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| The Centre Pompidou, a Parisian cultural complex that houses the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe / Korea Times file |
By Park Han-sol
The Centre Pompidou, a Parisian cultural complex that houses the largest collection of modern and contemporary art in Europe with over 120,000 works, is set to open a Korean branch in Seoul's 63 Square, more commonly known as the 63 Building.
According to the French daily Le Monde, the prominent art institution is partnering with the Hanwha Foundation of Culture to establish its Seoul outpost by the fall of 2025 which spans 11,500 square meters within the skyscraper. The renovation of the space will be helmed by Paris-based architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
The partnership involves Hanwha's payment of "an envelope of 20 million euros over four years, which gives it the right to use the 'Centre Pompidou' trademark," the newspaper reported.
"The company has been in talks with the French institution regarding the matter, but the details are still being finalized," a Hanwha Group representative noted.
There have been several attempts made in the recent decade considering the possible opening of the Centre Pompidou's satellite museum in Korea, none of which ever came to fruition. Last year, local governments in Busan and Incheon sought to realize the project in their respective cities.
Named after the late French President Georges Pompidou, the center first opened its doors to the public in 1977 as a multidisciplinary cultural complex boasting a modern and contemporary art museum, a library and a performance theater.
Its iconic "inside-out" architecture and the mechanical escalator known as the "caterpillar," designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers, have made the building one of Paris' most popular landmarks.
In recent years, the Centre Pompidou has been eyeing a global expansion through the establishment of its outposts outside of France. It opened a branch in Spain's Malaga in 2015; in Brussels in 2018; and in Shanghai a year later.
It also signed a contract with Saudi Arabia to construct a satellite museum, which is expected to open in 2027 or 2028, to highlight the creators from the Arab region.
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