‘Art Archives Seoul’ to open in Pyeongchang-dong next March

The Seoul Metropolitan Government announced Thursday that it would open "Art Archives Seoul" in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, in March next year.

“It will be a space specializing in art archives that collects and preserves important data and records related to contemporary art, will be open to citizens to appreciate and support research activities,” a city official introduced.

The area around the planned art archive site is an area where small galleries and art museums are concentrated, and many artists reside. The city renovated the building, which had been neglected for a long time as a parking lot, into an art and culture complex to share with citizens. The city plans to operate the Art Archive as an annex of the Seoul Museum of Art and hold various exhibitions and lecture programs.

The archive is planned to have a total floor area of 5,590m² with building five stories and one ground floor. The 5th floor and the 1st basement floor will be used as a preservation library and exhibition hall, and the 1st and 2nd floors will be used as a small performance hall and cafe. Educational activities and exhibitions will be held on the third floor. The outdoor space connected to the building and the rooftop garden will be created as a park and outdoor exhibition space that anyone can enjoy.

“We will develop this archive into a center for art documentation and research, as well as a cultural and artistic landmark in Seoul,” said Kim Seong-bo, head of Seoul’s urban infrastructure headquarters.


clearlee@donga.com