Artists find inspiration in Deoksu Palace
Exhibition celebrates 120th anniversary of Korean Empire
History has always been a source of inspiration for artists. Deoksu Palace, located in the heart of Seoul, witnessed the wounds of modern Korean history. It has been opened for artists to unravel their imagination about the turbulent era of the Korean Empire when the nation went through the agony of modernization.
Co-organized by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) and the Deoksu Palace Management Office, “Deoksugung Outdoor Project: Light, Sound, Landscape” exhibition commemorating the 120th anniversary of the 1897 declaration of the Korean Empire is being held throughout palace grounds.
“We expect visitors to experience a myriad of senses, taking place when contemporary art meets cultural heritage, and also be able to share the sentiments of each artist, who are building their own light and sound inside the place, where eternal history breathes among us,” MMCA director Bartomeu Mari said.
History gets new life
Nine artists studied the period and let their imaginations go in the palace where the last royal family of the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910) lived.
Artist Jang Min-seung joined hands with Korean-Japanese musician Yang Bang-ean to present “A Peony” at Donghaenggak, an outbuilding of Junghwajeon, the main hall of Deoksu Palace.
“When I visited Deoksu Palace for research, men and women of all ages and nationalities were taking pictures. From there, I began to wonder about how photography was introduced to Korea and became popular like now,” Jang said.
Visitors walk into the camera obscura-like structure to see a 22-minute slide show featuring the music of Yang. The exterior of the structure features mirror surfaces reflecting the scenery of the palace.
The slide show consists of photos of old Seoul in the early 20th century, mostly taken by Japanese photographers employed by the Japanese government-general or by foreign embassies to Korea. Jang collected those old photos and restructured them by magnifying passersby in the photos, rediscovering the forgotten days of modern Seoul and how people lived in it.
“(The exterior) is also a huge cam- era, projecting images of various buildings around the structure,” Jang added.
The exhibit continues to Seokjojeon, one of the Western-style buildings of the palace. The mix of Korean and Western architecture in the palace shows how Korea opened its doors to foreign countries and how Western culture influenced the nation.
Kim Jin-hui installed “DEEP DOWN,” an installation consisting of components of a speaker. The electronic parts are taken out of a plastic case and hung over the west stairway of Seokjojeon. Still the speaker operates perfectly, accidentally picking up radio stations or sending out the sounds of raindrops or rustling leaves.
Another artwork installed at Seokjojeon’s corridor is Jung Yeon-doo’s “Prism Effect.” The four photographs showcase how a single historical event can be interpreted in multiple ways just as light is refracted into many colors after passing through a prism.
Jung took an interest in King Gojong, who ruled Joseon during a dynamic yet unstable time among the world powers. He re-enacted four portraits of King Gojong and his daughter Princess Deokhye, seen from four different perspectives — private, public, from a stranger and from the invaders.
Graphic designer-turned-artist Kwon Min-ho took Seokeodang, the only two-story building without “dancheong,” or traditional multicolored paintings on wooden buildings.
“Landscape at the Beginning Point” is a pencil drawing with a projection mapping on the drawing. The black-and-white drawing is based on the blueprint of Seokeodang and Kwon added layers to reflect Korea’s modernization and industrialization such as Korea’s first steam locomotive the Mogul, KTX high-speed rail, Seoul Station and modern high-rise apartments.
“When I first visited Deoksu Palace, the mixture of Korean and Western buildings left a strong impression on me. I think the concoction is beautiful now, but it also represents the chaotic situations the palace went through,” Kwon said.
“King Gojong was an avid collector of cars and enjoyed coffee, but at the same time he tried to protect the traditions of Korea. I tried to portray that indefinable, complex beginning of modernization at Deoksu Palace.”
Palace meets art, technology
At Deokhongjeon, the building where King Gojong greeted guests, artists Kang Ai-ran and Lim Soo-sik touch on the king’s scholarly side. Deokhongjeon is not open to the public in general, but visitors can go into the building during the exhibition and feel the atmosphere.
Lim Soo-sik’s “Chaekgado389” is in the form of a folding screen and features photographs of bookshelves of scholars specializing in modern Korean history, art and architecture.
“Chaekgado” is originally a type of traditional painting depicting literary people’s books and belongings on their bookcases. Lim thinks the bookshelf is a literary reflection of a scholar and wanted to create a folding screen to blend in with the building.
“I was curious whether King Gojong had a chaekgado in his office and what kind of books the king had,” Lim said.
Kang Ai-ran’s “Luminous Days of Korean Empire” is also related to the books of King Gojong, but Kang chose to go digital. She recreated a royal library with illuminated digital books as well as physical books and old furniture.
Book have been a major medium of Kang’s works for decades and she imagined what books King Gojong might have read from basic Confucian texts, “Joseon Wangjo Sillok” (The Annals of the Joseon Kingdom) and diplomatic documents to music and art books and even foreign books reflecting the king’s interests.