A Study on the Preservation of Historical Materials in Modern Literature and Fine Arts

[Material 1] Status of Magazines and Literary Journals

[Material 2] List of Poems by Name

[Material 3] List of Novels by Name

[Material 4] List of Plays by Name

[Material 5] Status of the Collection of the Works of Major Writers

[Material 6] Status of the Remains of Major Writers

[Material 7] Status of the Establishment of Modern Literary Monuments 

[Material 8] List of Korean Painters' Works by Name

[Material 9] List of Western Painters' Works by Name

[Material 10] List of Sculptors by Name

Outline

This study is in response to a recognition that the historical materials of modern literature and the arts have been consistently disappearing. This occurs because of neglect and mismanagement, despite the fact that a century has passed since the enlightened age of the nation. This is a way of surveying and managing the historical materials of modern culture and arts, and thus the study focuses on a search for the materials of modern art history that have been produced in modern times, and proposes an alternative policy for preserving them more efficiently.

This study is limited to specific times and genres in order to consider the context of study and increase its achievement. The time is restricted to the period from the enlightened age (which is regarded as constituting a turning point for modern times), to the year 1950 when the Korean War broke out. As for the genres, they are limited to literature and fine arts.

The process of study is as follows:

1) Fundamental Research

  a. Bibliographical survey

  b. Research based on visitations

2) Selection of Writers and Artists

  a. Bibliographical survey

  b. Opinion poll after selecting major writers and artists by genre

  c. First selection on the basis of the results of document survey and opinion poll

  d. Consultation with the committee (consisting of specialists) about the writers and artists      

    selected in the previous process.   

  e. Final decision on writers and artists

3) Status and Lists of Major Historical Materials Related to the Selected Writers and Artists 

  a. Bibliographical survey

  b. Visit or documentary research of persons concerned with the selected figures (family, 

    relatives, friends)

  c. Analysis, classification and compilation of bibliographical survey, visit survey and

    documentary research

4) Selection of Historical Materials Worth Managing and Preserving

  a. Proportion of pertinent materials in the modern history of literature and arts

  b. Preserving the state of pertinent materials

  c. Availability of management and preservation costs

5) Measures to Preserve the Historical Materials

This study has encountered many difficulties in rooting out a considerable sun of material. Although a large amount of materials have been produced during the last century, no efforts have made to collect and curate them until now.

The factors that compounded this serious situation are as follows:

First, there was little understanding of culture and the arts.

Second, the nation suffered from such acute social and political adversity in the recent past that it could not afford to pay attention to culture and the arts.

Third, there was no established system to actively collect the materials.

These factors left the nation's historical materials of culture and arts as they were, leading to a serious gap in quantity of preservation. With the changing  of the times, social circumstances or conditions have also changed, including the understanding of culture and arts. The historical materials of culture and arts have also increased in value, and as such it is essential to collect and manage the materials in a more active and positive manner, and establish a reading system to make the most of these texts. Conditions necessary to do this are as follows:

First, the major materials of culture and arts must be viewed in a new light.

Second, the project must be supported with concrete policy.

Third, financing for the project should be secured and the budget should be increased.    

Fourth, specified experts must be culturally sensitized.

Though the problems mentioned above appear difficult to solve, they must be determined before anything else. Positive and active efforts should be made to improve upon these poor conditions. This is difficult to access at the individual level, so it is necessary to approach at the state level. That is to say, the government should be the primary backer and must provide initial support for the project.

Meanwhile, a specified and specialized apparatus must be established to efficiently curate the major materials. Because the nation's modern materials have been left for such a long period without any managing system, it is urgent to discover their whereabouts and collect them. The most important task is to secure fundamental materials. It is also of utmost importance to establish a specified organization to direct this project systematically. Alternative policies to solve the above problems and manage the major materials are as follows:

First, a comprehensive center must be created in order to collect, preserve, manage and utilize the cultural and artistic materials. This requires compiling materials with scientific equipment and methods by establishing various libraries, museums, archives, institutes, and so on.

Second, it is necessary to have a mandatory registration for very rare and valuable materials.

Third, specific and scientific methodology should be implemented to manage the materials efficiently. All facilities must be systematically linked up through a list and database of materials.

Fourth, maximum encouragement must be given to reading and user services for relevant researchers and those who require the materials. There should be multiple copies of materials in various media, such as copy, visual, microfilm, network, and so on. These all must be established concurrently with the service system of information.

These problems are difficult to solve within a short time frame. Their consideration must not be delayed any further, as we consider that the materials neglected thus far will only increase in their likelihood to be lost. Accordingly, it is required to make an effort to solve the problems and execute the tasks proposed in this study step by step. By preserving and curating the major cultural and artistic materials of the nation and offering convenient services to the related researchers or users, the national culture will further develop and prosper.