By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
In the 1970s, Daehangno was the hub of youth and university culture in Seoul. As its name is translated as ``college street," it was known as the area where students from nearby universities gathered.
Now, Daehangno is filled with theaters, cinemas, shops, bars and cafes, but often overlooked is the Arko Art Center. Since moving in 1979, it has occupied the space formerly occupied by the Seoul National University College of Liberal Arts and Science in the street for the last 30 years.
This year, Arko Art Center is commemorating this milestone with an exhibition called ``100 Daehangro," referring to the center's address. It has reflected the changes in the cultural environment of Daehangno throughout the years.
``This is our 30th anniversary in Daehangno, but we didn't want to focus on celebrating. We wanted to have this chance to question ourselves as a public art center, and what kind of role we have in Daehangno," said Kwon Jin, Arko Art Center communications manager.
The exhibition has taken on significant meaning, as the Arko Art Center is once again at a crossroads. The government is planning to transform it from a center devoted solely to art into a cultural hub with a theater for dance and performances later this year.
For the current exhibition, curators Kim Hyung-mi and An Hyun-joo invited 30 artists and art groups to bring the personal and collective memories and experiences of the center into the visual arts. Their paintings, installations, sound and performance art all encourage interaction with visitors.
One of the first things that will catch people's attention are the names stenciled on the red bricks of the center. Kim Seung-young had the idea that the walls are filled with traces of people who have passed it by, so he decided to literally write their names on the bricks.
Inside, Park Ki-won's ``air cubes" serve as wall partitions. Lee Mi-kyung constructed a stage where different performances will be held, juxtaposed with a giant picture frame puzzle.
On one side of the wall are reproductions of old album covers from the 1980s, a work by Park Joo-yeon that hopes to trigger visitor memories of the decade.
Sasa [44] and Sulki & Min collected greetings from exhibition catalogues over the last 30 years into a book, and photos of the artists into a slide projection.
Jackson Hong sought to make as little a mark as possible in the exhibition space. On the second floor, visitors can find the angles of the walls and spaces have been curved as part of Hong's ``30R."
Works by Korean artists, who had a significant influence on the Arko Art Center since the 1970s, are displayed on the deep red-painted walls. Artists include Kim Ku-lim, Kim Eull, Min Joung-ki, Park Hyun-ki, Lee Seung-teak, Joo Jae-hwan and Hong Kyoung-tack.
Visitors will probably be surprised to find a live bird placed in a cage inside the center. Koo Dong-hee tackles questions about the center by comparing it to a pet bird that is bred and trained to please its owner.
As part of the exhibition, Arko Art Center is holding a weekly program series ``made-community," giving the audience a chance to personally interact with the artists.
First-generation Korean performance artists Lee Kun-yong (June 2), Sung Neung-kyung (June 9) and Lee Seung-ta (June 16) will be conducting master classes about performance art.
``Listening company" by ps is a community project involving the Philippine market/community, which gathers near the Catholic church in Daehangno every Sunday. Performances will be held June 14 and 28 and July 5.
Sung Kiwan + Yunsabi will perform ``watchingmeimprovising" at 3 p.m. on June 6, and ``watchingmetalking" at 3 p.m. on June 27. Boochoolaamaa will play their unique music May 30, June 6 and July 4.
Tickets are 2,000 won for adults and 1,000 won for children. Opening hours are 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (closed on Mondays). To get there, get off at Hyehwa Station Line 4 Exit 2. Visit www.arkoartcenter.or.kr.