Gods, Demons and Generals: Icons of Korean Shamanism

The exhibition includes representations of Samsin Halmoni 삼신 (Birth Spirit), Sansin 산신 (Mountain God), Taesin Halmoni 대신 할머니 (Great Spirit Grandmother), Yongwang 용왕 (Dragon King), Sinchungdang 신중당 (Guardian Spirits) and images of many other shaman deities. As fixtures of traditional shaman shrines, twelve paintings provide a setting for rites that over the centuries have informed Koreans’ world view and their belief system in both overt and subtle ways. To glimpse the world depicted in these paintings is to gain a unique perspective on Korea’s ancient past and immediate present at once.