Meeting the 'Papillon Chair': A Weighty Lesson in Non-Possession
Creatrip Team
a month ago
At Gilsangsa temple in Seoul, a new exhibition titled 'Brush Play' (붓장난) revisits the life and teachings of monk Beopjeong, who famously practiced mu-so-yu (무소유, 'non-possession'). The show centers on the austere Jinyeonggak hall and a rough, hand-carved chair nicknamed the 'Papillon chair' (빠삐용 의자) — made by the monk after watching the film Papillon as a symbol of freedom. Visitors encounter his worn robes, poems and letters exchanged with nun Lee Hae-in, and simple ink works that emphasize daily small joys over grand truths. The exhibition invites reflection on letting go of the unnecessary to find true freedom; it runs at Space Supernormal opposite Gilsangsa through March 21, 2026.
