Gwangju Museum of Art Presents "Namdo Korean Painting" Exhibition in Turin

'Culture City Gwangju Exhibition' in Italy Until September 7
Works and Archives Related to the May 18 Democratization Movement Also on Display
"A Chance to Highlight Gwangju as a City of Democracy, Human Rights, and Peace"

Gwangju Museum of Art will hold the "2025 Cultural City Gwangju Exhibition - Adapted Landscapes" at the Oriental Art Museum in Turin, Italy, until September 7. Provided by Gwangju Museum of Art

The Gwangju Museum of Art is showcasing the essence of Gwangju and Jeonnam art in Turin, Italy, a city known for its rich cultural heritage.

On May 28, the Gwangju Museum of Art announced that it will hold the "2025 Cultural City Gwangju Exhibition - Adapted Landscapes" at the Oriental Art Museum (Museo d'Arte Orientale) in Turin, Italy, until September 7.

This exhibition has been organized through a collaboration between the Gwangju Museum of Art and the Oriental Art Museum in Turin, which is part of the Turin Museums Foundation, to provide an opportunity to explore a facet of Korean art history. The two institutions previously signed an agreement on April 15, 2024, to promote mutual lending of collections, residency exchanges for artists, researchers, and curators, among other initiatives.

Turin, where this international exhibition is being held, is a cultural city in Italy that is actively promoting tourism and cultural projects. Gwangju, often referred to as a city of art, is also recognized as a leading cultural city in Korea. The exhibition holds particular significance as it is being held at the Oriental Art Museum in Turin, a specialized institution for Asian art that has maintained friendly exchanges with Gwangju, and it highlights the traditions and history of the Gwangju and Jeonnam regions.

The exhibition features a broad range of works, from collections of Namjonghwa, which holds an important place in Korean art history, to contemporary Korean paintings. It first sheds light on the classical aesthetics of Korean painting through works by Heo Ryeon, Heo Baekryeon, and Heo Haengmyeon. It then introduces contemporary Korean paintings from Gwangju and Jeonnam, where tradition and modern forms coexist in diverse ways, through works by Lee Seonbok, Heo Daryong, and Hong Seongmin.

In addition, the exhibition presents works themed on the 5·18 Democratization Movement, one of the most significant events in modern Korean history, to showcase the diversity of Gwangju and Jeonnam Korean painting and their artistic explorations in line with the spirit of the times. Furthermore, archival materials provided with the cooperation of the May 18th Archives and the May 18 Memorial Foundation vividly convey the atmosphere of that historic day.

'2025 Cultural City Gwangju Exhibition - Adapted Landscapes' poster. Provided by Gwangju Museum of Art

Since 2012, the Gwangju Museum of Art has been organizing exhibitions at overseas institutions to introduce local artists. Since 2015, it has promoted the "Cultural City Gwangju Exhibition," presenting the outstanding art and culture of Gwangju, the city of art, to an international audience and strengthening the overseas presence of local artists.

The Gwangju Museum of Art has held the "Cultural City Gwangju Exhibition" in cities such as Beijing and Guangzhou in China, London in the United Kingdom, Munich in Germany, Yokohama in Japan, Paris in France, and San Antonio in the United States. Last year, the exhibition was also held in Okinawa, Japan, as the museum continues to expand its network of cooperation with cultural and artistic institutions around the world through the Cultural City Gwangju Exhibition.

Yoon Ik, director of the Gwangju Museum of Art, stated, "This exhibition offers an opportunity to appreciate not only the beauty of traditional ink paintings but also contemporary works that have developed into modern forms, providing a comprehensive look at the excellence of Namdo Korean painting where tradition and modernity coexist. By exhibiting works and archives related to the 5·18 Democratization Movement, the most significant event in the history of Korean democracy, this exhibition will also serve as an occasion to highlight Gwangju as a city of democracy, human rights, and peace."