Skip to main content

News

Amorepacific Museum of Art Opens Contemporary Art Project, ‘apmap 2019 jeju’

Company 2019-07-19
  • Outdoor public art exhibition, 《apmap 2019 jeju – islanders made》, to be held starting July 20 at Jeju Osulloc Tea Museum
  • 15 teams of contemporary artists and architects participating, displaying 15 new works that reinterpret the life of ‘Jeju’s people’

Amorepacific Museum of Art (Director Jeon Seungchang) opens its contemporary art project ‘apmap 2019 jeju’ from July 20 to September 22 at the Jeju Osulloc Tea Museum. Outdoor public art exhibition 《apmap 2019 jeju – islanders made》 reinterprets the people of Jeju, who have overcome and adapted to the rough nature of Jeju and built their own unique way of live and culture, into contemporary art.

《apmap 2019 jeju – islanders made》 is a contemporary art project of Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA) themed ‘Jeju’s people’. 15 teams of young artists and architects took part in the exhibition, visiting and exploring the places of the lives of Jeju people and created new artwork based on the inspirations derived from the places.

The exhibition displays contemporary artworks that reinterpret the way of life built by the people of Jeju, including Ju Sekyun’s <Air Barrier>, inspired by the way Jeju people build stone walls and designed to express an open wall connecting the sky, the ground, and the audience, Choi Jungwoo’s <Without Prejudice to Talk>, which expresses the sense of solidarity shared among the people of Jeju reflected in the process of building thatched houses such as laying straw ropes and connecting straw roofs, and Graft Object + CREAMseoul’s <A Rest>, which turned inspiration from bulteok (fire pit) and tewak (buoy) used by haenyeo (or female divers) when they rest at sea or on land into a bench that offers a place to rest in everyday life. The works are composed of various genres, including sculpture, installation, architecture, furniture, and media art. Three are displayed inside the Osulloc Tea Museum, while the remaining 12 are installed in the outdoor gardens. Following the past two exhibitions that covered the wonders of the mystic birth of Jeju found in Jeju folk stories and the unique nature of the volcanic island, this exhibition is centered around the theme of its people, who have created a distinctive culture building their lives on Jeju. Visitors will have the chance to indirectly experience the lives of Jeju’s people through these pieces and through the artists’ unique communication, enjoying a moment of relaxation and contemplation through the medium of art.

APMAP(Amorepacific Museum of Art Project) first started in 2013 to identify new artists with potential based in Korea, to support the creation of experimental art, and to contribute to promoting public art and the development of contemporary art.

APMAP Part Ⅰ was held from 2013 to 2016 in places with relevance to Amorepacific. Starting from the integrated production and distribution base Beauty Campus Osan in 2013, the exhibition venues include Jeju’s Seogwang Tea Garden in 2014, Yongin R&D Center ‘Mizium’ in 2015, and the construction site of the Global Headquarters in Yongsan and Yongsan Family Park in 2016. APMAP Part Ⅱ will be held for 4 years from 2017 to 2020, sharing and communicating the value of Jeju with a wider audience in Korea and overseas by unveiling various artworks themed Jeju’s myths and legends, nature, people and their lives, and art.

The third exhibition of APMAP Part Ⅱ, 《apmap 2019 jeju – islanders made》, which begins on July 20, is open to anyone who visits Jeju Osulloc, both indoor and outdoor spaces. More information on events and the overall exhibition can be found on Amorepacific Museum of Art website (apma.amorepacific.com)

[Exhibition Outline]

  • Exhibition Title 《apmap 2019 jeju – islanders made》
  • Exhibition Period 2019. 7. 20. (Sat) ~ 9. 22. (Sun), from 9am. to 7pm.
  • Exhibition Venue Jeju Osulloc Tea Museum (15 Sinhwayeoksa-ro, Andeok-myeon, Seogwipo, Jeju-do)
  • Public Transportation airport ↔ Osulloc (no. 151 bus, 50-min distance)
  • Exhibition Genre sculpture, installation, architecture, furniture, media art, and others
  • Participating Artists Graft Object + CREAMseoul, Kim Jeongseob, Roh Ilhoon, Noh Haeyul, B.U.S Architecture, COM, Yang Junguk, Yoon Seongho, Lee Heejoon, Ju Sekyun, Choi Jungwoo, teamVOID, Han Kwangwoo, Hong Soo, Hwang Moonjung (15 teams)
  • Hosted by Amorepacific Museum of Art, Osulloc Tea Museum
  • Information Amorepacific Museum of Art / 02-6040-2345 / museum@amorepacific.com (admission is free of charge)

[Reference 1]
Introduction of Artworks (in order of display)

Introduction of Artworks (in order of display)
No. Name of Artist Name of Work
01 Noh Haeyul <general mobile - pleasure of life>
02 teamVOID <STATUS BAR>
03 Han Kwangwoo <Colorful Columns of Heavy Sky>
04 Hong Soo <eomeong>
05 Lee Heejoon <The Shapes of Jeju>
06 Yoon Seongho <H-064>
07 Roh Ilhoon <Rami Jeju>
08 Hwang Moonjung <The wind tramping the soil>
09 B.U.S Architecture <Ja-ri-dom bang-bang>
10 Choi Jungwoo <Without Prejudice to Talk>
11 Graft Object + CREAMseoul <A Rest>
12 Ju Sekyun <Air Barrier>
13 Kim Jeongseob <Trace>
14 COM <Sit-A-Round>
15 Yang Junguk <Things That Do Not Sleep and Delivered Every Time #31>

[Reference 2]
Introduction of Key Participating Artists and Works

Introduction of Key Participating Artists and Works
Work Design Introduction of Artists and Their Works
01. Ju Sekyun
<Air Barrier> / 2019 / ceramic, steel / 840x150x10cm

Jeju’s stone walls stand strong against harsh wind by dispersing the wind through holes between the stones. The artwork is an ‘open wall’ that embodies the structure of the stone walls using sky blue ceramic. It symbolizes the wind’s path across the sky as well as the path across the earth where people communicate.

Ju Sekyun performs various works including ceramics, sculpture and installation on the awareness, perception and memory of people based on his interest in the system that symbolizes social, cultural and customary meanings.

02. Choi Jungwoo
<Without Prejudice to Talk> / 2019 / steel / dimensions variable

There’s a custom among Jeju people where family, relatives and neighbors gather to attach straw ropes over thatched roofs as it requires a lot of labor. The artist created this device that lets people talk to one another from each end, embodying the image of people working the ropes.

Choi Jungwoo creates sculptures on the relationship and inner values based on his observation and contemplation on events that occur and emotions.

03. Graft Object + CREAMseoul
<A Rest> / 2019 / plywood, steel, polyurethane / 3600x3600x510cm

The artist turned inspiration from bulteok (fire pit) and tewak (buoy) used by haenyeo (or female divers) when they rest at sea or on land into a bench that offers a place to rest in everyday life. Inspired by the knots and net of a tewak, the team designed a flower-like pattern that reflects various colors of light, like sunrays glistening on the sea.

Graft Object creates various structures that proposes a change in daily live based on an interest in architectural structures. Designer CREAMseouldesigns cycling gear with a sense of wit.

04. Han Kwangwoo
<Colorful Columns of Heavy Sky> / 2019 / styrofoam, polyurethane coating / (1) 155x56.6cm (2) 155x47.6cm (3) 195x75.9cm (4) 195x57.1cm

Jeju’s “haenyeo” (female divers) have supported their families by diving to harvest from the ocean. Inspired by their lives of diving in and out of the waters, the artist designed the columns to represent underwater pressure and the weight of life. The world above represents the water, while below represents above the sea, reversing the two worlds.

Han Kwangwoo designs sculptures and installations to express material and non-material, human and society, nature and man-made, the constant and the variable by studying the properties of materials and the way to treat them.

05. Yoon Seongho
<H-064> / 2019 / steel, stainless steel / 98x98x350cm each

A “sandam” is Jeju’s unique tomb style that builds a rectangular stone wall around the tomb to protect against fire and prevent horses and cows from entering. The artist reinterpreted the “sandam” form to create a square frame and placed a polygonal piece inside that represents the soul of the deceased. The work reminds us of the values of what Jeju people protected and held.

Yoon Seongho explores the meaning of existence through his ceramic work of geometric reinterpretations with an interest in man-made structures in our cities that no one pays attention to such as stairs, railways and machine parts.

06. teamVOID
<STATUS BAR> / 2019 / servo motor, aluminum, iron plate, 3D printed parts, arduino, computer / 220x220x100cm

Jeju gates have three horizontal logs (“jeongnang”) inserted into two vertical stone pillars (“jeongjuseok”). The position of the “jeongnang” is a signal that reveales the whereabouts of the resident. The artists of teamVOID created a digital version of this system to provide a status update of the artists in their studio in Seoul far from Jeju using a combination of digital “jeongnang”.

Media art group teamVOID’s Son Junbong, Bae Jaehyeok, and Seok Buyeong create work using various mediums and technologies to express conflicting values such as analogue and digital, nature and machine.

07. Hong Soo
<eomeong> / 2019 / LED, wood, bolts, nuts, cable, cloth / 140x26.4x11.7cm

In order to survive in Jeju’s barren natural environment, the people of Jeju had to work together in tight-knit communities. The installation that has a strong intertwined structure represents the people who overcome challenges together. The neon yellow glow permeates the space, further representing the strong spirit of Jeju people.

Hong Soo uses light to change ordinary spaces and provide a new experience, observing how people are not aware of the existence of light in everyday life.

[Reference 3]
Introduction of All Participating Artists and Works(*excluding the key works of Reference 2, in order of display)

Introduction of All Participating Artists and Works
Work Design Introduction of Artists and Their Works
Noh Haeyul
<general mobile - pleasure of life> / 2019 / aluminum, steel, polycarbonate / 300x300x360cm

Many Jeju towns featured a horse mill, where a horse turned a large stone wheel that was used to grind grains. Inspired by this simple structure and its mechanism, the artist produced this mobile that rotates in the wind. The work captures the joy that Jeju people must have felt when milling their harvest at the end of a strenuous year of farming.

Noh Haeyul does kinetic artwork based on his interest in mathematical thinking and kinesis.

Lee Heejoon
<The Shapes of Jeju> / 2019 / wood panels, water paint, sheets / dimensions variable

The artist drew inspiration from the color of “galjungi”, Jeju’s traditional clothing dyed with local persimmons, and the forms of structures made by Jeju people to express Jeju’s lines and colors. He gathered the shapes of wondam, fortresses and bulteok via satellite photos of Jeju and arranged them to visualize the wisdom and tradition of the people of Jeju.

Lee Heejoon turns the proportion of shapes and colors found in the pieces of coincidental moments in life into his own unique graphic language.

Roh Ilhoon
<Rami Jeju> / 2019 / carbon fiber / 200x110x20cm each

Inspired by Jeju’s tradition of making household items from woven straw or grass, the artist manually wove carbon fibers into threads, and then used computer engineering to design an optimal vertical structure. As seen through the gaps in this structure, the surrounding landscape constantly changes, with new scenery appearing every moment.

Roh Ilhoon creates new forms that exceed the limitations of reality by studying the principles of the shapes of natural objects and properties of materials.

Hwang Moonjung
<The wind tramping the soil> / 2019 / steel, polycarbonate, balloon, moter / 130x70x400cm

This work is a representation of the wisdom of the people in Jeju’s past and present. Jeju’s people, in the past, released horses on fields to tramp on soil to prevent seeds from blowing away in the wind. Modern day people of Jeju use wind to generate power. Spinning in the wind, the small turbine at the top generates power to turn the crank, which then presses down on cushions representing the layers of earth.

Hwang Moonjung’s work brings change in daily life based on a specific space, the features of the space and its relation to the people who occupy the space.

B.U.S Architecture
<Ja-ri-dom bang-bang> / 2019 / steel pipes, stainless steel wire, mesh, trampoline / 3600x3500cm

This work transforms Jeju’s unique traditional fishing method “teu” used to catch damselfish into a trampoline. A cupped net on a circular frame is attached to the sail, which creates a characteristic form hanging below the waters. The movement of the trampoline represents the boat rocking on waves.

B.U.S Architecture’s Park Jihyeon and Jo Seonghak view architecture as not simply creating a building, but a social and cultural process of creating a space. They create platforms that anyone can communicate and imagine in daily lives.

Kim Jeongseob
<Trace> / 2019 / granite, steel, straw / 215x215x50cm

Jeju people often tied their thatched roof down with a net of straw-rope to protect it from the island’s fierce winds. By reflecting this structure of the traditional houses of Jeju, the artist arranged a bench inside a cube of straw-rope, so that people can sit around together. The work holds the trace of time that Jeju people spent to preserve their life necessities.

Furniture designer Kim Jeongseob delivers creative designs by making new attempts developed from the way materials were used traditionally.

COM
<Sit-A-Round> / 2019 / Valchromat / 240x240x91.5cm

This space is based on “bulteok” (fire pit), a practical space inside a curved stone wall where “haenyeo” (female divers) of Jeju convene to warm up by the fire, change out of or into their diving suit as well as a space for communication simply chatting and exchanging tips. The work provides a space to rest and interact as a bench that represents the pattern of the “bulteok” stone walls reinterpreted by the designers.

Design studio COM’s Han Juwon and Kim Sejung do creative work in various areas, including furniture, space design, graphic design and installation.

Yang Junguk
<Things That Do Not Sleep and Delivered Every Time #31> / 2019 / metal, wood, motor, synthetic material, string / 120x120x220cm

The artist drew inspiration from the stone walls and straw ropes used to fight the fierce winds of Jeju. He imagined a situation of how a Jeju artist might wrap and package works to be shipped to distant lands. These works are variations of the aesthetic structure that emerged from the process of wrapping and tying works.

Yang Junguk does installations centered around descriptive texts based on his feelings and thoughts.

[Reference 4]
Introduction of Amorepacific Museum of Art

Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA) was founded to house a collection of artworks amassed by Amorepacific founder Suh Sungwhan. It began with the name Pacific Museum in 1979 and changed it to the current Amorepacific Museum of Art in 2009. As an art museum that holds both traditional and contemporary art, APMA has been engaged in a wide range of activities, including exhibitions, research, publications and more. In 2018, APMA was newly opened in Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan. APMA was designed by the internationally acclaimed architect David Chipperfield. The spaces are used to hold Korean traditional art as well as new types of exhibitions that combine both the tradition and the modern, and to display contemporary artworks of Korea and other countries. Visitors can enjoy and explore new exhibitions where Korean art and the world’s art converge at Amorepacific Museum of Art – an architecture completed as a work of art.