Jinju City to Cooperate and Exchange with Tourette, France, Home of Artist Lee Sungja's Studio

Mayor Jo Kyu-il and Mayor Tourette Sign Letter of Intent for Friendly City Exchange
Mayor Jo Visits Atelier 'Eunhasu', a French Cultural Heritage Site, and Encourages Facility Staff
Family of Artist Lee Sungja Promises to Donate Lee's Art Tools and Belongings to Jinju City

Joo Kyuil, Mayor of Jinju City, Gyeongsangnam-do, announced on the 3rd that he had signed a Letter of Intent for friendly city exchange with the city of Tourrettes, France, at the Tourrettes City Hall, to promote cultural, tourism, and educational exchanges between Jinju and Tourrettes.

Located in southeastern France, Tourrettes is famous as the home of "Atelier Eunhasu," the studio of the late artist Lee Seongja, a native of Jinju. The studio was designated as an "Architecture Contemporaine Remarquable" (Remarkable Contemporary Architecture) by the French government on May 29.

The signing ceremony was attended by Mayor Joo Kyuil, Tourrettes Mayor Frederic Poma, the Director of Administrative Services, other Tourrettes city officials, and citizens of Tourrettes.

Photo of Mayor Kyoil Jo and Mayor Tourette signing a letter of intent for sister city exchange.

At the event, Mayor Joo shared stories about Lee Seongja with the citizens of Tourrettes and took the opportunity to promote tourism in Jinju.

Frederic Poma, Mayor of Tourrettes, said, "I am very pleased that Jinju, the hometown of Lee Seongja, and Tourrettes, home to her studio Atelier Eunhasu, can now collaborate and exchange. Going forward, we will work together with Jinju to manage Lee Seongja's atelier and further develop the relationship between our two cities through various exchanges."

Mayor Joo stated, "Lee Seongja, whose architectural and artistic value has been recognized in France, is a source of pride for Jinju, a city of culture and arts. I would like to thank Tourrettes for their interest in and dedication to managing Lee Seongja's atelier. Through the signing of this Letter of Intent for friendly city exchange, the two cities have established a foundation for ongoing mutual development not only in culture and the arts but also in a wider range of fields."

On June 30, the day before the signing, Mayor Joo Kyuil visited Atelier Eunhasu, where the artistic spirit of Lee Seongja lives on through her personal belongings, together with Damien Bagaria, former Mayor of Tourrettes, and Tourrettes city staff. He expressed his gratitude for the designation as French cultural heritage and encouraged the facility staff.

Shin Yongseok, the eldest son of Lee Seongja, said he found Mayor Joo's visit very meaningful and, as a token of appreciation, expressed his intention to donate some of Lee Seongja's art tools and other personal items to Jinju City. As a result, it is expected that these cherished belongings of Lee Seongja will soon be on display at the Jinju City Lee Seongja Art Museum.

Additionally, Atelier Eunhasu, Lee Seongja's studio, is scheduled to be open to the public starting next year, making her artistic world even more accessible to a wider audience.

Meanwhile, the signing of the Letter of Intent for friendly city exchange between Jinju and Tourrettes came about at the suggestion of the Tourrettes mayor during a video conference held on May 21, where Mayor Joo and the Tourrettes mayor discussed a partnership between the two cities through Lee Seongja.