Often found at theaters and museums, Kwon Mee-yoo has covered a wide range of cultural fields from K-pop and dramas to theater and fine art for over a decade. Now as K-Culture Desk editor, she tries to connect Korean culture with global readers through fresh perspectives.
Public museums suffer leadership vacuum, biennales galore in 2018
The AmorePacific Museum of Art is located in the new Amore Pacific headquarters designed by David Chipperfield in Yongsan, Seoul. Korea Times file
By Kwon Mee-yoo
By Kwon Mee-yoo
For the art world, 2018 was a year of change. Major public museums, including the flagship National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, waved off directors and welcomed new leadership, while some of them are still looking for the right one.
Bartomeu Mari, former director of National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea whose term expired on Dec. 13
Old and new directors
Bartomeu Mari, former director of the MMCA who was the first foreigner to occupy the position, stepped down on Dec. 13 after his three-year term. Earlier this year, Mari hoped for an extension of his term to continue his visions promoting the museum internationally, but the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism decided against it, citing that the museum needs to establish a more distinct Korean identity.
Mari pointed out that the post has many limitations as the MMCA director does not have authority over personnel affairs or budget, all coming down from the culture ministry.
Kim Dal-jin, director of the Kimdaljin Art Research and Counseling, said, "It is desirable that art experts such as critics and curators are taking charge of directorial positions at public art institutions, but the period of indictments from laymen should be swept off."
Experts taking part in the research institute's year-end survey agreed with Mari on the need for more power for the MMCA director, suggesting the post should be elevated to the vice minister class without interference in appointment by umbrella organizations.
The culture ministry invited applications for the post in October and the three final candidates have been narrowed down to Nam June Paik Cultural Foundation Chairwoman Kim Hong-hee; Dongguk University art history chair professor Youn Bum-mo and Gwangju Biennale Foundation former President Lee Yong-woo. However, the hiring process hasn't been completed yet and the MMCA is likely to greet the New Year without a new head.
Choi Hyo-jun, the head of Seoul Museum of Art, was suspended over sexual harassment in July and the Daegu Art Museum director position is also vacant.
Busan Biennale
September is for biennales
In Korea, most art biennales are held in even number years, led by the largest event, the Gwangju Biennale.
According to the culture ministry, the nine biennales held this year attracted 1.64 million visitors in total, with the Gwangju Biennale bringing about 320,000.
Starting with the Gangwon International Biennale in February along with the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Games, other major biennales opened in September. This year's Gwangju Biennale centered around migration and refugee issues with the title "Imagined Borders," while the Busan Biennale was themed "Divided We Stand."
Local governments operate most biennales, but some of them succeeded in offering something different, such as the Changwon Sculpture Biennale, the Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale and the Daegu Photo Biennale.
New museums offer diversity
According to the Kimdaljin Art Research and Counseling, 147 new galleries and museums opened in 2018.
Some conglomerates opened new museums, gingering up the art world. The Lotte Foundation for Arts operates the Lotte Museum of Art on the seventh floor of Lotte World Tower, holding exhibitions of Dan Flavin, Alex Katz and Kenny Scharf.
Cosmetics giant Amore Pacific opened the AmorePacific Museum of Art in its new headquarters designed by David Chipperfield. It invited media artist Rafael Lozano-Hemmer for the inaugural exhibition and unveiled antique artworks at the "Beyond Folding Screens" exhibition.
Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, which has been on hiatus except for permanent exhibitions, is likely to stretch again next year as Lee Seo-hyun, the second daughter of Samsung Group chairman Lee Kun-hee, was named to lead the museum's operation committee, which has been vacant since former director Hong Ra-hee, wife of Lee Kun-hee, stepped down in March 2017.