Forest, Sea, Gallery... Global Art Park Project Launched at National Geopark Igidae

Busan City to Develop Igidae Park
with Architecture, Sculptures, and Installation Art in Stages

A project to transform the Igidae Forest in Nam-gu, Busan into a world-class ‘Art Park’ has been launched.

The Busan Metropolitan City (Mayor Park Hyung-jun) announced on the 11th that it will actively promote the project from March to develop Igidae Park into a world-class art park within nature.

Igidae Art Park aims to become the ‘No. 1 cultural art park in nature’ and will be developed into three major zones: the International Art Center area, the Seaside Forest Gallery area, and the Oryukdo Art Center area. The plan is to create a high-end cultural and tourism platform by dividing the park into these zones.

A bird's-eye view of Oryukdo Art Center within the Oryukdo Art Center area.

The Art Pavilion in the ‘International Art Center area,’ which will harmonize with the natural scenery of Igidae and serve as a catalyst for the art park, is planned to be completed by 2026. After selecting an agency through negotiations this year, the process will include soliciting and selecting artists and artworks. It is expected to become the representative symbol of Igidae Art Park with world-class sculptures.

In the ‘Seaside Forest Gallery area,’ 6 to 7 galleries featuring works by domestic and international masters will be established, serving as an intermediary art space linking the ‘Oryukdo Art Center’ and the ‘International Art Center.’

Starting in March, Busan City will accept applications from world-class domestic and international artists wishing to establish museums and conduct evaluations. Those who pass the evaluation will be invited to submit proposals to establish and operate museums, with the project being promoted as a non-financial initiative.

Aerial view of the forest gallery within the coastal forest gallery area.

The ‘Oryukdo Art Center area,’ the gateway to the art park, will include facilities such as the Old Stone Street and a wooden observatory. Around the natural yard in the Oryukdo area, 65 stone relics, including those repatriated from Japan, will be donated by Cheon Shin-il, Chairman of the Uri Old Stone Cultural Foundation, and installed with storytelling elements to provide attractions. The eco-friendly wooden observatory will complete feasibility studies and design within the year and is scheduled to be constructed by 2028.

At 1:30 PM on the same day, the first advisory committee meeting to enhance the execution of the Igidae Art Park basic roadmap was held in the city hall’s main conference room, chaired by Mayor Park Hyung-jun.

The advisory committee will provide advice on the development and operation plans of Igidae Art Park, consult on artists participating in the forest gallery and conduct eligibility reviews, and recommend artists for the Art Pavilion and other participations. This meeting was organized to listen to and discuss diverse opinions from experts in various fields ahead of the full-scale promotion of Igidae Art Park.

About ten participants, including Mayor Park and experts from various sectors, attended the meeting to share diverse opinions on making Igidae Art Park a landmark.

The agenda included the presentation of advisory committee appointment certificates, viewing of the Igidae Art Park promotional video, a presentation of the basic roadmap for making Igidae Art Park a landmark by the Director of Busan’s Green City Bureau, followed by opinion gathering and discussion.

A bird's-eye view of the Oryukdo Exploration Center within the Oryukdo Art Center area.

The Igidae Art Park advisory committee includes domestic and international experts in architecture, design, and art, including architect Thomas Heatherwick, who is known as the ‘Leonardo da Vinci of the 21st century.’

Busan City plans to gather opinions and collaborate with experts in architecture, design, and art, including Thomas Heatherwick, to strengthen the public-private partnership system so that citizens interested in park development and operation can participate in the project.

The city intends to incorporate the diverse opinions proposed at this advisory committee to create a world-class Igidae Art Park that involves both domestic and international experts and citizens.

Mayor Park Hyung-jun of Busan said, “We will develop Igidae transparently and with a long-term perspective so that its differentiated content can blend with top-tier domestic and international works to become a world-class art park. We ask for the continuous interest and support of citizens so that the wave of public art innovation starting from Igidae can spread throughout Busan and help the city advance as a global hub.”