'One Pyeong of Art' Jongno Urban Gallery Art Window... Naksan-gil Scenery Exhibition

The first half of 2020 exhibition titled 'Memories of Jongno' runs until June... The current exhibition 'Naksan-gil: Yesterday and Today' features artworks capturing the day and night scenes of Ihwa Mural Village and Naksan Park Fortress Wall Trail

[Asia Economy Reporter Jongil Park] At the entrance of Heunginjimun Park, there is a small gallery about one pyeong in size that catches the eye. This place, which attracts the attention of passing citizens, is the ‘Jongno Urban Gallery Art Window’ operated by Jongno-gu (District Mayor Kim Young-jong) since 2013.

Now in its seventh year, the Urban Gallery Art Window project creates an environment where anyone can easily access artworks and provides exhibition opportunities to emerging artists and local resident artists.

The district plans the gallery each year with different themes and directions to bring a wider variety of works closer to citizens.

The first half of 2020 exhibition is themed ‘Memories of Jongno,’ co-planned with social enterprises. The Seoul Creative Arts Center and Dongim Jogakbo team, part of the ‘Jongno Living Culture Arts Club’ where artists and residents collaborate, are participating, with the exhibition held in two sessions until June.

The current exhibition, ‘Naksan-gil: Yesterday and Today,’ features works by members of the Seoul Creative Arts Center that collectively express memories of Jongno. It offers elderly visitors nostalgic memories and captures the daytime and nighttime scenes of ‘Ewha Mural Village’ and ‘Naksan Park Fortress Wall Trail,’ popular dating spots for people in their 20s and 30s.

Using canvas oil paintings, natural leather, and cotton fabric, the lively daytime scenes of the area and the warm, lingering nighttime streets are expressed three-dimensionally, adding a special touch.

In particular, by using jewelry materials that are sensitive to light after sunset, considering lighting, the exhibition provides citizens with a chance to encounter beautiful memories in Jongno.

The second exhibition of the first half, opening on May 15, involves members of Dongim Jogakbo. It will showcase the Korean aesthetic felt throughout Jongno?such as hanok and hanbok?through jogakbo (patchwork) works composed of traditional textile textures and vibrant colors.

The Jongno Urban Gallery Art Window is open year-round at the entrance of Heunginjimun Park Plaza, opposite Heunginjimun (Dongdaemun), with night lighting on for about five hours after sunset.

District Mayor Kim Young-jong stated, “In these times when the social atmosphere is more subdued than ever due to the spread of COVID-19, I recommend that citizens passing by take some time to appreciate artworks and rest briefly through the Urban Gallery Art Window. We will continue to promote various projects for regional cultural development and strive to create an environment where all residents can enjoy culture and arts in public spaces.”

Starting in the second half of this year, a second Urban Gallery exhibition booth will be newly installed between Unni-dong and Ikseon-dong. While the existing Urban Gallery in Heunginjimun Park mainly introduced static works, the district plans to present more dynamic and unique works here, such as media art.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.