10.13~11.5 Danghyeoncheon 2.5km Section Exhibits Over 150 Works by 18 Domestic and International Artists (Teams), Including Over 1,000 Citizen Participation Works... Theme "Alchemy of Light," Featuring Works by German and Taiwanese Artists... Expanded Community Participation from Developmentally Disabled, Reclusive Youth, Multicultural Families, and Creation of 3 Moonlight Rest Areas
Nowon-gu, Seoul (Mayor Oh Seung-rok) announced that it will hold the 'Nowon Moonlight Walk' themed on the alchemy of light at Danghyeoncheon from the 13th for 24 days.
Started in 2020, the Nowon Moonlight Walk, now in its 4th edition this year, has grown into Nowon-gu's representative festival combining popularity and artistry, attracting 660,000 visitors last year with an average of 40,000 visitors per day.
This year, the scale and number of works have been increased. The festival expanded citizen participation works and invited overseas artists from Germany and Taiwan to attempt various experiments and collaborations. Through this, it plans to become a representative festival of Seoul.
Eighteen domestic and international artists (teams) will showcase a total of 42 works and over 150 pieces including art installations, light sculptures, and new media works along a 2.5 km section of Danghyeoncheon (from Sanggye Station/Nowon Math Culture Center to Junggye Station/Deulgukhwa Children's Park). Including citizen participation works, about 1,000 pieces will be exhibited.
This year’s theme of Nowon Moonlight Walk is ‘Alchemy of Light.’ It invites visitors into a beautiful world of light by creatively interpreting the meanings of the basic elements of alchemy, delivering messages of hope and joy to citizens who have overcome difficult times. The story unfolds in three sections.
The 1st section (Music Fountain to Yangjigyo Bridge), ‘Alchemy of Water and Life,’ deals with nature and the environment through water, one of the basic elements and the source of all life. The Taiwanese artist team UxU Studio presents a 7-meter-high artificial waterfall sculpture, creating a spectacle of light falling into water. When visitors shine UV light from Gadget Workshop’s 'Wizard’s Lighthouse' onto Danghyeoncheon, they can encounter a 3-meter-tall whale pod in Oseok Spark’s 'Mystical Sea.' Visitors can enjoy light sculptures related to aquatic life such as lotus flowers, giant fish over 6 meters, and rainbows.
The 2nd section (Yangjigyo Bridge to Ground Fountain), ‘Song of Earth and Nature,’ tells the story of life with nature through works related to flowers, trees, animals, and fire. Jang Ji-yeon’s 'Surreal Mundane: Moonlight Walk' breathes life into classical marble sculptures using 3D hologram equipment to create new narratives. From one angle, you can see a rainbow-colored dragon, and from another, Jeon Young-il Workshop’s 'Taeguk-Uroboros' displays the Taeguk symbol. Park Bong-gi’s 'Breath,' installed on the bridge, uses bamboo to await the breath of nature and the audience.
The 3rd section (Ground Fountain to Danghyeon 3rd Bridge), ‘Harmonious Universe,’ alchemically connects the microscopic dimension of atoms and the macroscopic dimension of the universe, proposing a new perspective on the world around us. 'Lunar Crescendo,' a collaboration between German media artist Timo Helgert and Apollon Immersive Works, is a sculpture composed of 37 ring-shaped structures that gradually expand from the smallest to the largest ellipse, symbolizing the crescent moon. This 10-minute media art piece, mediated by light and sound, offers visitors a moment to pause and recharge.
Korea’s representative media artist Lee Lee-nam’s 'Cheonligangsan-do' is a three-dimensional composition of a flat painting with 3D animation, allowing visitors to experience the illusion of a paradise unfolding right before their eyes. Gadget Workshop’s 'Alchemist’s Castle' is designed for visitors to climb and explore the mystical castle themselves.
This year’s Moonlight Walk emphasizes citizen participation, featuring works created by people with developmental disabilities, reclusive youth, multicultural families, and children throughout the festival. Representative works include Lee Chaewon’s 'Forest of Nowon,' Jung In-seong’s 'Flamingo Flamingo Flamingo Crossing the Milky Way,' and Kim Ji-hye’s 'Expanding Drawing.' All are local artists from Nowon-gu.
Additionally, for the first time in Korea, a program was launched where teenagers discuss and commission public art works from professional artists. The results are Joo Hong’s 'Eclipse' and Ahn Kyung-jin’s 'Fusion.'
As the festival unfolds along the Danghyeoncheon walking path, the district also newly created three Moonlight Rest Areas. Through artistic spaces such as Sun and Moon, and Chess, they aim to provide comfortable resting spots. The festival space will be designed as a barrier-free environment so that the elderly and disabled can safely enjoy public art.
The opening ceremony will begin at 6:30 PM on the 13th at the Danghyeoncheon Ground Fountain near Seongseo University with a lighting ceremony. A fireworks display will be held with about 2,000 falling flower sticks made by collecting citizens’ wish papers on six lines, scattering sparks. A dance performance titled 'Gift of God' (choreographed by Professor Lee Mi-hee of Samyook University, performed by ‘Seojeong Dance World’) will be presented to pray for the festival’s safety and success. Various performances will be held at the same location every Saturday.
A ‘Moonlight Guide Tour’ operated by trained citizen docents will provide explanations for visitors. Applications and detailed information can be found on the Nowon Cultural Foundation website and the Nowon Moonlight Walk website.
Oh Seung-rok, Mayor of Nowon-gu, said, “We have carefully ensured that the miracles made of light can be enjoyed by both disabled and non-disabled people,” adding, “Going forward, Nowon Moonlight Walk will establish itself as a light sculpture festival representing not only Nowon but the entire city of Seoul.”
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