Get creative at Heyri Art Village

Features

Published: 13 Mar. 2010, 09:50

Get creative at Heyri Art Village

Heyri Art Village is a haven for creative minds from all disciplines - music, visual art, architecture, writing. This clutch of museums, cafes and galleries in Paju, Gyeonggi, was designed by renowned architects, who worked hard to protect the surrounding environment through their designs.

The area is well suited for long walks, gallery hopping and participation in arts and crafts projects. On evenings and weekends there are readings, performances and exhibition openings to attend.

Within the studios and performance spaces, artists share their work in a communal environment to nurture their craft.

It’s a perfect place for a day of rest with your whole family.

By Seo Jeong-min [estyle@joongang.co.kr]

Hanhyanglim Ceramic Museum

Hanhyanglim Ceramic Museum

This museum exhibits a collection of more than 600 ceramic pieces from the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), including ceramic treasures representing different regions of Korea with their different shapes and sizes.

The museum is filled with the sounds of children trying to find the dark blue spots in the purudok, the jars that get their name from the bluish glow the glaze gets due to the chemical reaction that occurs while the pot is being fired. The exhibit costs 3,000 won. (031) 948-1001

Gallery Soso

Just below the Hanhyanglim Ceramic Museum, you can take a peek at Soso with its cement statue around a forest of Japanese cedar.

Sangsang Art Cafe

Although the gallery has no ongoing exhibitions this month, the building itself is worth a visit. Curator Jeong Yoon-ju says, “Soso is a great place for people who want to rest on a hilltop close to the sky.”

There is a cafe on the first floor and a gallery on the second. www.gallerysoso.com, (031) 949-8154

Museum of Musical Instruments of the World

This museum shows a wide variety of musical instruments from Europe, Africa and the island countries of the South Pacific. The collection includes around 600 instruments, and visitors can even play some of them, such as the African and southeastern Asian drums. Adults 5,000 won, children 4,000 won.(031) 946-9838

Gallery Mosaics

Visitors can create candle holders, picture frames and mirrors from recycled pieces of acrylic. The pieces are put together with a silicon-based adhesive for a one-of-a-kind masterpiece to display at home.

Hanlip Toy Museum

Kim Pil-su, the head of the gallery says, “It’s a very intricate work that can help children increase their concentration level.”

It costs 15,000 won for 60 grams of acrylic (320 pieces), which is enough to make four candle holders. (031) 949-8946

Gallery Mosaics

Gallery MOA

Gallery MOA was designed by architect Woo Kyung-kook and proudly stands as the only Korean building in the book “1001 Great Buildings You Must See Before You Die,” written by Mike Irving and Peter St. John in 2005. The current exhibition, “Hybrid,” featuring the work of six young artists, runs until Wednesday. (031) 949-3309

Hanlip Toy Museum

All four floors of this building are filled with dolls and toys. The basement is decorated as a town for little characters while the other three floors have cafes and exhibitions with different themes. Visitors will also see familiar cartoon figures such as Mickey Mouse, Sinchan (a.k.a. Jjangu in Korea) and Doraemon. Admission costs 5,000 won. (031) 957-8470

Han’s Gallery

Although this gallery is only open on Saturdays, there are many things to do there. Visitors can make model houses out of paper and view paintings by the owner of the gallery. The model house activity costs 20,000 won. (016) 668-4852

Tium Hangul Museum

This museum offers the chance to make your own T-shirt. Visitors can decorate a white, blue or pink T-shirt, which is printed with a letter from the Korean alphabet and can further be decorated using colorful paint.

The exhibit, which describes the history of Hangul (the Korean alphabet), costs 3,000 won. The make-your-own-T-shirt activity costs 10,000 won. 1688-1441

Total Art Space Book House

This building is eye-catching - even in an artsy place like Heyeri.

The exterior is covered with wooden sticks and is a must-see attraction, especially at night, when the orange lights from inside seep through, creating a warm glow. The space regularly presents book-themed exhibits. (031) 949-9305

Sangsang Art Cafe

This groovy place has a collection of blues and rock records with music dating from the 1960s to the present. Owner Cheon Ho-suk, who was once a D.J. at a cafe and was also part of a band, knows a thing or two about good music. He is also a visual artist and his paintings, inspired by oldies pop, decorate the walls. (031) 949-9963

Music Space Camerata

Camerata, which was established by the TV entertainer Hwang In-yong, is a place for classical music lovers. Its retro interior, decorated with vintage leather sofas, wooden tables, giant speakers from the ’30s, a tube amp, and a record player, has a warm and homey feeling. People are invited to jot down their favorite songs and submit them to the D.J., and each table has a piece of paper and a pencil for this purpose.

Entrance fees including one drink for adults is 10,000 won ($8.86). For students, 5,000 won. (031) 957-3369

Time and Blade Museum

This museum displays old clocks and blades from all over the world. These treasures are the items that owner Lee Dong-jin has collected on trips he has taken to historical sites around the globe since 1964.

The museum is only open on weekends.

Admission costs 20,000 won. (031) 949-5675