The Seoul Museum of Craft Art’s 2026 exhibition program, announced on the occasion of its fifth anniversary, clearly signals a shift in how craft is positioned. Rather than treating craft merely as an object of preservation or a decorative form rooted in tradition, the museum proposes to rediscover its value within Seoul’s historical and cultural context while expanding it into a language that communicates with the world.
 
The museum has outlined three key directions for its 2026 program: “Exploring and Expanding the Origins of K-Craft,” “Craft as a Medium of Experience and Empathy,” and “Building a Glocal Craft Culture Hub.” These directions suggest an attempt to reposition craft across three temporal dimensions—heritage of the past, sensory experience of the present, and a platform for future international collaboration.
 
Among the planned exhibitions, the most significant is《Oh! Hybrid》, a special exhibition commemorating the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, scheduled to open in April. Centered on craft from the Korean Empire period, the exhibition examines the transformations of Korean craft following contact with the West after the opening of ports.

It is organized in collaboration with major French national institutions, including the Guimet Museum, the Sèvres Museum, and the Musée des Arts et Métiers, and has been officially designated by the French government as part of the 140th anniversary commemorative program.
 
In this respect, the exhibition should be understood not simply as a museum project, but as an international cultural collaboration mediated through craft.

The significance of《Oh! Hybrid》lies in its conceptual framework of “hybridity.” Rather than presenting Korean craft as a pure continuation of tradition or a fixed expression of national identity, the exhibition frames it as a composite form shaped through encounters and exchanges with the outside world.

In particular, the reintroduction of Korean Empire–era craft objects that were exhibited at the 1889 and 1900 Paris Expositions situates craft not merely as an aesthetic object, but as material evidence of modern international exchange. In this sense, the exhibition does not present craft as a static representation of “Koreanness,” but as a result of ongoing processes of mixture, translation, and transformation in relation to the world.
 
This perspective invites a reconsideration of the function and status of craft today. Craft is no longer confined to a medium defined by materials and techniques. Instead, it operates as a structure that mediates between history and diplomacy, design and museum institutions, tradition and contemporaneity.

By connecting the diplomatic milestone of the Korea–France relationship with the historical resource of Korean Empire–era craft, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art demonstrates that craft can function both as an object of cultural-historical research and as a language of international collaboration. In this regard,《Oh! Hybrid》moves beyond a retrospective exhibition and proposes a model for how craft may operate within global discourse and institutional frameworks in the future.
 
Within the broader framework of the museum’s 2026 program, this exhibition forms a central axis. Alongside the commemorative exhibition, the museum plans to present the second Seoul Glass Craft Award exhibition in August, introducing contemporary works with strong competitiveness.
 
It will also stage a special donation exhibition featuring first-generation contemporary ceramic artist Kwon Soon-hyung and textile designer Chang Eung-bok, as well as a civic engagement exhibition introducing works by emerging craft artists under the age of 39. Through these initiatives, craft is further positioned as a medium of experience and emotional engagement.

In addition, the international touring of《The Design Studio of Najeonjang》, originally presented in 2023, indicates that the museum is evolving beyond a local institution into a platform actively facilitating the global circulation and expansion of craft.
 
These developments are closely tied to broader shifts in the institutional perception of craft. Historically, craft has often been positioned as peripheral within the art system, subordinate to fine art, or primarily understood within the framework of heritage preservation. However, recent developments suggest a redefinition of craft as a composite field connected to contemporary sensibilities, industry, design, urban culture, and international exchange.
 
The museum’s achievement of over 550,000 visitors and an average satisfaction rate exceeding 94% further reflects the growing public relevance and accessibility of craft. Ultimately, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art’s 2026 program can be understood as an effort to activate craft beyond its fixation as a relic of the past, repositioning it within the sensibilities of the present and the structures of future international collaboration.
 
In particular,《Oh! Hybrid》carries significance beyond its diplomatic symbolism, offering a re-reading of Korea’s modern encounters with the world through craft, while simultaneously proposing a direction for future international collaborative projects.
 
Through this exhibition, craft is no longer confined within the boundaries of tradition. It is reconfigured as a cultural language that connects history and the present, while establishing new relationships with the global context.
 
 
Exhibition Information
 
Title:《Oh! Hybrid》
Type: Special Exhibition Commemorating the 140th Anniversary of Korea–France Diplomatic Relations
Dates: April 28 – July 26, 2026
Venue: Seoul Museum of Craft Art
Collaborators: Musée Guimet, Sèvres Museum, Musée des Arts et Métiers, among others
Overview: An exhibition examining Korean Empire–era craft, Korea–France cultural exchange, and the hybrid formation of modern craft practices