If you're thinking of visiting Seoul, you probably have images of skyscrapers, hi-tech industrial concerns and bullet trains. But, once you get there, you will find yourself charmed by a heritage that goes back thousands of years, with old palaces, temples, and even traditional arts and foods. In the meantime, one place in the heart of the South Korean capital is doing something really unusual, mixing the present with the past. The National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea (NMOCA) in association with the Cultural Heritage Administration, has created a special exhibition, known as the Deoksugung project. The project, located in the royal palace of Deoksugung, consists of nine artworks installed in the palace's six halls. The works, all created by modern artists, focus on an artistic interpretation of the rich cultural and historical heritage preserved in the royal palace. "The project aims at giving a glimpse into the meaning of the cultural heritage around us, via a selection of works of art produced by Korean contemporary artists, including installations displayed across the entire palace," says Inhye Kim, the curator of the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Kim explains that, for this project, she has chosen some of the best artists in Korea, whose works are inspired by the history of the palace. Although it's one of Korea's smallest palaces, Deoksugung has a great significance for Koreans, as it witnessed events of great national importance. "The artists have created works inspired by the palace's turbulent history," adds Kim. As you move around the palace's different halls, you realise that the artists have shown great imagination in interpreting the palace's momentous history. They recall times gone by, using abstract vocabulary to highlight the intangible, spiritual value of their works. One work that really reflects the sad memories of the palace is the dazzling sculpture of a teardrop in a simple and unrefined area of the palace known as Seogeodang, that seems to have become a symbol of the tragic destiny of Deoksugung. It is the same place where King Seonjo died in 1608 and, during the reign of Gwanghaegun, Queen Inmok was confined there for about five years. As the sculptural condensation of a single teardrop is refracted by thousands of LED light bulbs, one cannot obtain a clear view of it. “The paradox inherent in this sculptural piece is that it is brilliantly lit but not easily recognisable. Nevertheless, it aptly represents the fates of countless women, including Queen Inmok, who lived their daily lives, here inside the walls of the palace," she stressed. Another work that strives to reveal the secrets of the palace has been created by performer Do Ho Suh, who chose a private and secretive area of the palace, fraught with troubled King Gojong's ‘breaths', as the starting point for his fertile imagination. Suh, inspired by the attestations given by court ladies that three mattresses were prepared for King Gojong every night, engaged in a lot of research, which bore fruit in the form of installation works, a performance and videos. The focus is on the inner conflicts and anxieties that King Gojong, who ruled at a time of national crisis, must have suffered. It was also his personal misfortune to witness the early death of his two queens, while, simultaneously, the nation was in desperate straits. Suh attempts to bring back the ‘warmth' that might have filled the room in Gojong's time. Furniture designer Ha Jihoon chose a space where there was once a shrine in which the ‘spirit tablet' of Empress Myeongseong was enclosed. In 1912, after the Japan-Korea Treaty of 1910, it was renovated and renamed ‘Deokhongjeon', to emphasise the irony that this aesthetically remarkable space was in fact the product of distortion and deformation. The artist uses chairs on whose chrome-coated surfaces are ‘mirrored' the adornments of the walls and the ceiling. The combination of the artificial lighting of the interior and the natural light coming in from outside intensify and amplify the irregularity of the reflective effect generated on the floor. As the viewer strolls around in this entrancing space, the music by Sung Kiwan provides the perfect accompaniment. "Before inaugurating the project, we wondered about the debate that such works can cause. Many people don't like the idea of using old, historic buildings for such activities, fearing that such works could harm the nature and structure of these buildings," says Kim, who was astonished that no-one in fact complained. "Everyone likes the idea and thousands of people come here every day to admire the project," she adds. Every day, up to 12,000 people visit the project, which also includes an educational exhibition, specially prepared for children and young people. One good thing about the project is that it attracts lovers of ancient history, as well as lovers of modern art. "Many young artists come every day to exercise their imagination and delve deep into history, which they try to reproduce in their modern art."
