July 7, 2023
As you have seen in my blog, our Geoje area is well-known for its wonderful natural landscapes, including both seas and mountains. There is no shortage of beautiful places wherever you go. Geoje is also well-known for many cultural heritage sites, including Dundeok Giseong Fortress (see Post 7), which was introduced in this blog.
Roots of Geoje art
In fact, Geoje is a city of arts as well. It has produced several artists. Dal-seok Yang (양달석 1908-1984) is one of them, who is a renowned pastoral landscape painter in South Korea. It is known that he created over 2,600 paintings throughout his 50-year career as a professional painter. He mainly depicted scenes of pastoral life in a bright and cheerful touch, with idyllic countryside settings, cows, shepherds, rivers, and children frolicking in the meadows. Critics say that his paintings show innocence and joy, capturing the natural beauty and landscapes of Geoje and neighboring regions.
Cows and shepherds (source: https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.naver?isHttpsRedirect=true&blogId=leespider&logNo=220504014965)
For a while…. (Source: http://www.geojenews.co.kr/news/articleView.html?idxno=56390)
Women who gather wild herbs (source: https://m.blog.naver.com/PostView.naver?isHttpsRedirect=true&blogId=leespider&logNo=220504014965)
A calligrapher, Dong-ju Ha (성파 하동주 1869 – 1943), was famous for writing the signboards of two historic pavilions, Milyangru and Chokseokru. Chi-jin Yu (동랑 유치진 1905 – 1974), a playwright, is called the father of Korean theater, and his younger brother Chi-hwan Yu (청마 유치환 1908 – 1967) is a Korean literary figure who founded the Korean Poets Association. These names are just a few well-known examples of artists from Geoje, and there are many more.
Taeeun Gallery
Following the roots of Geoje art, artists – including painters, actors, writers, musicians, sculptors, etc. – are actively engaged in various forms of art in and outside of Geoje. This post introduces an art gallery in Geoje that supports and promotes the work of artists related to Geoje: Taeeun Gallery (태은 갤러리). Taeeun Gallery, founded in 2022, is located in the middle of a fishing village called Gwanpo-ri (관포리). Gwanpo-ri used to be a bustling village involved in catching and selling various kinds of fish nationwide. However, it is now a quiet and serene village with just over 100 households, leaving its prosperous past behind.
The sea landscape visible from the gallery entrance
Direction to Taeeun Gallery
Sea in front of the gallery
Why in the middle of a fishing village?
Then I asked why Eunmi Choi (최은미), a Korean literature major and the director of Taeeun Gallery, chose to establish her gallery in Gwanpo-ri. To her, Gwanpo-ri is a remarkably beautiful place where the arts can naturally flourish and artists can find a sense of belonging. Her vision is to transform the entire area into an art village, where numerous artists and art enthusiasts can live and come together to share their love for the arts.
With Taeeun Gallery director Choi and artists from Geoje
With female artists from Geoje
Eunmi Choi believes that Gwanpo-ri’s scenic charm and peaceful atmosphere provide an ideal environment for artists to create and present their work. By establishing Taeeun Gallery in Gwanpo-ri, Eunmi Choi hopes to foster a vibrant artistic community, where artists can thrive and contribute to the cultural landscape of Geoje. When I heard about her vision, I couldn’t wait to express my wholehearted support and offer any assistance I can provide. By transforming Gwanpo-ri into an art village, we can envision a place where art becomes an integral part of everyday life, enriching the community and attracting visitors who appreciate the arts.
Front garden of the gallery
An exhibition room seen from the garden
An exhibition room seen from outside
Exhibitions I visited
Through Taeeun Gallery, Eunmi Choi aims to promote the works of talented artists associated with Geoje and provide them with a platform to exhibit and share their artistic endeavors. I became aware of this gallery through a new friend from Geoje who frequently attends art exhibitions. In August 2022, my husband and I were invited to the opening ceremony of a painting exhibition by Hyung-Gil Kim (김형길).
It’s worth noting that the high season for art exhibitions in Geoje is during the summer months of July and August when the city attracts many tourists. This is in contrast to most other cities where the high season falls in spring and autumn. Artist Kim’s exhibition showcased three-dimensional paintings created using recycled paper boxes, conveying the power of love in the midst of the dreadful Covid situation. His paintings offered hope through the beautifully and thoughtfully arranged small recycled paper boxes. It was remarkable to witness how discarded boxes found in the streets could be transformed into captivating and artistic pieces.
Since our initial visit to artist Kim’s exhibition, we have attended exhibitions in winter 2022, spring 2023, and June 2023. Each exhibition has been stimulating, broadening our artistic horizons. However, the sculpture exhibition titled ‘Don’t worry, be happy’ remains my personal favorite. Sculptor Sunglip Woo (우성립) portrayed middle-aged men, depicting their inner thoughts through various forms in his artworks. His artworks seem to offer a sense of familiarity, providing a relatable depiction of our lives. The middle-aged figures portrayed in his works appear to carry the weight of life’s experiences, evoking empathy and a sense of connection.
The final word
I would highly recommend visiting Gwanpo-ri and Taeeun Gallery while you are in Geoje. The artwork showcased there is often unique and beautiful. Director Choi is extremely enthusiastic and knowledgeable about the pieces and the life stories of the artists.
With a sculpture by Sunglip Woo at Taeeun Gallery garden (with director Eunmi Choi in a fine day in June 2023)