Grant awarded to bring Hanji masters to Roanoke College for residency

Roanoke College has been awarded a $10,000 grant that will allow it to host two masters of an ancient Korean art form for a cultural exchange that will include both campus and community events. 

The grant, bestowed by the ASIANetwork and its Embodied Learning About Asia Program, will support a two-week residency that will introduce the region to the art of Hanji, a form of handmade paper that dates back to the 1st century B.C.E. 

Hanji, meticulously crafted from the bark of mulberry trees, is renowned for its exceptional quality and versatility. It was used not only for writing but for wall coverings, umbrellas, artwork, clothing and more. 

Roanoke College’s residency will bring in two Hanji masters from Wonju, Korea, which is acclaimed for its Hanji craftsmanship and has the additional distinction of being a Roanoke Valley Sister City since 1964.  

The residency, scheduled for Fall 2024, will coincide with the 60th anniversary of that Sister City partnership. That milestone and its legacy of promoting understanding across borders is woven throughout the Hanji program. 

The artist events will culminate in two public showcases — one hosted on campus at Olin Hall Galleries and one hosted in the community at the Taubman Museum of Art, in partnership with Roanoke Valley Sister Cities. 

“Through these events, both students and the broader community will have the opportunity to witness the beauty and versatility of Hanji, fostering a deeper appreciation for Korean arts and culture,” said Stella Xu, Roanoke College’s John R. Turbyfill Professor of History, who led the development of the grant proposal. 

Just last summer, Xu led a student research trip to Korea, also made possible by an ASIANetwork grant. The three-week itinerary included an expedition to Wonju and a visit to its Hanji papermaking museum. 

There, students not only toured galleries filled with thousands of Hanji art pieces, but also received hands-on tutorials in the craft of making Hanji. 

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"Those students regard that as one of their most enriching cultural encounters in Korea,” Xu said. “We are thrilled to bring this unique, immersive experience back to campus through this residency program so that more students and community members can learn the papermaking process.” 

The visiting artists will speak to classes and guide students through the creation of their own Hanji objects. In addition to Xu, the grant request was sponsored by History Department Chair Rob Willingham, Fine Arts Department Chair Kate Shortridge, Anthropology Coordinator Whitney Leeson and History Professor Mary Henold. 

Roanoke Valley Sister Cities also supported the application. 

Roanoke College has been working to renew its historical ties with Korea through research and cultural initiatives. Community partnerships and grant support have been invaluable to that work, Xu said, and contributed to numerous, enriching student experiences. 

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Students who were part of last summer’s research trip recently shared their experience with the community during a Lunar New Year celebration hosted by Local Colors, Roanoke Valley Sister Cities, and the Taubman Museum of Art. 

The partnerships built into the upcoming residency program will help deepen those campus-community connections, Xu said. 

“Our students are enthusiastic about serving as goodwill ambassadors and dedicated to rekindling the connection between RC and Korea,” she said. “They are eager to cherish and uphold this significant chapter in the history of our college.”