Nowon-gu, Library? Let's Not Just Read Books but Also Look at Pictures

Enjoying a Masterpiece Exhibition at the Library... Botanist Shin Hye-woo's Botanical Illustration Exhibition '2021 Visual Arts Emerging Artists Exhibition'

[Asia Economy Reporter Jong-il Park] Nowon-gu (District Mayor Oh Seung-rok) has taken steps to expand cultural enjoyment for residents exhausted by COVID-19.

First, the 'Dodo-ya' project titled ‘Is it a library or a gallery?’ is underway. In April, a total of 32 replica masterpieces of Impressionist painters will be exhibited until the 29th at three local libraries.

▲ At Nowon Information Library (Sanggye 10-dong), ‘Joy in Everyday Life - Pierre-Auguste Renoir’ with 16 pieces ▲ At Bulam Library (Junggye Bon-dong), ‘Alfred Sisley, the Impressionist Painter Who Longed for the Countryside’ with 4 pieces ▲ At Sanggye Cultural Information Library (Sanggye 1-dong), ‘Library Embracing Art - Vincent van Gogh’ with 12 pieces.

In May and July, the concept ‘Is it a library or a concert hall?’ will be carried out, turning libraries into performance venues. Performances will be held where audiences can see and hear masterpieces and classical music explained by a ‘classical curator.’

At the Nowon Art Gallery on the 4th floor of Nowon Culture and Arts Center (Junggye Bon-dong), an exhibition of botanical illustrations titled 'Invitation from the Neighboring Botanist: Spring Flowers Spring' by artist Shin Hye-woo, a botanical illustrator, will be held. Botanical illustrations are artworks that depict information that cannot be accurately expressed through plant specimens or photographs.

The artist discovered that the plants she most frequently encountered and found comfort in daily life were local neighborhood plants. She captured the plants embedded in her memories while walking around the neighborhood and the ideas she had carefully accumulated in this exhibition. Based on ‘Nowon’s Spring Flowers’ collected during walks in Suraksan, Bulamsan, Jungnangcheon, and Taereung, she presents botanical illustrations, spring flower specimens, and spring plant seeds.

Due to social distancing measures, viewing is by advance reservation only and limited to 10 people per time slot.

The exhibition runs until the 29th, and viewing hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For reservations and detailed inquiries, please visit the Nowon Cultural Foundation website or contact by phone.

Finally, at the local cultural platform The Soop Gallery 1 and 2 (Sanggye 6,7-dong), the ‘2021 Visual Arts Emerging Artists Exhibition: Changeable, an Era of Change’ is taking place.

You can see 20 to 30 visual art pieces including paintings, sculptures, and crafts by four selected emerging young artists from the Nowon Cultural Foundation’s ‘Emerging Artist Support Project’: Heo Hyun-sook, Jeon Young-jin, Plain (Kim Kyung-young, Jung Do-yoon), and Lee Min-ah.

The exhibition is open on the 25th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and admission is free.

Meanwhile, the district is conducting various projects to expand opportunities for cultural enjoyment in daily life.

Last December, the Nowon Underground Passage Art Gallery ‘Areatmadang’ was created. In the previously dark and stuffy underground space, a large, lush tree was installed using the traditional Dancheong relief technique, creating a unique atmosphere.

Around the tree, Hangul was depicted like fireflies to reflect on the meaning of Hangul. On the opposite wall, gallery works from ‘Planting Eight Colors of Light in the Underground Passage,’ a collaboration between five artists from the 104 Village Creation Studio and three Nowon artists, are exhibited to provide visual enjoyment.

In the second half of this year, media art works will be permanently exhibited in the connecting passage between subway lines 4 and 7, which have high foot traffic, creating a space that can provide vitality and comfort to residents tired from commuting.

District Mayor Oh Seung-rok said, “I hope that various cultural experiences through exhibitions and performances will bring comfort to hearts weary from the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic,” and added, “We will strive to create Nowon as a cultural city with pauses through expanding opportunities for cultural enjoyment.”