The Park Eul-bok Embroidery Museum is holding the exhibition *All Scenes of Life* as its 2026 special exhibition.
Park Eul-bok (1915–2015) recalled his own life as "a short journey of bare feet soaked in morning dew." Born and raised in Gaeseong, he entered the world of embroidery after studying abroad in Tokyo; however, the weight of life forced him to lay down his needle for a long time. Starting in 1960, he traveled continuously through Europe, the United States, and South America, rekindling the spark of his creativity. The turmoil of the times, the weight of daily life, and the inspiration received from unfamiliar landscapes experienced during that century all permeated his works through the tip of his needle.
This exhibition presents works chronologically, starting with his early pieces from his studies in Tokyo in the 1930s and spanning the 1960s through the 1990s, alongside personal belongings and small items. Seeking Korean themes and aesthetics, he reinterpreted traditional iconography, experimented with new materials and compositions, and transferred the impressions he encountered during his travels onto the tip of his needle. The process of expanding his own unique world of embroidery through ceaseless exploration rather than remaining confined to a single style is imbued with the scenes of life he encountered along the way. Through his personal furniture and belongings, well-worn archival materials, handwritten manuscripts, travel photographs, and videos of his work, you can encounter the era in which his works were created and the life of an artist up close.
Every scene of the era and life he lived is fully infused into Park Eul-bok's works. We invite you to experience this profound journey firsthand at this exhibition.
Oh Soon-hee and Oh Young-ho, Directors of the Park Eul-bok Embroidery Museum
