The Gyeongju Solgeo Art Museum, operated by the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation, will hold a special exhibition from July 12 to August 1, 2025, highlighting the philosophy and body of work of Itami Jun (real name: Yoo Dongryong), the original designer of the Gyeongju Tower, the symbolic architectural structure of Gyeongju Expo Grand Park. The exhibition will take place in Solgeo Art Museum's Park Daeseong Halls 1 to 3.
Itami Jun was a Korean-Japanese architect born in Japan who retained his Korean nationality throughout his life. As someone who lived between borders, he infused his identity into his architecture. This exhibition will provide an opportunity to reflect on his life, his pursuit of harmony, and the distinctly Korean aesthetics in his work.
The exhibition introduces the starting point of Itami Jun's architectural journey. Focusing on his representative works from the early and middle periods of the 1970s to 1990s, it explores his pursuit of reconciliation between nature, humanity, and architecture. His philosophical reflections, shaped by his perspective as a person living on the boundary, are embedded in these works.
The original design proposal for the Gyeongju Tower, which Itami Jun submitted to the Gyeongju World Culture Expo competition in 2004, will be presented along with video footage. The exhibit highlights Itami Jun's philosophy of moving beyond imitation of Western architecture to extract the identity and value of Korean architecture from Silla history, thereby creating a new architectural language.
The exhibition also features the "Jeju Project," considered the essence of Itami Jun's work. Through his late masterpieces, which embody the climate and natural environment of Jeju as well as harmony with materials, visitors can appreciate the culmination of his architectural originality.
Kim Namil, president of the Gyeongbuk Culture and Tourism Corporation, stated, "We organized this exhibition to honor the spirit of Itami Jun, the world's leading architect who was awarded the French Order of Arts and Letters 'Chevalier' and Japan's most prestigious 'Murano Togo Prize.' We hope this will be a valuable opportunity to directly experience the architectural world of Itami Jun, the designer of Gyeongju Tower and an artist who transcended the boundaries of nature and art."
Meanwhile, the pseudonym "Itami Jun" was taken from Osaka Itami International Airport, which Yoo Dongryong used when he first set foot in Korea, symbolizing his identity and journey.
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