Press Releases

NEWS RELEASE

Contact: Heartley Bachiller or
Carmen Ramos Chandler
(818) 677-2130
hbachiller@exec.csun.edu

Korean Cultural Exhibit Highlights Korean Month at CSUN

(NORTHRIDGE, Calif., Sept. 19, 2000) - Cal State Northridge hails October as Korean Cultural Month at the university with an exhibit on Korean culture and history as seen through western eyes.

The exhibit, "Land of the Morning Calm: The Western View of Korea, 1741-1960," will be open to the public from Tuesday, Oct. 3, through Wednesday, Nov. 8, in the Oviatt Library's Special Collections/Exhibit Area on the second floor in the west wing.

The exhibit contains nearly 100 books on loan to the university by Peter Maeng, a collector of Korean history books. This part of his collection contains books written by western travelers and scholars about Korea, including some rare books that describe the last days of the Choson Dynasty and early Christian activities in that country. Photographs of Korea and other manuscripts also will be on display.

"I want all the students and others to enjoy Korea and its history," Maeng said.

The exhibit will open with a reception Tuesday, Oct. 3, at 7 p.m. in the Oviatt Library's Presentation Room on the ground floor in the west wing. Maeng and Susan Curzon, dean of the University Library, will be present.

The evening's program includes a lecture by USC assistant history professor Kyung Moon Hwang titled "The Turn of the 20th Century: Koreašs Discovery of the West."

Everyone is invited to the reception and other events the library will hold in the Presentation Room during October to honor Korean culture.

On Thursday, Oct. 12, from noon to 1 p.m. there will be a viewing of videos on the printing history of Korea from the collection of the Korean Cultural Center. CSUN assistant art professor Juliann Wolfgram will give a lecture titled "Early Printing in Korea."

The following week the library will present a short documentary on the Korean War on Thursday, Oct. 19, from noon to 1 p.m. UCLA associate professor of sociology and Korean studies Gi-Wook Shin also will talk about "The Korea Summit and Beyond."

On Thursday, Oct. 26, Rick McBride, cultural consultant for the Korean Cultural Center, will give a travelogue/slide presentation on Korea from noon to 1 p.m. McBride is a Ph.D. candidate in Korean and Chinese Buddhism at UCLA.

For more information, call (818) 677-6299 or (818) 677-2635.

California State University, Northridge has more than 28,000 full- and part-time students and offers 48 bachelor's and 39 master's degrees. Founded in 1958, it is the only four-year university in the San Fernando Valley.