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Suseok on Center Stage

20th ANNUAL

KOREAN/AMERICAN

VIEWING STONE EXHIBITION

Ayers Hall, Los Angeles
County Arboretum, Arcadia,
California USA

Interview by Jack L. Dennis, USA
photos by Jack L. Dennis, except
where otherwise noted

…one must gather one’s courage to engage Kwaesuk.

Even Jade doesn’t compare with Kwaesuk.
From a poem, In Praise of Kwaesuk, by Syngman Rhee, First President of the Republic of South Korea, 1954-1957

he Korean American Soosuk Club staged GENERAL METHODS OF VIEWING STONE
an exhibition of Suseok viewing stones in PRACTICE
Ayres Hall at the Los Angeles County Ar- Gongshi has been imported throughout the world
boretum, Arcadia, California on April 4 for generations. Gongshi has been defined by
Tand 5, 2015. There were 75 splendidly cho- Westerners as Scholars Rocks. The relatively recent
reographed stones arranged on informal tabletop series of books written by Kemin Hu of Newton
display throughout the facility. Mr. James Greaves Massachusetts and the advent of the urbane schol-
(Guest Exhibitor) arranged a companion display arly work, Worlds within Worlds, published by
of stones from the American Viewing Stone Re-
Top; exhibit space, Ayers Hall. Photo Harvard University art Museums, has paved the
by Don Kruger. source Center (AVSRC). The AVSRC is resident at way toward greater understanding of the Chinese
Middle; Don Kruger (Curator), Chung the Huntington Library and Botanical Gardens San method of appreciation in the USA. Gongshi is a
Kruger (President), Eden Chung Marino, California. common practice of decorative viewing stone art
(Historian) Within the Korean community in Southern Cali- by many but it is still an enigma to most western
Bottom left; Collector/Exhibitor: Jim fornia, Suseok may be compared to the common practitioners and collectors alike beyond the novice
Greaves and a collection of (AVSRC)
Korean flower Pattern stones. practice of Suiseki (Japanese art of Stone Apprecia- approach in decorating their home.
tion) or Gongshi (Chinese art of Stone Apprecia- Suseok is believed to have been introduced to Korea
tion). Some believe that the advent of the art made from China but the origin of stone appreciation in
its way from China to Japan by way of Korea. The Korea is lost in ancient history and the connection
art was refined in each ensuing country to be in line remains unclear. Further, it is known that the Kore-
with the culture of each in its turn. Every exhibition ans most certainly brought stones to Japan no later
rewards us with a learning opportunity and as justi- than the last half of the 7th century, during Empress
fication for a lifetime of fascination with stones and Suiko’s reign. Actually, Korean Baekje aristocracy
this particular exhibition was premier to that end.
began migration to Japan, (including importation

20 | BCI | July/August/September 2015