fluktor -|||- study - office - newsletter October 22, 2005

Korea Times, 10-20-2005
New Home for National Museum
By Bae Keun-min, Staff Reporter

[image] A night view of the new National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul./Photos by The Korea Times and Yonhap
[image] Reporters listen to a curator talk about the Buddha statues at the museum during a press opening session on Wednesday.

The result of an eight-year grand project, the new home for the National Museum of Korea will finally be unveiled and ready to meet visitors in Yongsan, central Seoul on Oct 28.

The construction of the new museum, taking its design concept from traditional castles and walls, began in October 1997 in a move to relocate from its previous building that was built by the Japanese colonial government at Kyongbok Palace. The building, which functioned as the Japanese government’s headquarters, was removed from the palace as part of the nation’s campaign to eliminate its colonial legacy.

Some 11,000 historic relics will be displayed at an indoor exhibition space of 26,781 square meters at the new home. The museum has 134,270 square meters of total floor space and includes more than 100 listed national treasures.
[image] The 10-story Kyongchonsa Temple pagoda installed in the main corridor of the new museum

The space is 19,800 square meters larger than the former site inside Kyongbok Palace. With open air spaces, the whole museum site reaches 307,227 square meters.

Among the treasures are National Treasures No. 191, Gold Crown, and No. 192, Gold Belt, both from the Silla Kingdom in the 5th century, and National Treasure No. 83, Pensive Bodhisattva, from the 7th century.

The museum will also house ``Pukkwan Taechop-bi,’’ a 300-year-old stone victory monument that was returned by Japan yesterday. The 187-centimeter-tall structure from the Choson Kingdom was built to commemorate a Korean general who led a militia to defeat a Japanese invasion of the peninsula from 1592 to 1598 but had been kept in Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine since it was stolen by Japan during the Russo-Japanese war in 1905.

``The new museum is the world’s sixth largest museum in terms of floor space, in which a variety of artifacts, stages for concerts and performances, and educational classes will be prepared for visitors,’’ director Yi Kun-moo said. ``It is designed to operate as a multicultural complex.’’

The museum, adjacent to Yongsan Family Park, will also house cafes and restaurants.

Built with an investment of 410 billion won, its center is the 7-story main building complex, comprising the East and West buildings that are connected with a one big roof. To explore the entire museum and its 45 permanent exhibition rooms, some 11 hours are required, according to museum officials.

With a capacity for around 3,000 visitors at one time, the museum is capable of accommodating some 18,000 onlookers per day, it said.
[image] The bronze helmet awarded to marathoner Sohn Kee-chung for winning a gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics is to be unveiled to the public for the first time when the new museum opens.

Entrance will be free of charge throughout this year. From next year, admission will cost 1,000 won for children aged 7 to 18 and 2,000 won for a adults (over the age of 19). Infants and senior citizens will continue to enjoy free admission. The museum will be closed Mondays except Oct. 31 this year.

The museum will host a three-day opening festival next weekend, featuring a variety of performances such as non-verbal performance ``Nanta’’ and visual effects shows.

Technology to See History

The museum is to operate some 26 educational programs for adults, disadvantaged people and children for better understanding of history and relics, with assistance from around 600 volunteer workers.

However, self-education is also possible through a cutting-edge program. Visitors will be able to have a state-of-art guide in their tour of the museum as the new museum will run an exhibition navigation system, similar to the ones designed for cars.
[image] An earthenware from the Neolithic Age

Through mobile gadgets such as MP3s or PDAs, visitors are to listen to and see information regarding displays when they stand in front of them. Some 400 MP3 players and 300 PDAs will be deployed for lease at the entrance of the museum to help visitors utilize facilities.

However, reservation at the museum’s Web site in advance is required before using the rental service.

The museum said this is the first attempt in the world at offering such kind of a wireless system for exhibition tours. The system will assist visitors to see most of the museum’s rich collections quickly and efficiently through its 12 navigation routes customized for different types of visitors, each of which will take some two hours to tour.

The system also includes a ``bookmark’’ service, allowing visitors to retrieve related information about exhibition items though the Internet when they return home.

Live Performances
[image] Children try on replicas of ancient helmets and armor at the Children Museum in the new National Museum of Korea.
The museum will house a medium-sized theater, called Theater Yong, with 870 seats. Theater Yong, which means ``dragon theater,’’ will be the nation’s first theater inside a museum.

Park Hyung-sik, president of the Cultural Foundation of the National Museum of Korea in charge of the theater operation, said: ``The theater may not look elaborate as it is not that big. But it will contribute to making the museum a culture complex.’’

He said they are preparing a series of performances throughout the rest of the year as part of its opening festival, including a concert by cellist Chung Myung-wha and the Euro-Asian Philharmonic Orchestra, led by maestro Gum Nanse.

The festival will feature various performances, including classical music, pop, traditional dance, ballet and circus, to make the theater an important performance space, he said.

Spots Not to be Missed
[image] National Treasure No. 83, Pensive Bodhisattva, from the 7th century
At the Children Museum, spread over 1,120 square meters in the West building, children will be able to learn and experience primitive lifestyles. They will be allowed to touch antiquities like a stone tools and earthenware and even try on a suit of metal armor.

There will also be an ancient residence for children to explore. Singing room sections are ready, in which children can learn and sing ancient songs.

A library, filled with over 90,000 books and around 600 digitized resources, including DVDs, is another interesting place that the museum provides. It opens from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays.

In the east of the museum complex, an outdoor exhibition venue is situated, displaying ancient relics such as the original bell of the Posingak Pavilion. The outdoor environment of the museum is equipped with 82 illuminating lights for exhibits and 134 streetlamps.

Craft shops will display some 1,200 kinds of art crafts and souvenirs, with prices ranging from around 2,000 won to 500,000 won.

A variety of food outlets from low-priced to luxurious restaurants will provide venues to take a rest and serve Korean, Western and other types of dishes.

For more information, call (02) 2077-900 or visit www.museum.co.kr.

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200510/kt2005102018530711690.htm

****************************

ChinaDaily, 2005-10-13
A STROKE OF GENIUS

Qi Baishi (1864-1957) is one of the greatest painters in China's history, his name is not unfamiliar in China, nor indeed in some other parts of the world.

Yet despite his great influence on Chinese traditional painting and his international recognition and popularity, there has not been a memorial or museum dedicated to his works until recently. The Qi Baishi Memorial, run by the Beijing Art Academy, China's largest national art academy for professional artists, has recently opened an exhibition showing a rare collection of the late master's works.

Located on the third and fourth floors of the Museum of the Beijing Art Academy, the memorial is home to a collection of Qi's 500-strong works and a life-like studio.

Qi is highly esteemed because, as some art critics put it: "His works fully represent the Chinese tradition, that is, to place essences, character and spirit above the simple faithfulness to appearances."

His art originated from nature. One can learn from his paintings of animals, insects and flowers, which he painted in a way not seen before. He could represent insects with extremely fine and meticulous brushwork; he was also accomplished at simple, free sketch-style compositions.

Qi once said, "The excellence of a painting lies in its being alike, yet unlike. Too much likeness flatters the vulgar taste while too much unlikeness deceives the world."

Through his life-long learning, studying and innovation, Qi developed his own style, incorporating meticulous and freehand styles creating stunningly beautiful paintings of insects and flowers. Fish, shrimp and crabs were his most common subjects.

Having already achieved fame while still alive, Qi travelled around the world attending exhibitions and lectures. In 1955, he was honoured with the International Peace Award, and in 1962 he was named one of the 10 cultural giants of the world.

"The idea of setting up a museum dedicated to the master was first raised in 1957, the year he died," said Wang Mingming, director of the Beijing Art Academy. "Thus Qi's family donated a collection of around 480 works for the project. However, due to the turbulence of the times, the plan was aborted."

The collection was still delivered to the academy, newly established and known then as the Beijing Academy of Chinese Painting. It was set up in the same year by the Ministry of Culture to continue the development of Chinese art after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949.

In 1965, the institution changed to its current name and expanded its scope to include oil painters, sculptors and graphic artists. Qi was appointed as the first honorary chairman of academy.

"Over the past few decades, the idea to set up a memorial for the master was never forgotten," Wang said. "As one of the representatives of modern Chinese traditional painting, he still has a far-reaching influence on the future development of the genre. The collection the academy preserves is a great heritage that belongs to the whole of humanity. Qi's works deserve a home where we can all appreciate, study and marvel."

According to Wang, the works will be presented as a rotating series clearly divided according to the subject matter. Presently on display are the insect sketches Qi drew while working in the wild.

There will be nine other subcategories on display in the coming year.

The museum is about 200 metres west of Chaoyang Park's south gate, on the south side of Nongzhanguan Nanlu. It opens from 9 am to 4 pm daily. Admission fee is 10 yuan (US$1.23), with half-price concessions for senior citizens, people with disabilities and full-time students. For enquiries, please call 6507-1285.

http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-10/14/content_484874.htm

__________________

with kind regards,

Matthias Arnold
(Art-Eastasia list)

http://www.chinaresource.org
http://www.fluktor.de

__________________________________________

An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is
available at:
http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html
For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to:
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	October 22, 2005: [achtung! kunst] Seoul: The new National Museum of Korea - Beijing: Qi Baishi Memorial

	Korea Times, 10-20-2005 New Home for National Museum By Bae Keun-min, Staff Reporter [image] A night view of the new National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul./Photos by The Korea Times and Yonhap [image] Reporters listen to a curator talk about the Buddha statues at the museum during a press opening session on Wednesday. The result of an eight-year grand project, the new home for the National Museum of Korea will finally be unveiled and ready to meet visitors in Yongsan, central Seoul on Oct 28. The construction of the new museum, taking its design concept from traditional castles and walls, began in October 1997 in a move to relocate from its previous building that was built by the Japanese colonial government at Kyongbok Palace. The building, which functioned as the Japanese government’s headquarters, was removed from the palace as part of the nation’s campaign to eliminate its colonial legacy. Some 11,000 historic relics will be displayed at an indoor exhibition space of 26,781 square meters at the new home. The museum has 134,270 square meters of total floor space and includes more than 100 listed national treasures. [image] The 10-story Kyongchonsa Temple pagoda installed in the main corridor of the new museum The space is 19,800 square meters larger than the former site inside Kyongbok Palace. With open air spaces, the whole museum site reaches 307,227 square meters. Among the treasures are National Treasures No. 191, Gold Crown, and No. 192, Gold Belt, both from the Silla Kingdom in the 5th century, and National Treasure No. 83, Pensive Bodhisattva, from the 7th century. The museum will also house ``Pukkwan Taechop-bi,’’ a 300-year-old stone victory monument that was returned by Japan yesterday. The 187-centimeter-tall structure from the Choson Kingdom was built to commemorate a Korean general who led a militia to defeat a Japanese invasion of the peninsula from 1592 to 1598 but had been kept in Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine since it was stolen by Japan during the Russo-Japanese war in 1905. ``The new museum is the world’s sixth largest museum in terms of floor space, in which a variety of artifacts, stages for concerts and performances, and educational classes will be prepared for visitors,’’ director Yi Kun-moo said. ``It is designed to operate as a multicultural complex.’’ The museum, adjacent to Yongsan Family Park, will also house cafes and restaurants. Built with an investment of 410 billion won, its center is the 7-story main building complex, comprising the East and West buildings that are connected with a one big roof. To explore the entire museum and its 45 permanent exhibition rooms, some 11 hours are required, according to museum officials. With a capacity for around 3,000 visitors at one time, the museum is capable of accommodating some 18,000 onlookers per day, it said. [image] The bronze helmet awarded to marathoner Sohn Kee-chung for winning a gold medal in the 1936 Berlin Olympics is to be unveiled to the public for the first time when the new museum opens. Entrance will be free of charge throughout this year. From next year, admission will cost 1,000 won for children aged 7 to 18 and 2,000 won for a adults (over the age of 19). Infants and senior citizens will continue to enjoy free admission. The museum will be closed Mondays except Oct. 31 this year. The museum will host a three-day opening festival next weekend, featuring a variety of performances such as non-verbal performance ``Nanta’’ and visual effects shows. Technology to See History The museum is to operate some 26 educational programs for adults, disadvantaged people and children for better understanding of history and relics, with assistance from around 600 volunteer workers. However, self-education is also possible through a cutting-edge program. Visitors will be able to have a state-of-art guide in their tour of the museum as the new museum will run an exhibition navigation system, similar to the ones designed for cars. [image] An earthenware from the Neolithic Age Through mobile gadgets such as MP3s or PDAs, visitors are to listen to and see information regarding displays when they stand in front of them. Some 400 MP3 players and 300 PDAs will be deployed for lease at the entrance of the museum to help visitors utilize facilities. However, reservation at the museum’s Web site in advance is required before using the rental service. The museum said this is the first attempt in the world at offering such kind of a wireless system for exhibition tours. The system will assist visitors to see most of the museum’s rich collections quickly and efficiently through its 12 navigation routes customized for different types of visitors, each of which will take some two hours to tour. The system also includes a ``bookmark’’ service, allowing visitors to retrieve related information about exhibition items though the Internet when they return home. Live Performances [image] Children try on replicas of ancient helmets and armor at the Children Museum in the new National Museum of Korea. The museum will house a medium-sized theater, called Theater Yong, with 870 seats. Theater Yong, which means ``dragon theater,’’ will be the nation’s first theater inside a museum. Park Hyung-sik, president of the Cultural Foundation of the National Museum of Korea in charge of the theater operation, said: ``The theater may not look elaborate as it is not that big. But it will contribute to making the museum a culture complex.’’ He said they are preparing a series of performances throughout the rest of the year as part of its opening festival, including a concert by cellist Chung Myung-wha and the Euro-Asian Philharmonic Orchestra, led by maestro Gum Nanse. The festival will feature various performances, including classical music, pop, traditional dance, ballet and circus, to make the theater an important performance space, he said. Spots Not to be Missed [image] National Treasure No. 83, Pensive Bodhisattva, from the 7th century At the Children Museum, spread over 1,120 square meters in the West building, children will be able to learn and experience primitive lifestyles. They will be allowed to touch antiquities like a stone tools and earthenware and even try on a suit of metal armor. There will also be an ancient residence for children to explore. Singing room sections are ready, in which children can learn and sing ancient songs. A library, filled with over 90,000 books and around 600 digitized resources, including DVDs, is another interesting place that the museum provides. It opens from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. except on Saturdays, Sundays and national holidays. In the east of the museum complex, an outdoor exhibition venue is situated, displaying ancient relics such as the original bell of the Posingak Pavilion. The outdoor environment of the museum is equipped with 82 illuminating lights for exhibits and 134 streetlamps. Craft shops will display some 1,200 kinds of art crafts and souvenirs, with prices ranging from around 2,000 won to 500,000 won. A variety of food outlets from low-priced to luxurious restaurants will provide venues to take a rest and serve Korean, Western and other types of dishes. For more information, call (02) 2077-900 or visit www.museum.co.kr. http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/culture/200510/kt2005102018530711690.htm **************************** ChinaDaily, 2005-10-13 A STROKE OF GENIUS Qi Baishi (1864-1957) is one of the greatest painters in China's history, his name is not unfamiliar in China, nor indeed in some other parts of the world. Yet despite his great influence on Chinese traditional painting and his international recognition and popularity, there has not been a memorial or museum dedicated to his works until recently. The Qi Baishi Memorial, run by the Beijing Art Academy, China's largest national art academy for professional artists, has recently opened an exhibition showing a rare collection of the late master's works. Located on the third and fourth floors of the Museum of the Beijing Art Academy, the memorial is home to a collection of Qi's 500-strong works and a life-like studio. Qi is highly esteemed because, as some art critics put it: "His works fully represent the Chinese tradition, that is, to place essences, character and spirit above the simple faithfulness to appearances." His art originated from nature. One can learn from his paintings of animals, insects and flowers, which he painted in a way not seen before. He could represent insects with extremely fine and meticulous brushwork; he was also accomplished at simple, free sketch-style compositions. Qi once said, "The excellence of a painting lies in its being alike, yet unlike. Too much likeness flatters the vulgar taste while too much unlikeness deceives the world." Through his life-long learning, studying and innovation, Qi developed his own style, incorporating meticulous and freehand styles creating stunningly beautiful paintings of insects and flowers. Fish, shrimp and crabs were his most common subjects. Having already achieved fame while still alive, Qi travelled around the world attending exhibitions and lectures. In 1955, he was honoured with the International Peace Award, and in 1962 he was named one of the 10 cultural giants of the world. "The idea of setting up a museum dedicated to the master was first raised in 1957, the year he died," said Wang Mingming, director of the Beijing Art Academy. "Thus Qi's family donated a collection of around 480 works for the project. However, due to the turbulence of the times, the plan was aborted." The collection was still delivered to the academy, newly established and known then as the Beijing Academy of Chinese Painting. It was set up in the same year by the Ministry of Culture to continue the development of Chinese art after the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949. In 1965, the institution changed to its current name and expanded its scope to include oil painters, sculptors and graphic artists. Qi was appointed as the first honorary chairman of academy. "Over the past few decades, the idea to set up a memorial for the master was never forgotten," Wang said. "As one of the representatives of modern Chinese traditional painting, he still has a far-reaching influence on the future development of the genre. The collection the academy preserves is a great heritage that belongs to the whole of humanity. Qi's works deserve a home where we can all appreciate, study and marvel." According to Wang, the works will be presented as a rotating series clearly divided according to the subject matter. Presently on display are the insect sketches Qi drew while working in the wild. There will be nine other subcategories on display in the coming year. The museum is about 200 metres west of Chaoyang Park's south gate, on the south side of Nongzhanguan Nanlu. It opens from 9 am to 4 pm daily. Admission fee is 10 yuan (US$1.23), with half-price concessions for senior citizens, people with disabilities and full-time students. For enquiries, please call 6507-1285. http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-10/14/content_484874.htm __________________ with kind regards, Matthias Arnold (Art-Eastasia list) http://www.chinaresource.org http://www.fluktor.de __________________________________________ An archive of this list as well as an subscribe/unsubscribe facility is available at: http://listserv.uni-heidelberg.de/archives/art-eastasia.html For postings earlier than 2005-02-23 please go to: http://www.fluktor.de/study/office/newsletter.htm