"There Is No Place We Can't Play... Hongti Art Center Becomes a Playground for Artists"

September 27 - October 8, Hongti Art Center Open Studio 'There Is No Place We Cannot Play'

Special Exhibition, Studio Exhibition, Talk Concert, Residency Joint Presentation, Experience Program

Busan Cultural Foundation (CEO Lee Miyeon) and Hongti Art Center will host an Open Studio from September 27 to October 8.

Hongti Art Center Open Studio Poster.

This Open Studio, held under the theme "There Is No Place Where We Cannot Play," aims to showcase how artists transform their own spaces into places of 'play' for themselves and for everyone. A variety of programs will be presented, including curated exhibitions, studio exhibitions, talk concerts, work presentations, and hands-on programs for citizens.

The event will kick off with a curated exhibition by artist Um Jeongwon. Based on her exploration of plants and light, the artist presents an exhibition where visitors can experience becoming plants and light themselves. Through works such as "Look Into the Sun's Eyes," "Look Into the Sun's Eyes 2," as well as installations like "The World They Live In" and "Sunburn," she depicts the shapes of sunlight as media art and explores the relationship between plants and light, telling stories about these elements through a variety of works.

Um Jeongwon, who was also a resident artist in the 6th cohort of Hongti Art Center in 2018, returns to the center with this curated exhibition. Born in Busan, she holds a bachelor's degree in Western Painting from Busan National University and a master's degree in Media from the Slade School of Fine Art at UCL. She has exhibited not only in Busan but also in Seoul, Gwangju, Ulsan, and other regions in Korea, as well as in the UK, Japan, France, Greece, and various other countries.

On October 4 at 4 PM, a talk concert will be held with artist Choi Wooyeol. Choi Wooyeol gained attention as the final winner of the art competition show "National Art Artist Audition Hwa100" on MBN. Having appeared on a unique art competition program and won with his captivating oil paintings, he will discuss a wide range of topics, from the art world in general to the Korean art scene, what it means to live as an artist in Korea, and stories about young artists.

Choi Wooyeol captures the authenticity of art by painting small and trivial things around us that no one pays attention to, yet have their own vitality, moving audiences with his work. He holds a master's degree in Painting from Hongik University Graduate School of Fine Arts and has exhibited at spaces such as Gana Art Space and Chuncheon Art Museum. He has participated in various art fairs, won awards at art competitions, and his works are part of collections at institutions such as the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Hangang Museum of Art, and Hyundai Pharm.

At this Hongti Art Center Open Studio, Hyundai Pharm's high-functional peptide clean beauty brand Labcle will collaborate with Choi Wooyeol's work "Seep In" to sponsor the "Labcle Peptide Cream Skin Moisturizing Toner 310ml" art collaboration edition for artists and citizens in Busan. Since 2009, Hyundai Pharm has been operating the monthly ArtM Concert to discover young classical artists and promote performance culture, and is leading cultural and artistic social contribution activities through collaborations with art.

Additionally, on October 4 at 1 PM, resident artists from Hongti Art Center, Space Wewermensch, Art District P, and Art in Nature?representative residency spaces in Busan?will join together for a work presentation session. This presentation will introduce new artists working in Busan's residency spaces, with Busan as their backdrop.

On October 5, from 10 AM to 5 PM, various experiential programs utilizing the diverse spaces of Hongti Art Center will be held. These experiences are designed to help citizens approach contemporary art more easily by engaging a variety of senses.

In line with the theme "There Is No Place Where We Cannot Play," hidden spaces within Hongti Art Center will be used to provide "art play" experiences for citizens to enjoy.

All programs are free of charge, though reservations may be required for certain programs. For more information, please visit the Busan Cultural Foundation website or the Hongti Art Center's social media channels.