ISSA Korea \ Sculpture Symposium of Black Stone

The 2022 MOSAN International Sculptor Symposium and ISSA Korea, recently concluded in Boryeong, Korea. Sculptors from Georgia, Israel, and Spain joining Korean artists completed their sculptures.

The sculptures at this symposium were all large in size, and with the assistance of local stone carvers, the three international sculptors' sculptures reached nine, six and seven meters respectively.

Boryeong, where MOSAN is located, is a well-known production area for oseok (black granite) and inkstone, known as the "Five Stones of Nampo" since ancient times. The quality of the stone has been recognized as the material for stone monuments and the material for inkstones, and the stone industry has been developed based on them. Oseok is named for its black color, and a variety of colors appear during processing, making it suitable for stone monuments or artwork carving. Almost the same as oseok, the dark inkstone does not seep through water, and the ink for making inkstones lasts long and has a fine texture that makes it easy to carve. Nampo inkstones with a variety of carvings on the lid were the best inkstones coveted by Confucian scholars in the Joseon Dynasty.

Contributor: ISSA Korea Member Im Hoyoung

Editor: Liu Qin, Song Mingcheng

Translator: Sun Ya’nan, Sun Shuang

Legal advisor: Tao Ranting