Until January 11, 2026, the Museo Correr (Sala delle Quattro Porte) presents the exhibition “Characters. Calligraphy and Typography: South Korea and the United States”, curated by Monica Viero and Monica Dengo as part of the East West Calligraphy series.
The exhibition brings together four contemporary artists from South Korea and the United States — Kim Doo Kyung, Kang Byung-In, Thomas Ingmire, and Amos Paul Kennedy Jr. — whose works are displayed alongside ancient documents from the Library’s collections. The common thread is phonetic writing systems: the Korean Hangeul alphabet and the Latin alphabet, explored as bridges between visual expression and cultural identity.
The Korean artists reinterpret Hangeul, the 15th-century alphabet created to make writing accessible to all. In their calligraphies, vowels and consonants take on emotional and spiritual dimensions, becoming meditative gestures that unite breath, movement, and thought. Writing thus transforms into an act of contemplation and balance between form and meaning.
In the Western section, Thomas Ingmire revitalizes calligraphy by merging poetry, music, and graphic design, creating works where language becomes both image and sound. Amos Paul Kennedy Jr., on the other hand, uses traditional movable type to print bold, colorful posters that carry messages of social justice and empowerment, echoing the legacy of the civil rights movement.
By juxtaposing contemporary creations with historical manuscripts, “Characters” highlights the enduring dialogue between East and West, and between handmade and printed word, celebrating writing as both a personal expression and a universal language.
Website: www.visitmuve.it
Location: Correr Museum, Venice
Schedule: until January 11, 2026
