The Korea Times close
National
  • Politics
  • Diplomacy
  • Defense
  • Labor & Environment
  • Law & Crime
  • Health & Welfare
  • Embassy
  • Seoul & Provinces
  • Education
  • Foreign Communities
  • Obituaries
  • Multicultural Youth Award
Biz & Tech
  • Auto
  • IT
  • Game
  • Manufacturing
  • Retail & Food
  • Energy
  • Construction
  • Airlines
Finance
  • Policies
  • Economy
  • Markets
  • Banks
  • Non-banks
  • Economic Essay Contest
Opinion
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Thoughts of the Times
  • Cartoon
  • Today in History
  • Blogs
  • Tribune Service
  • Blondie & Garfield
  • Letter to the Editor
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Entertainment
  • K-pop
  • K-dramas & Shows
  • Movies
  • Music
  • Performances
  • Asia Model Festival
Sports
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Baseball
  • Other Sports
World
  • Asia Pacific
  • Americas
  • Europe & Africa
  • SCMP
Video
  • On the Spot
  • Feature
  • News
Photos
  • Photo News
  • Darkroom
Community
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
  • The Korea Times
  • search
  • Site Map
  • E-paper
  • Subscribe
  • Register
  • LogIn
search close
Lifestyle
  • Arts
  • Books
  • Travel & Cuisine
  • Trend
  • Fashion
  • Around Town
  • Fortune Telling
Wed, January 20, 2021 | 13:33
Arts
'Journey of Eternity' explores concept of time
Posted : 2020-06-28 18:01
Updated : 2020-06-29 18:21
Mail
Print Preview
Font Size Up
Font Size Down
Kang Da-hye performs in 'The Journey of Eternity' at the SeMA Bunker, an underground tunnel presumed to be built during the military regime in the 1970s and now turned into an art museum. Courtesy of the Great Commission
Kang Da-hye performs in "The Journey of Eternity" at the SeMA Bunker, an underground tunnel presumed to be built during the military regime in the 1970s and now turned into an art museum. Courtesy of the Great Commission

By Kwon Mee-yoo

A secret underground bunker on Yeouido, Seoul's well-known financial and political district, sounds unlikely, but there is one underneath the bustling Yeouido Transfer Center.

The SeMA (Seoul Museum of Art) Bunker is an underground tunnel presumed to be built during the military regime in the 1970s. It is estimated to have been constructed between 1976 and 1977 as a secret space to guard then-President Park Chung-hee in the event of security incidents, but no documentation related to the bunker exists.

The forgotten bunker was rediscovered in 2005 as preparations were made for the construction of the bus station and it was later designated as a Seoul Future Heritage site in 2013. The city decided to use the space as an art museum and the SeMA Bunker opened in October 2017 with minimum renovation to keep the place as close to the original as possible.

The venue has been offering mainly experimental art exhibitions, taking audiences to the front line of contemporary art.

"The Journey of Eternity," a new exhibition at the space, explores the concept of time and eternity. Considering the historic context of the venue, independent curator Zoe Chun of the Great Commission organized the exhibit as "space of formative imagination," which combines visual art, performance and music.

To maximize the underground experience, visitors are asked to walk down the stairs, instead of the bunker's main elevator entrance.

Kang Da-hye performs in 'The Journey of Eternity' at the SeMA Bunker, an underground tunnel presumed to be built during the military regime in the 1970s and now turned into an art museum. Courtesy of the Great Commission
Kim Han-saem presents "Whirlpool I & II" and "Wave I~IV" at "The Journey of Eternity" at the SeMA Bunker. Courtesy of the Great Commission

The exhibit consists of four parts ― "Frame City ― The Structure of Time," "Fluid Clock ― The Flow of Time," "Flat Staircase ― The Union and Relationship of Time" and "Flora Rail ― The Retrospect of Time." Instead of constructing walls to divide the space, Chun used window blinds to separate the sub spaces more fluidly.

Bae Jun-hyun's wallpaper installations "Discoverer," "Explorer" and "Finder" seem utopian at first glance, but they are created from photographic images of disasters and though each element is real, the whole landscape is imaginary.

Song Min-gyu's works "How Six People Look at the Moon" and "Unfolded Moon" showcases the artist's interpretation of the orbit of the moon and time.

Shon Kyung-hwa's film "Every Second in Between" portrays the psychological and temporal map of gentrification of a refugee district in London.

Kim Han-saem's "Whirlpool I & II" and "Wave I~IV" captures an adventurous epic of the eternality of time on the wall and the floor, resembling flowing water.

German artist Nicolas Pelzer, who took part in SeMA's Nanji Residency program in 2019, presents "Soul Always Return to Itself," a two-channel video installation facing each other.

Lee Dong-geun's "Frankie's Lover" is a reconstruction of existing paintings and presents the notion of time by reshaping them.

Kang Da-hye performs in 'The Journey of Eternity' at the SeMA Bunker, an underground tunnel presumed to be built during the military regime in the 1970s and now turned into an art museum. Courtesy of the Great Commission
Lee Dong-geun presents "Frankie's Lover" at "The Journey of Eternity" at the SeMA Bunker. Courtesy of the Great Commission

"The time and history this space has is important for this exhibit. We wanted the visitors to experience the layers of history and locality in Yeouido and leave thinking about the significance of time," Chun said.

Four performers complete the exhibit with live performances. The performers choreographed each of their abstract characters in collaboration with curator Chun.

Kang Da-hye, a dancer of West African dances, employs improvisations to represent the flow of time in fluid and soulful movements.

Lee Gwan-mok portrays a character symbolizing the reflection of time that processes temporality.

Kim Han plays an existence about the connection of time, through which he reflects reality in an imaginary environment of the performance.

Jo Yu-ra symbolizes the structure of time as the existence of "self" and throws up questions on life.

"Though an abstract approach of pluralistic art that has often come across as too difficult to comprehend, The Journey of Eternity seeks to facilitate a bond of empathy with the audience," Chun said.

Unfortunately, the venue, under the management of the Seoul Metropolitan Government, has been closed indefinitely since May 29 to prevent the spread of the COVID-19.

Kang Da-hye performs in 'The Journey of Eternity' at the SeMA Bunker, an underground tunnel presumed to be built during the military regime in the 1970s and now turned into an art museum. Courtesy of the Great Commission
"The Journey of Eternity ― Forest" is performed at Seoul Forest, Saturday. Courtesy of the Great Commission

To overcome the closure of the space, the team ventured out to the Seoul Forest for an outdoor performance last weekend.

The forest edition, which was held at the Maidenhair Tree Street of the Seoul Forest around the time of sunset, provided a serene and mystic experience featuring abstract music, bodily movement and multimedia.

The main exhibition and performance will be live-streamed through SeMA's social media channels on Tuesday at 7 p.m. The physical venue will open as soon as possible in accordance with regulations around the COVID-19 situation.


Emailmeeyoo@koreatimes.co.kr Article ListMore articles by this reporter









 
WooriBank
 
  • Conflicts over noise in apartments on the rise amid pandemic
  • Lee's imprisonment forces Samsung into emergency mode
  • Moon's changing stance on Japan linked to North Korea engagement: experts
  • Calls growing for better system to prevent child abuse
  • Moon's remarks on 'adoption cancellation' spark controversy
  • Government push for profit-sharing angers conglomerates
  • Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape [PHOTOS]
  • Yoido Full Gospel Church's pastor stresses Martin Luther King's nonviolence amid COVID-19
  • Low-priced blue-chip companies in green sectors expected to enjoy rally
  • Inauguration parade
  • K-pop expands from entertainment to activism K-pop expands from entertainment to activism
  • Red Velvet's Irene to make silver screen debut in February Red Velvet's Irene to make silver screen debut in February
  • 'The Uncanny Counter' writer leaves show despite soaring ratings 'The Uncanny Counter' writer leaves show despite soaring ratings
  • Boy group Cravity features in Airbnb's 'Inside K-pop' program Boy group Cravity features in Airbnb's 'Inside K-pop' program
  • Netflix to roll out more original series based on Korean webtoons in 2021 Netflix to roll out more original series based on Korean webtoons in 2021
DARKROOM
  • Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape [PHOTOS]

    Biden-Harris inauguration is taking shape [PHOTOS]

  • Second Trump impeachment

    Second Trump impeachment

  • Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

    Pro-Trump rioters breach the US Capitol

  • Our children deserve better (Part 2)

    Our children deserve better (Part 2)

  • Migrants hard hit by COVID-19: UN migration agency

    Migrants hard hit by COVID-19: UN migration agency

WooriBank
  • About Korea Times
  • CEO Message
  • Times History
  • Content Sales
  • Media Kit
  • Contact Us
  • Location
  • Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Mobile Service
  • RSS Service
  • Ombudsman
  • hankookilbo
  • Dongwha Group
  • Code of Ethics
Copyright