worldview of the artists in a space called “woods” where trees are packed together.

Through an ottchil, traditional Korean lacquer or lacquering, curatorial exhibition, the Cheongju City Korean Craft Museum seeks to examine diverse aspects of ottchil while discussing the practical beauty that has developed with ottchil’s long history. As the title suggests, this exhibition’s keyword is “blackness,” or chilheuk (lit. “lacquer black”).

In 2001, Cheongju-si Korean Craft Museum was established to enhance the identity of the region as a local art museum, develop local craftsmen, and enjoy the culture and arts of citizens, and "Chungbuk Craftsman" began in 2006 to introduce and illuminate local craftsmen in Chungcheongbuk-do.