Take two minutes to look closely at a Korean moon jar from the Joseon dynasty with Christina Yu Yu, Matsutaro Shoriki Chair, Art of Asia, and MFA curator of “Hallyu! The Korean Wave.” Exemplifying the Confucian principle of understated beauty, moon jars are prized for their subtle complexities—imperfections in the glaze that add nuance to their seeming simplicity. In “Hallyu!,” the MFA’s moon jar is paired with a patterned dress designed by Minju Kim. Although at first glance the dress appears decorated with an abstract geometric pattern, careful inspection reveals a moon jar’s refined silhouette repeated across the fabric—a subtle gesture that pays homage to these treasured ceramics while at the same time speaking to Kim’s own Korean identity.
See "Hallyu! The Korean Wave" at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: https://www.mfa.org/exhibition/hallyu-the-korean-wave