Weekender Africa in the heart of Korea

Museum offers essence of African culture

By Lee Hyo-won

Elongated limbs and noses, convexes turned into concaves — this is the stuff that inspired artists of the highest caliber such as Picasso and Matisse.

African art has become more widely available to the Korean public in recent years, and museums housing pieces from the region can be found in Gangwon Province and on Jeju Island.

But many fans would be surprised to know that Asia’s largest African art collection can be found not far from the metropolis — the African Art Museum in Pocheon, Gyeonggi Province.

We own more than 8,500 pieces of African art — it’s the largest collection in Asia,” the museum director Jang Won-seob told The Korea Times in a recent interview.

The museum opened in 2008 after six years of preparation. Though the enormous collection has been a popular destination for school field trips, it has remained largely obscure because it was founded for commercial, rather than scholarly pursuits, explained Jang.

"There wasn’t even a curator to organize the work,” he said. Under Jang’s new direction, however, the museum will undergo a facelift for a reopening in April.

Despite the disorganized exhibition structure and labeling system, the museum nevertheless offers a comprehensive introduction to world of African art and culture.

Visiting the museum in the wintertime provided a unique experience — of viewing spear-bearing wooden structures amid a field of snow rather than sun-scorched grass. It was a curious sight indeed.

The exhibition hall invites viewers to explore masks wearing ferocious expressions and intricate stone and wooden sculptures that captivated the cubists.

The crowning jewel of this collection is stone art that was crafted by the Shona and Ndebele tribes in Zimbabwe — a country whose name means “castle made of stone.” During the 13th and 14th centuries, some 15,000 tons of stone were used to build — without mortar — the country’s royal palace.

Following exhibitions in New York’s Museum of Modern Art (1969) and Paris’ Rodin Museum (1972), Shona stone pieces became internationally renowned for their dynamic composition and uncanny beauty. The African Art Museum displays pieces not only indoors but also in the sculpture park outside.

“The intriguing nature of African art is that it’s difficult to distinguish modern works from older relics. And so, we are aiming to create a museum that’s like an art gallery, or an art gallery that’s like a museum,” said the director.

The institute is continuing to expand its collection by purchasing works directly from Africa. Three Zimbabwean artists-in-residence are in charge of restoring works.

In addition to sculptures and masks, visitors can also view relics that provide an experience into daily life in the southern continent, both past and present, from a Pygmy boat to a royal chair from Cameroon’s Bamoun Kingdom, as well as a taxidermied giraffe and lion.

Museum-goers should not miss daily performances by a dance troupe from Cote d’Ivoire, Aaninka. The show, featuring traditional percussionists and folk dances, has attracted the attention of popular TV programs such as “Star King.”

About the museum

The African Art Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. (7 p.m. in July and August). It is closed on Mondays. Visit www.africaculturalcenter.com or call (031) 543-3600 for more information.