A Visit to Onyang Folk Museum and Gujeong Art Center
▲ Entrance to Onyang Folk Museum
On a spring day, I visited the Onyang Folk Museum, the first private folk museum in South Korea. I had always wanted to go, and a friend living in Asan mentioned a great exhibition happening there.
(Normally, you would buy a ticket at the entrance, but if you're just visiting the exhibition, you can simply inform them and enter.)
▲ Cafe Onyang
Before entering, I met my friend at Cafe Onyang, which can be accessed directly from the museum parking lot. The café's muted colors and neat appearance felt very inviting.
▲ Goods displayed at Cafe Onyang
In a uniquely decorated corner of the café, there were goods from Cafe Onyang on display. I was pleased to see items like celadon water droppers and incense holders crafted by artisans, as well as collaboration products with the trendy brand Heenok, including scented sachets and soaps.
The combination of celadon and wood colors was stunning.
This place is not a no-kids zone but rather a care kids zone, indicating that if you are with children, they ask you to be mindful of any potential damage or noise.
▲ Enjoying a cup of tea at Cafe Onyang
While waiting for my friend, I enjoyed a cup of mugwort tea. The warm sunlight and playful cats brought back memories of my childhood, wandering along train tracks and gathering mugwort. Despite the lack of greenery, the atmosphere was filled with spring.
▲ Gujeong Art Center
When the time came, I headed to Gujeong Art Center with my friend. This place was designed by the world-renowned architect Jun Itami in 1982. Although he was born in Japan, he held Korean nationality until his passing in 2011. He is known for notable structures like the Grape Hotel in Jeju and SuPung Stone Museum, but the first building he designed in Korea was Gujeong Art Center.
From the entrance, it appeared small, but once inside, it was impressively spacious and unique.
▲ Docent's explanation by Go Yoon-young
The docent explains the exhibits twice daily at 2 PM and 4 PM. When I arrived, there were quite a few people gathered. The current exhibition is titled 'Light Nestled Between Silence,' featuring the artist Paul C. It signifies the addition of light by media artist Paul to the architecture of Itami Jun, who was known as the architect of stone and wind.
With a receiver, I could listen to explanations about the artist and the works while exploring the space.
▲ 'Canvas of Light'
As soon as I entered, the most striking work was 'Canvas of Light.' It felt as though the entire space was bathed in light, with vibrant colors and images flowing continuously with the music.
▲ Close-up of 'Canvas of Light'
Sitting in front of the artwork, the colors of the entire space changed dramatically, revealing another scene. Light particles moved along a square frame, casting shadows on a circular three-dimensional panel. It was mesmerizing and beautiful, reminiscent of endless waves or trees swaying in the wind.
▲ 'Pixel Beat'
One of the main works, 'Pixel Beat,' combines the smallest unit of an image, a pixel, with the smallest unit of data, a bit. The artist developed it to light up and turn off according to light without electricity, which was fascinating. Such moving artworks cannot be captured in photographs; you must see them in person to appreciate them fully. Listening to the docent deepened my understanding of how works like 'Beat Ceramic' were created and the artist's intentions.
▲ Bust of the founder, Kim Won-dae (1921-2000), displayed in Onyang Folk Museum
After viewing the exhibition, I had some time left, so I bought a ticket and visited the museum. It was more extensive and had a wider variety of artifacts than I expected, making me want to bring my child next time.
My friend from Asan mentioned that they frequently visited this place as a child but didn't realize Gujeong Art Center was such a famous architectural landmark.
They say that when they come to Onyang Folk Museum with their parents, they become very talkative.
Experiencing such a wonderful space with modern exhibitions for free is a privilege. I am grateful to Onyang Folk Museum and Asan Cultural Foundation for this opportunity. I plan to return with my child to explore the folk museum and participate in craft experiences.
Source :https://blog.naver.com/sinmunman/224226767579
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