Korea Curators’ Association founded

Park Rhai-kyoung

Korea’s curators are finally united.
The Korea Curators’ Association has been established with Park Rhai-kyoung, 72, as its chairperson.
Park is the former head of the office of curatorial affairs at the National Museum of Contemporary Art. She was curator of the museum for 10 years from 1986 to 1996 and is considered to be the godmother of Korean curators.
“The smallest bubble in a glass cup can make it worthless,” Shin said at a press conference before her official appointment. “I will eliminate the unwanted bubbles in the curator business.”
She is worried that the Shin Jeong-ah scandal, following exposure of the former curator regarding fraudulent qualifications, could reflect badly on the curating profession.
“It is time to redefine the role of the curator,” she said.
The association will have a procedure to verify the legitimacy of credentials when accepting members. When suspicions arise regarding academic degrees, the association will employ special measures.
As part of its stricter new policy, qualification standards will be applied when reviewing membership applications.
A curator seeking full membership at the association must have at least five years of experience at a public gallery or a gallery registered at the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. Those with more than three years xperience will only be accepted as associate members. The number of possible members will be limited to about 40 in the 80 public and private galleries.
Park has her own definition of a curator.
“On the surface the profession seems glittering, but in reality being a curator is tough and also needs discretion,” she said. Conflicts occur at art galleries because the jobs of a director and the curator are not clearly defined. “Curators must realize their status at art galleries and know their duties,” Park said.
Named as advisers to the association were Kim Jong-kyu, honorary president of the Korean Museum Association; art critic Lee Ku-yeol and Oh Kwang-su, former director of the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

By Kwon Keun-young JoongAng Ilbo [yhwang@joongang.co.kr]