The Pompidou Center Hanwha announced that it will unveil its first garden project, "Imprinting Time," in September at the outdoor space known as the '63 Oudolf Garden.'
This initiative marks the first attempt to showcase contemporary art outside the museum setting, offering a new viewing experience that blends the museum with nature and urban landscapes.
Participating in the project are three prominent Korean women artists representing different generations: Kim Yoon-shin, Shin Mi-kyung, and Oh Myo-cho. Each artist has developed their own sculptural language in response to their unique environments and eras, exploring the relationships between nature, the body, time, and material.
As suggested by the project title, "Imprinting Time," the installed works will interact with external elements such as plants, seasons, the winds and sunlight along the Han River, and rainwater, leaving new traces over time. Visitors will be able to experience the evolving relationship between the artworks and the natural environment as they stroll through the garden's pathways.
Kim Yoon-shin reveals the qualities of nature and bodily movement through colored sculptures cast from carved wood forms. Shin Mi-kyung explores the concepts of time and decay through angel sculptures made of soap that gradually wear down and transform when exposed to wind, rain, and air. Oh Myo-cho examines the relationship between nature, science, and humanity through abstract sculptures reminiscent of hybrids between plants and the human body.
The '63 Oudolf Garden,' where the project will take place, was designed by world-renowned landscape architect Piet Oudolf. His naturalistic landscaping philosophy, which views the processes of plant growth, decline, and change as a single landscape, aligns with the project's focus on the "traces of time." The seasonal changes in the garden's landscape will continuously reshape the relationship between the artworks and nature.
The garden project will be first revealed during a private event, "63 Night," on the evening of September 4, held at the 63 Oudolf Garden and the Pompidou Center Hanwha. This event, linked to the Frieze Seoul Art Week and the Seoul International Fireworks Festival, is expected to attract around 300 art professionals, including Frieze VIPs and collectors. It will open to the general public starting September 6.
Meanwhile, the Pompidou Center Hanwha is currently hosting its inaugural exhibition, "Cubists: Innovators of Vision," which runs until October 4.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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