Korea-Italy 140th Anniversary of Diplomatic Ties Celebrated with Media Facade Screening at the Colosseum

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that, in cooperation with the Korean Cultural Center in Italy, the Korea Foundation for International Cultural Exchange, the City of Rome, and the Colosseum Archaeological Park, it held a "media facade screening" at the Colosseum, a landmark historical site in Rome, at 9 p.m. (local time) on the 26th.

Last year and this year, Korea and Italy designated the period as the "Year of Korea-Italy Mutual Cultural Exchange" to commemorate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. June 26 marks the day in 1884 when the Joseon Dynasty and the Kingdom of Italy established diplomatic ties, and to celebrate this, a commemorative event was held at a major historical site in the Italian capital.

Photos from the media facade screening held at the Colosseum in Rome, Italy on the 26th (local time)
[Photo by Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism]

The screening featured four works produced under the theme "Resonance of Time," which were projected onto the outer walls of the Colosseum using projection mapping. The production involved Korean artist Lee Lee-nam, Italian artists Andrea Bucci and Vincenzo Marsiglia, and the "Korea Round Team," which consists of three young creators from Korea and Italy. They used artificial intelligence technology to intricately realize works inspired by the Sipjangsaengdo (Ten Symbols of Longevity) and traditional architectural patterns from both countries.

About 70 distinguished guests attended the celebratory event, including Kim Geonhwa, Minister-Counselor of the Embassy of the Republic of Korea in Italy, and Alfonsina Russo, Director of the Colosseum Archaeological Park.

This year, Korea and Italy plan to continue a variety of programs, including: a special exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale (May to July); master classes on Korean cuisine and fermentation (May); a "Young Designers Collaboration Program" (throughout the year); opera exchanges and joint performances (November); a guest country exhibition at the art fair "Roma Arte in Nuvola" (November); and a bilateral youth fashion exchange project in cooperation with the Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma (December).

Yoon Yangsu, Director-General for International Cultural Promotion Policy at the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated, "This media facade screening, which brought together cutting-edge art from Korea and Italy at the world-renowned cultural heritage site of the Colosseum, is a valuable achievement that demonstrates new possibilities for cultural exchange between the two countries. We hope that, with the Year of Mutual Cultural Exchange as a catalyst, young artists from both countries will communicate even more actively and that sustainable cultural cooperation will continue."