'Seoseoul Art Museum' Opening in 2024... Pre-Program Held on Digital Culture Theme

Online International Forum "Digital Culture and Museums" Held with Participation of International Museum Experts

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Cheol-young] The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced on the 28th that it will hold a pre-program for the Seo Seoul Museum of Art at the Seoul Museum of Art until the 27th of next month. The Seo Seoul Museum of Art is the first municipal art museum to be established in the southwestern region, which lacks cultural infrastructure, and is scheduled to open in November 2024.

The pre-program, "Unprecedented Time, Uncertain Movement," is composed of a rich lineup of programs including an international forum, exhibitions, and lectures featuring global figures and artists. It addresses the direction contemporary art and museums should take amid rapidly changing social environments such as the acceleration of digital technology, infectious diseases, climate crisis, and increasing immigration.

The online international forum "Digital Culture and Museums," held on the 17th and 18th, critically explores the operation and challenges of digital culture at the point where digital transformation has accelerated following the global COVID-19 pandemic. It serves as a platform to discuss issues faced by museums and the art world, with about ten international experts in museum policy, digital culture, and strategy participating as speakers.

The Seo Seoul Museum of Art's educational platform, Multimedia Research Lab, which is being piloted for the first time this year, will conduct various public programs such as web exhibitions, lectures, performances, and screenings with over 50 artists (teams) under the themes of "Social Infrastructure and Care," "Mobile Media," and "Art Research (Production and Interpretation)."

In particular, artist Ham Yang-ah, who will participate in the web project under "Art Research (Production and Interpretation)," will collect data produced during the creation process of "Undefined Panorama" and release it in a new format utilizing the openness and extensibility characteristic of the web. Through a workshop with Nora O Murciu, Artistic Director of Transmediale in Germany, they will experiment with the process of generating artistic discourse through artworks as public resources.

Meanwhile, the Seo Seoul Museum of Art pre-program began in 2020 with "Someday, For Everyone," which sought practical methods for expanding museum accessibility and responding to paradigm shifts in museum construction. It was followed in 2021 by "Signals at the Boundary," which examined the relationship between art and society through various media works focusing on changing regions and media. This year marks the third pre-program event.

The current pre-program is being held at the Seoul Museum of Art (Seosomun) Learning Station (2nd floor), Project Gallery (3rd floor), and the Seo Seoul Museum of Art website. The themes and contents of the pre-program, conducted over three years until this year, will be disclosed later through the Seo Seoul Museum of Art website and publications.

Joo Yong-tae, Head of the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s Culture Headquarters, said, “The Geumcheon-gu area, where the Seo Seoul Museum of Art will be located, is a place with regional characteristics where future industries such as information technology (IT) and fashion coexist alongside memories of a former urban industrial zone. We are planning it as an open museum for everyone where art, industry, and everyday culture harmonize through new media and convergent arts.” He added, “I hope this pre-program will be a meaningful opportunity to imagine and discuss the future of the Seo Seoul Museum of Art, where culture, art, and technology can be enjoyed together.”

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