An Exhibition Celebrating 75 Years of Friendship between Korea and the Philippines.
The National Museum of Korea (Director General: Yoon Sung Yong) is presenting Endless Landscape: Digitally Reimagined Korean Art at the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (Director: Kim Myeongjin). This exhibition, featuring immersive video works using new digital technologies, will be held from Friday, January 19 through Saturday, June 29, 2024.
The First Achievement of the NMK’s Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program in the Philippines
This exhibition is the first outcome in the Philippines of the National Museum of Korea’s Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program. To establish a foundation to broaden the reach of K-culture, the National Museum of Korea is promoting customized support programs to fit the local characteristics of different countries around the world. In the Philippines, the absence of Korean galleries or museums housing Korean cultural heritage makes it challenging for local audiences to experience traditional Korean cultural content. In this light, the exhibition takes a new approach to surmounting the constraints of hosting artifact-centered exhibitions of Korean art. By presenting immersive video works using the latest digital technology, the stories of cultural heritage can be conveyed vibrantly and engagingly. Moreover, this digital approach can be particularly effective given the deep interest in Korean pop culture, including K-pop and TV shows, among many Filipinos. Through a friendly and familiar digital medium, the exhibition is expected to enjoy a greater public response through this convergence of tradition and modernity.
This year marks the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and the Philippines. Endless Landscape: Digitally Reimagined Korean Art has been organized to commemorate the long-standing friendship between the two countries by expanding the reach of Korean cultural content in the Philippines and promoting mutual exchange. This exhibition kicks off a series of events celebrating this diplomatic anniversary at the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, including a Korean Festival and K-drama OST Concert.
The accompanying performances to the exhibition will diversify the exhibition’s local impact and visitor experience.
In collaboration with the National Commission for Culture and the Arts of the Philippines (NCCA), the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines will organize monthly house concerts featuring Filipino artists. NCCA, the country’s official government agency for supporting culture, has provided active support to ensure the exhibition takes place successfully. In this way, the leading cultural institutions of Korea and the Philippines have come together to further strengthen cultural exchanges and cooperation between the two countries.
A Unique Exhibition of K-Culture Marked by an Intersection of the Past and Present
The exhibition presents four video works using new digital technologies produced by the National Museum of Korea and the Chuncheon National Museum. The works – respectively entitled “Endless Mountains and Rivers,” “Royal Processions with the People,” “Pillars of Divinity, Chongseok Rocks,” and “Peonies in Bloom” – are reinterpretations of traditional Korean paintings. This exhibition is significant in that it offers a novel approach through digital content to engage with traditional Korean paintings, which are typically inaccessible without a visit to Korea.
Upon entering the gallery, visitors are welcomed by an expansive panorama. Overflowing with light, sound, and brilliant colors, the exhibition space presents an intense sense of immersion.
The National Museum of Korea will continue to carry out further projects and overseas exhibitions as part of its Overseas Korean Galleries Support Program to ensure the preservation and utilization of Korean galleries and cultural heritage located abroad. It is hoped that this exhibition will provide an opportunity for closer engagement with Korean art and culture. The museum will strive to promote Korean culture and strengthen its status through diverse projects that encompass both traditional and contemporary contexts.