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Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa, which moves her hands and head while answering visitors' questions, is on display at Alive Gallery, the first of its kind in the world. / Courtesy of Alive Gallery |
By Han Sang-hee
Staff Reporter
Many museums tend to be two-dimensional: visitors come and observe art works while the displayed show off their features. But for a more effective and interesting experience, some are aiming for a three dimensional world. Alive Gallery is one of them.
``The local culture contents scene tends to be loud and shiny on the outside but empty in terms of quality and educational purposes. We wanted to bring art closer to everyone. The most important feature was that it had to be fun. If it's not fun, nobody will want to get closer,'' Kang Sung-mo, the CEO of Alive Gallery, told The Korea Times during an interview.
As soon as the visitors walk into the museum, located near the Jamsil baseball stadium and divided into five themes: Why Did They See Like This; The Worlds of Gods; The World Viewed Through Science; Pictures are Recordings and Thinking Art, the journey begins.
The gallery displays famous works from different eras, from the Apollo Belvedere by Leochares from ancient Greece, Leonardo da Vinci's ``The Last Supper'' from the 15th century to Wassily Kandinsky's ``Impression III'' of 1911. Look closely and there is a drastic difference compared to other galleries and museums: the artworks move. Not only do the subjects move, but some talk and explain themselves, some about their history while others describe the artistic techniques used by the artists.
Among the moving and interacting features, there are some that will catch the eyes and hearts of many visitors.
Watching Vincent van Gogh's works is a treat itself but walking into one of his famous pieces can be an unforgettable experience. Complete with the framework, van Gogh's ``Cafe Terrace at Night'' is displayed life-size right before guests' eyes, offering a ``picture-perfect'' moment for friends and family.
Da Vinci's Mona Lisa is also a favorite, as the lady moves her hands and head while answering questions. Ask her why she doesn't have any eyebrows, and she explains that it was considered beautiful to have a wide forehead, thus many women shaved their eyebrows just for that.
``The original pieces were reborn thanks to local technology, including interactive media, holograms, 3D images, and other computer graphic affects,'' Kang said.
Alive Gallery, the first of its kind in the world, had its ups and downs from the start, as many local experts didn't appreciate the educational and fun factor. Many believed that galleries had to be elegant and formal, but Kang thought otherwise.
``Our goal is to introduce art to those who think it's difficult. If a visitor leaves the gallery and later finds interest in any one of the artworks, we have done our job,'' said Kang.
The result has been a success, with more than 3,000 people coming per day and contracts with China and upcoming plans with others.
``We are planning to bring a similar gallery about Korean traditional art. We live in an era where technology fuses with so many other aspects, and Alive Gallery has become a fun, easy and interactive way to learn art and culture,'' Kang said.
Alive Gallery is located near exits 6 and 7 of Sports Complex Station on subway line 2. All tickets cost 17,000 won. For more information, visit www.alive-gallery.co.kr (English and Korean) or call (02) 541-0310.
sanghee@koreatimes.co.kr |
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yistory@koreatimes.co.kr
