The first thing I have to say about this building is that the structure is beautiful. I wish I had captured more of the adjoining sections, as they each have their own style. The front entrance is an old brick building that looks very London post office, this is connected seamlessly to a sharp glass foyer that is where you buy tickets and lock your umbrella (yes, there is a special contraption for locking umbrellas at the door so you don't drip on your way to the lockers). The rest of the building continues in this weird mash up of old and new, western and eastern that I see throughout Korea. Another favorite part of mine is that the museum wasn't only a space for display, but also consisted of several classrooms where workshops take place, cafes, and archives where you can check out books or other materials to learn more about art. I could have spent the whole day here, but as I implied earlier, I had a lot to squeeze into the weekend.
From here on, I'll be showing pictures and describing some of my favorite exhibits to give you a taste of what the museum had to offer. Photos were allowed, and even encouraged with little lines on the floor from which to capture the best angle.
First is the "Explaining Could Be Exploiting II" exhibit which described how difficult it can be to define what is appropriate when trying to interpret objects or events. The art piece shown below is the flag of every nation unraveled, and their threads jumbled and knotted together in rectangles, like an enormous, fluffy, checkered world flag.
In another, more overtly educational room were flags and stories describing migration, conquered territories and history throughout the various regions included in the broad term "Asia." There were also books (in several languages) on display and seats where visitors could sit and read about a topic that interested them particularly.
Next was a more solemn exhibit titled "Production Line." You can make a guess as to its content. Specifically, this piece was the result of the artist's mother telling him stories and providing pictures of her time working as a laborer at a sewing factory. As a side note, the biography detailing this piece stated (in English) that the location was Taiwan, while it's inhabitants and workers were referred to as Chinese. This displays the complicated relationship Korea has with China and the ambiguity surrounding their recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign nation separate from China or not.
A final exhibit used unfinished, two-story, wooden structures and mirrors to capture the beauty in Japanese architecture.
And that's all I have for you today. I'm hoping to write about the perfumery workshop I attended during this same trip next week on Sunday. Until then, have a wonderful first few official days of Summer!
-K
