The ‘Mona Lisa of Joseon’ will reside in Daegu for three months. The famous genre painting of Shin Yun-bok, known for its ambiguous expression of a smile or a frown, ‘Beauty in the Garden,’ will be on display alone in the 1st floor 2nd exhibition hall of the Daegu Gansong Art Museum from next month. Despite being alone, it won’t feel lonely, as right next to it in the 3rd exhibition hall, the priceless national treasure ‘Hunminjeongeum,’ our highest Korean document, will be showcased. In the innermost part of the 1st exhibition hall, Gyeomjae Jeong Seon’s masterpiece ‘Geumgang Nae San Chong Ram’ will greet visitors along with other representative works like ‘Cheongpunggye’ and ‘Yeosan Chodang.’
Opened next month, the Daegu branch of the Gansong Art Museum, the first private art museum in Korea founded by the great collector Gansong Jeon Hyeong-pil (1906-1962) to preserve the top-level Korean ink paintings from the Japanese colonial period and prevent their export abroad. The Daegu Gansong Art Museum, inspired by the appearance of Dosanseowon in Andong, was designed by the architect Choi Moon-gyu and covers a floor area of 8003㎡ with a basement and 1-3 floors above ground. It contains 6 exhibition halls, visible restoration rooms, an art shop, a library, and more.
The grand opening exhibition ‘Yeo Se Dong Bo’ (與世同寶) to the public on September 3 will showcase 40 national treasures and treasures, totaling 97 pieces for viewers to enjoy. The exhibition title ‘Yeo Se Dong Bo’ means ‘treasuring the world together.’ This title was derived from the congratulatory poem by Jeong Cho-myung, who celebrated the founding of Bohwagak (the former name of Gansong Art Museum) at the behest of his mentor Wi Chang Oh-se-chang, who played a significant role in Gansong’s collection process and helped cultivate his artistic vision.
In the 1st exhibition hall, arranged in the shape of a mountain landscape on the left and a blooming flower on the right, numerous masterpieces by Gyeomjae Jeong Seon, Shin Yun-bok, Kim Hong-do, and Kim Deuk-shin are displayed. The current masterpiece ‘Chok Jan Dogwon’ by Sim Sa-jeong, which has rarely been fully exhibited, is also displayed alongside Wi Chang’s poem. Shin Yun-bok’s ‘Beauty in the Garden,’ which is being exhibited alone for the first time in the 2nd exhibition hall, allows visitors who have entered the dark room to closely examine the details of the painting near the display rack. On the back wall of the display rack, the artist’s seal ‘Shingagwonin’ is enlarged and printed with the poem ‘My heart is always in bloom, like spring.’
The ‘Hunminjeongeum Haerye Bon,’ the most important document explaining the original form of ‘Hunminjeongeum’ (Hangul) created by King Sejong in the 15th century, is being exhibited in the region for the first time in 84 years since it was discovered in Andong, Gyeongsangbuk-do, and brought to Seoul in 1940. In the 3 exhibition halls titled ‘House Made by Sound,’ the contents of the Haerye Bon are read aloud along with a sound art piece that resonates with contemporary Koreans. In the basement 1st floor, the exhibition hall for calligraphy, ceramics, and Buddhist art (4 exhibition halls) displays the masterpieces of Chusa Kim Jeong-hee, followed by the famous Goryeo celadon, ‘Cheongjasang-gam Unhak Munbyeong,’ and the lovely monkey-shaped hat, displayed in the shape of ceramic jars. The exhibition is set against the background of the three main Buddha statues and stone pagodas collected by Gansong.
In the basement 1st floor multimedia room (5 exhibition halls), visitors can watch media art videos of major collection paintings, including Gyeomjae’s ‘Geumgang Nae San Chong Ram,’ while listening to the melody of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, 4th movement ‘Adagietto.’ When leaving the 5th exhibition hall, visitors will encounter a panoramic window that overlooks a pond with a modern pavilion, providing a scenic view of the surroundings. The Gansong Art Culture Foundation stated, “Seoul’s Gansong Art Museum will continue to hold regular seasonal exhibitions in spring and autumn, while the Daegu Gansong Art Museum will operate as a permanent exhibition venue for its collection.” The opening exhibition will run until December 1.
The Daegu Gansong Art Museum building, which opens the exhibition on September 3, is located on the slopes of Daedeok Mountain and features a courtyard where visitors can enjoy the surrounding scenery. After experiencing the grandeur of various ethnic artworks, visitors can enjoy a post-meal-like sensation. At the Daegu Gansong Art Museum, plans for the Seoul branch to host short-term seasonal exhibitions in spring and autumn and the Daegu branch to operate as a permanent exhibition venue for its collection have been announced. The grand opening exhibition will run until December 1.