'Dansaekhwa' master's art museum to be prominent addition to Jeju Island's cultural fabric

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'Dansaekhwa' master's art museum to be prominent addition to Jeju Island's cultural fabric

Posted : 2023-03-17 09:28

Updated : 2023-03-19 11:47

Dansaekhwa master Park Seo-bo speaks during a press conference held at JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa in Seogwipo, Jeju Island, March 14, to announce the scheduled construction of the tentatively-named "Park Seo-bo Art Museum." Newsis

91-year-old Park Seo-bo's creative juices keep flowing even after cancer diagnosis

By Park Han-sol

JEJU ISLAND ― "Nothing in my life has changed. Sure, I was shaken up for the first two or three days, but now, nada," Park Seo-bo, master of Korean "dansaekhwa" (monochrome painting), remarked nonchalantly on a cloudless mid-afternoon in March as the waves crashed onto Jeju Island's scenic coast.

Just three weeks ago, the 91-year-old made a surprise announcement on his Facebook page that he has been diagnosed with stage 3 lung cancer.

What could have been an earth-shattering punishment putting a stop to his decades-long artistic endeavors instead became another creative turning point for Park to resign himself to his fate. "It's something I'm very talented at," the veteran painter said.

In fact, that sense of resignation has been a constant driving force behind his dansaekhwa works ― which put an emphasis on the purposeless and endless repetition of the artist's activities, to the point of "emptying himself out."

Opting to not treat his cancer, Park continues to paint in a wheelchair. His latest projects involving old, faded newspapers collected from around the world recall his 1970s pieces, where he applied oil paint and endless graphite lines onto the covers of Le Monde.

A virtual aerial view of the three-story "Park Seo-bo Art Museum," which will be designed by Spanish architect Fernando Menis / Courtesy of Gizi Foundation

The beginning of this new chapter in the painter's life has coincided with another momentous event: the scheduled construction of the first-ever museum named after him in Seogwipo, Jeju Island.

Tentatively dubbed the Park Seo-bo Art Museum, the three-story building will be designed by Spanish architect Fernando Menis on the site of JW Marriott Jeju Resort & Spa.

Situated atop the cliffs, the museum will overlook Route 7 of the Jeju Olle Trail, a 425-kilometer footpath that connects the coastal routes of the island, as well as the islet of Beom off the shore, and is set to open its doors to the public next summer.

"Mind you, this is not going to be a huge museum. But I don't believe that an art institution needs to be enormous," Park said. "Before I leave this world, this will be built as an establishment that can stand strong even when compared to its larger counterparts."

Menis, who hails from the Spanish island of Tenerife, fondly noted the similarities he witnessed between the nature of his hometown and that of Jeju ― volcanoes, lava and a dark green sea ― adding that he wanted to design a non-intrusive building that is smaller on the outside so as to not significantly alter the surrounding picturesque landscape.

In fact, only a portion of the entire structure will be exposed above ground. "Eighty-five percent of the project is set underground," the architect said.

The museum's structure is set to incorporate a number of elements that reflect Jeju's iconic nature. Its ceilings, floors and walls will be made with a mix of concrete and basalt rocks, the latter of which are a signature feature of the volcanic island. Its sunken shape will also allow the sunlight and shadow to reach the two basement levels.

In constructing the exhibition space featuring Park's oeuvre, volcanic ash will be used which "is very nice for the acoustics," according to Menis. "We can create a very absorptive space where you can see the art in a very comfortable acoustic atmosphere."

And the small, above-ground garden containing the island's native greenery and trees in the lobby area will represent "the spirit of Park" as it is reminiscent of the painter's own garden in his studio-cum-residence, Gizi, in Seoul's Seodaemun District.

"We hope that this museum can interact with the world of Jeju under the umbrella of Park Seo-bo," the Spanish architect said.

Park Seo-bo's "Ecriture No. 140410" (2014) / Courtesy of the artist, Kukje Gallery

The dansaekhwa master emphasized that the Park Seo-bo Art Museum, like his paintings, should absorb the visitors' anguish and anxiety to provide a sense of serenity ― thus achieving the art of healing.

"There have been many Western art pieces that would aggressively approach viewers and 'vomit up' their messages in the name of 'expression.' I call that assault. I never wanted to produce art like that," he stated.

"I also hope that the museum can host solo exhibitions of other outstanding contemporary creators, thus highlighting the artistic solidarity formed within our era."

hansolp@koreatimes.co.kr