Have you ever tasted Korean temple cuisine? It’s entirely plant-based, which celebrates the natural rhythms of the Earth. It is said that in the Buddhist tradition, there’s a deep emphasis on balance and harmony between the elements. In the making of foods, ingredients are searched for or grown near the temple, with dishes varying and changing based on the season. Many ingredients can be collected for their medicinal properties, such as wild herbs, roots, and mountain vegetables. It’s widely believed that the goal is to maintain internal equilibrium, supporting meditation, health, and longevity.
From 6 to 17 April 2025, a photography and visual display installation exhibit was held at the Swiss-Hanok in Seoul, focused on one of the earth’s elements, SOIL. According to the press release, the Embassy of Switzerland in Korea hosted the exhibition exploring the connection between Humans and the Earth. The exhibition examines the interplay between nature, food, and human creativity through Korean temple cuisine. The exhibition was based on the book Jeongkwan Snim – Her Korean Temple Cuisine, published by the Swiss publishing house Echtzeit, with texts by author Hoo Nam Seelmann and photographs by Véronique Hoegger. The exhibition highlights the deep ties between Switzerland and Korea by uniting Swiss book design with Korean culture’s intrinsic connection to nature and thus, speaks a universal language. The exhibition was curated by Chelsea Jihong Park, Shinyoung Bahc, and Yesul Jang, who studied at ECAL/University of Art and Design Lausanne.
During the exhibit, artistically curated indoor and outdoor spaces of the Embassy, large-scale photographs, and installations captivated visitors… with the exhibit depicting a Buddhist nun, Jeongkwan Snim’s daily life, documented by Swiss photographer Véronique Hoegger during her stay at Cheonji-nam Temple in South Korea.
In a message, Her Excellency Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli, Ambassador of Switzerland to Korea, stated that as spring awakens all living things, it is especially meaningful to host an exhibition that sheds light on the profound relationship between soil and humanity.
“The Embassy’s courtyard, where this exhibition takes place, is a natural gathering space, much like how Jeongkwan Snim connects people through food. I hope this exhibition offers visitors a moment to reflect on respect for nature, the cycle of life, and our connection to the earth.” she added.
The press release mentioned that the exhibition SOIL was also tied into the embassy’s “Soil Stories” science program, which focuses on academic exchanges and was conceived in collaboration with the global network Swissnex for the Planet. It explores the reciprocal and multifaceted relationship between humans and soil, focusing on food security, environmental conservation, biodiversity, and sustainable agriculture.
Here are some photos of the exhibit, SOIL, taken by Bereket Aleamyehu.
For more information, visit Exhibition SOIL
