APMA's folding screen exhibition draws new kind of audience

Arts & Design

Published: 10 Apr. 2023, 17:16 Updated: 10 Apr. 2023, 18:39

APMA's folding screen exhibition draws new kind of audience

A view of the "Beyond Folding Screens 2" exhibition at the Amorepacific Museum of Art in central Seoul. [JOONGANG ILBO]

It was 1:30 p.m. on Feb. 18, a regular Saturday, and dozens of people were lined up in front of the Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA) in Yongsan District, central Seoul. They appeared to be mostly in their 20s or 30s. Inside the exhibition space, people were listening through their headphones or earbuds to the docent’s audio commentary available on the APMA mobile app.

They all stood in front of folding screens, or byeongpung, from the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910), as part of APMA’s ongoing “Beyond Folding Screens 2” exhibition.

The first edition opened in 2018. BTS’s RM, who has a reputation as an avid art fan, was reported to have visited the exhibit the first week after the second edition kicked off in late January.

Following his visit, fans of BTS — called ARMY — flocked to APMA, breaking stereotypes that traditional folding screens are only a favorite among the older generation. Now at the APMA exhibition, it’s easy to see even teenagers admiring them.

A part from “Narrative Figure Paintings” (late 19th to early 20th century) [AMOREPACIFIC MUSEUM OF ART]

"Hunting Scene" (18th century) portrays hunting aristocrats from the Qing Dynasty (1616-1912), and “Narrative Figure Paintings” (late 19th to early 20th century) brings scenes from classical novels, like “Romance of the Three Kingdoms” (14th century) and “The Cloud Dream of the Nine” (1687), to life.

Royal folding screens, which were symbols of good fortune, had more images of a fantasy-like world rather than actual life. One classic example is “Guo Fenyang’s Enjoyment of Life Banquet” from the 19th century. This folding screen illustrates a birthday party scene of Guo Ziyi (697-781), a Chinese military general and politican during the Tang Dynasty (690-907).

Consisting of eight screens, the scenery depicts a heavenly paradise. Guo was known to have lived an abundant and rich long life with many children, and so this folding screen was used in the 19th century for royal weddings.

“The Han Dynasty Palace” (late 19th to early 20th century) portrays exotic architecture, giving viewers an idea how creative our ancestors were in imagining utopian landscapes.

"The Han Dynasty Palace" (late 19th to early 20th century) [AMOREPACIFIC MUSEUM OF ART]

Another folding screen, called “Royal Procession to the Ancestral Tomb in Hwaseong” (late 19th to early 20th century), depicts King Jeongjo (1752-1800) of Joseon visiting Hwaseong, Gyeonggi in 1795 for his father Crown Prince Sado’s (1735-1762) grave.

“Imperial Banquet in the Imin Year” (1902) gives a glimpse into the Joseon palace’s prestige through a scene of a grand royal banquet in April of that year when King Gojong (1852-1919) turned 51.

Jang Seung-eop (1843-1897), who was a famed painter during late Joseon, painted “Red and White Plum Blossoms” (late 19th century). Boldly filling the screens horizontally, the tree branches appear vivid with life and spirit.

A portion of “The Way Home” (1937) by artist Yi Sang-beom’s (1897-1972) [AMOREPACIFIC MUSEUM OF ART]

“The Way Home” (1937) is artist Yi Sang-beom’s (1897-1972) jaw-dropping 5-meter (16.4-foot) wide folding screen that he drew when he was 40 years old, and is one of his best works.

This exhibition was designed to show the museum space in its most original form. The space between the visitors and each piece has been narrowed to as little as possible, less than 5 centimeters, so that anyone can examine the precise details of each folding screen. No temporary walls were installed in an attempt to reduce waste.

But this was not the only reason why young visitors were swarming over to the exhibition.

A view of the "Beyond Folding Screens 2" exhibition at the Amorepacific Museum of Art in central Seoul. [AMOREPACIFIC MUSEUM OF ART]

“The Amorepacific Museum is popular for having special lighting and displays that make the venue hip,” said Lee Ga-yeon, a college student, who was at the exhibition. “But visiting it in person, I was surprised to see that the exhibition seemed more modern than just a regular one you see at other museums.”

Other visitors the JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, met with at the exhibition, collectively said that the exhibition’s arrangement made it more unique. They said that they especially liked how they were able to enjoy the artworks’ details up close.

"The Sun, Moon, and Sacred Peaches" (19th century) [AMOREPACIFIC MUSEUM OF ART]

The Amorepacific headquarters, including the museum in its lobby and first basement floor, was designed by 69-year-old British architect David Chipperfield in the 2010s. First-time visitors are sure to be in awe of the openness of the building, as even the museum’s ceiling is over 5 meters tall.

“I liked experiencing traditional folding screens in a modern museum space like this,” said Park Su-yeon, an office worker who visited the exhibition.

“These weren’t just any folding screens you see elsewhere. Even the tiniest details were so exquisite and it was so cool how historical artists had incorporated a lot of fun elements into their works,” said another office worker visiting the museum named Seo Hyun-jung.

An image of two cats as part of "Painting of One Hundred Themes" (1907) [AMOREPACIFIC MUSEUM OF ART]

Pyun Ji-hye, curator at APMA, says that the increase in younger visitors is not only thanks to RM.

“Surprisingly, there were far more younger people at the exhibition than the older generation, even before RM visited,” Pyun said. “The retro and vintage trend among the younger generation seems to have expanded to traditional culture. It appears that showcasing old art in our type of exhibition space is fresh to our new audience.”

"Beyond Folding Screens 2" continues until April 30. APMA is open every day from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. except Mondays. Tickets are 15,000 won ($11) for adults.

BY LEE EUN-JU [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]