Jeonnam Provincial Art Museum to Open as a Complex Cultural Hub in Daily Life on the 23rd

Jeonnam Offers Diverse Art Experiences Based on Traditionality, Modernity, and Internationality... Opening Ceremony on the 22nd

[Muan=Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters, Reporter Yoon Jamin] Jeonnam Provincial Museum of Art (Director Lee Jiho) will hold an opening ceremony on the 22nd and open to the public from the 23rd as a complex cultural base familiar to everyone in daily life.

According to the province on the 16th, the provincial museum of art was built with a project cost of 41.4 billion KRW, consisting of one basement floor, three above-ground floors, and a total floor area of 11,580㎡.

It is as if a modern art museum widely promoting Jeonnam, the city of arts, has opened after about 1,000 years since Jeollado was established in 1018 (the 9th year of King Hyeonjong of Goryeo).

The provincial museum of art is expected to become a cultural and artistic space where one can experience diverse arts from around the world, centered on Asia, as a modern art museum introducing international trends in contemporary art based on Jeonnam’s traditionality, modernity, and internationality.

Aiming to be a “museum reflecting the surrounding landscapes and life” and a “friendly museum in daily life,” the museum plans to approach residents as a more familiar complex cultural base through various educational and cultural programs and cafeteria services, in addition to its exhibition, research, and collection functions.

Located on the site of the old Gwangyang Station, it completes a new chapter in Jeonnam’s history within the time and space of the region’s past.

The glass exterior divides the space while visually connecting it, naturally blending with the surrounding environment and capturing the subtle changes in Gwangyang’s scenery according to seasons and weather.

Functional elements including natural lighting and reflectivity are added. The white dots installed between the outer walls symbolize the visitors who complete the museum, enhancing its symbolism.

The provincial museum of art embodies the will of Jeonnam Province and its residents to create an international museum attracting many art lovers domestically and abroad, leading the art culture of Jeonnam, the city of arts, and is expected to establish itself as a center of cultural prosperity.

Along with the opening, a special inaugural exhibition titled “Facing the Water with the Mountain at the Back” will be presented, featuring 13 artists from three countries.

The exhibition reflects the will of Jeonnam’s art history to play a major role in Korean art while advancing toward global art.

In addition, abundant cultural events and educational programs for communication with residents will be operated. Especially, invitation events for multicultural families, low-income groups, and foreign residents in Korea will be held, offering free exhibition viewing, guided tours, and various educational programs.

Besides nine independent exhibition rooms, the provincial museum of art is equipped with a spacious free parking lot, caf?, library, lounge, multi-project hall, and visitor participation educational spaces, aiming to be a complex cultural base where residents can soothe their tired minds in daily life and naturally blend in.

Various visitor convenience services are also provided. For office workers, the museum will be open free of charge from 6 PM to 9 PM on the last Wednesday of every month, and considering the COVID-19 situation, an online advance reservation system will be operated. Visitors without reservations can also enter on-site immediately.

Along with the opening of the provincial museum of art, works by important artists in modern and contemporary Korean art such as Song Chang and Park Moonjong from the Jeonnam region, as well as Lee Heejung, Oh Kyunghwan, Jin Yooyoung, Park Jaegon, Lee In, Lee Cheolju, Cho Soonho, Oh Sookhwan, and Kang Nammi, have been donated.

Furthermore, to research Jeonnam regional art and complete a richer context of Korean art history, high-quality collections have been publicly purchased to enhance the museum’s collection level.

By expanding archives of artists and works and securing library materials, the museum strengthens its art research functions and plans to establish Korean art history, which has stood shoulder to shoulder with world art, through a series of exhibitions interpreting world contemporary art and Korean art from various perspectives.

Director Lee Jiho said, “I want to increase residents’ understanding and participation in contemporary art and create a regional community with artistic sensibility and cultural awareness,” adding, “We will nurture it as a ‘museum that soothes the human heart,’ where hearts meet and comfort each other amid the COVID-19 situation.”

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