The newly opened, in November 2013, National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul has truly revolutionized the concept of a museum gift shop. Instead of promoting the exhibitions’ related merchandising the MMCA team decided to challenge the conventional approach and try to bring art and design from the museum walls into everyday life. This is how the Gallery Art Zone concept was born. On 570 sqm the Gallery’s visitors can find the most exquisite and diverse objects by Korean artists made to be touched, worn, enjoyed and of course purchased.
The project was widely supported by Hyundai Motor Company, in order to discover and promote the young generation of artists and provide them with a platform for communication with the public. Gallery Art Zone is split into 5 different spaces where each section focuses on different areas of Korean art and design. The areas include arts and crafts, industrial design, museum related items and various themes of the national culture.
The recent addition of sculpture and crafts showcased over 500 works by 65 Korean artists including pieces for fashion, painting and installation, photography and drawings. The Museeum team was absolutely fascinated by the selection of contemporary ceramics, metal and porcelain ware created by emerging talents as well as renowned ceramic artists. Among those shown were striking wavy cups in black and white by Na Ri Kwon, ceramic chess by Yongho Kim and a spectacular table set in navy and white by Wonjung Lee.
Gallery Art Zone goes well beyond a shopping experience executing the art gallery functions by continuously working with represented artists and providing reports on public response. Gallery Art Zone is the place in Seoul to immerse yourself in a traditional arts and crafts shopping experience with a contemporary twist. Save some time for the visit as you have a choice of over 1800 unique and original pieces rooted in the Korean cultural heritage.
