Why do people seek out the words of successful people? For some, there is no special reason, but for others they impact their lives. Some people want to view the world through the eyes of people they respect or hold in high esteem. People want to know their thoughts and learn insight into the world from others. SMT attempts to view the world through the eyes of artists at this exhibition. How do they see the world, and what inspires them to paint? Let’s find the answer at <The Muse: Degas to Gaudi>.
Where to find a Muse
You may have heard about the god named Muse in Greek mythology. Muse is the god of art who excels at dancing, singing, music, theater performances, and literature. Nowadays, Muse has become an everyday word, referring to the existence of inspiration and talent among poets and artists. The nine artists featured at <The Muse: Degas to Gaudi> also had their own individual Muses. Because of the period of history in which they lived, they were inspired by science and technology and the work of each other. Let’s learn more about these nine artists by examining their Muse.
The exhibition <The Muse: Degas to Gaudi> is being held at Seoul Galleria Forest (The Seoul Liteum). To get to the exhibition, take Bus 400 from the Main Gate of Sookmyung Women’s University to Hyochang Park Station, and from there take the Gyeongui·Jungang Line to Wangsimni Station. Transfer from here to the Bundang Line and get off at Seoul Forest Station. Then, use a map app to get to the gallery. The entire distance will take you about 35 minutes. Gallery tickets can be purchased at the exhibition ticket booth or online. If you wish, you may also borrow an audio guide for 3,000 won.
Belle époque: beautiful time
<The Muse: Degas to Gaudi> is an exhibition by the production crew of <Dear, My Muse – Van Gogh to Matisse>. While similar, this exhibition centers on the title: ‘You are my muse’. Like at the previous exhibition, visitors will feel amazed by the media art in this exhibition. The beautiful media art makes visitors feel as though they were really in the 19th Century. Now, let’s enter that time period with SMT and the nine artists.
<The Muse: Degas to Gaudi> introduces visitors to nine artists: Gaudi, Seurat, Mondrian, Kandinsky, Matisse, Degas, Millet, Gogh, and Mucha. The exhibition has a separate section for an artist. That is, each section is generally devoted to one artist; however, if there’s something that binds the artists, the artists are introduced in the same section. Each section briefly begins with an introduction about the artist and the time period or culture the artist would have lived in or been exposed to. This provides the background information visitors need to understand their artwork. From the introduction, there are three points visitors should keep in mind when walking about the exhibition. The first is the media art. There is media art everywhere, and it enables visitors to see a variety of work in a very short time. The exhibition features more media art than physical artworks, and the media art’s use of music throughout the exhibition hall immerses visitors in the artists’ artwork. SMT reporter felt it is necessary to focus on the media art. Not because it coats the hall walls, but from the display of media throughout each room to photo zones, you can see unique artworks and feel the places combined with media art unlike other exhibitions. The second idea to keep in mind at the exhibition is the experience zone. It combines media art and visitor participation. Because the merely viewing of work could be boring, direct participation livens up visitors in the experience zone. Since experiences require body movement, this reporter recommends going with two or more people. That way, you can take photos or videos of each other. Thanks to the experience zone, this reporter believes the exhibition is also good for children. The third aspect to remember is space utilization. The exhibition itself is not very large, so it’s mostly concentrated in a small exhibition hall. Visitors risk missing some of its uniqueness, so this reporter recommends taking close looks at the walls. Moreover, some rooms are hidden behind curtain covers, so be careful not to miss them.
Ratings : ★★★★☆
The exhibition provided visitors with plenty of information on each of the nine artists. This reporter even learned about artists SMT’d never heard of as well as the artists’ background. Despite being content-heavy, this reporter was neither bored nor felt challenged thanks to the media art and experience zone. Most of all, there were plenty of souvenirs that enticed the reporter in the gift shop. This SMT reporter recommends giving yourself enough time to enjoy browsing the gift shop as a result. The only weakness was perhaps the substantial amount of media art and music. At the end of the exhibition, the reporter felt a bit dizzy because of it. Nonetheless, SMT recommends the exhibition to any Sookmyungian who wishes to feel the artwork of the nine artists in a new fresh manner.
