SPACE November 2024 (No. 684)
Exhibition view of Bae Bien U solo exhibition at House of Meditation (The Ahn Museum) ©Bae Hongchul
A medical and cultural complex, the House of Rejuvenation, has opened its doors in Sajeong-dong, Gyeongju-si. The new construction by Jae K. Kim (professor, Hanyang University) has three compositions that have been arranged along the central courtyard. All of these compositions are constructed in line with the Korean traditional house, hanok, and each of them can be distinguished by its use: a House of Remedy, the oriental medical clinic; a House of Contemplation, a pavilion for communication; and a House of Meditation, a gallery. By observing three spaces, one is able to locate Jae K. Kim’s intention to present a new architectural model by reinterpreting the structure of the hanok. At the opening ceremony on Oct. 2, Baek Jinho (head of the hospital, Daechubat Baek Oriental Medical Clinic), Jae K. Kim and artist Bae Bien U attended to deliver their intentions for the spaces and the exhibition to the public. The main stage of the day was House of Meditation where Bae’s solo exhibition is currently on display. Bae Bien U is an artist who has been capturing the Korean beauty of pine trees on film and he is deeply connected to Gyeongju. This connection dates back to 1980, when he discovered the ideal oriental image of a pine tree in Gyeongju. Ever since, he has expanded his world around Gyeongju. Visitors are expected to find a broad spectrum in his work, from the 1980s from old photographic paper to recent works taken between 2020 and 2023. The artist conceded that it is true that over 45 years, the majority of his work has been heavy oriented to romantic ink and wash painting, yet over the past 10 years, he has been also paying attention to the calligraphy and the sagunja. As a result, in recent work, viewers will be able to sense symbolic and literal feelings.
