Exhibition displays Hanok reinterpretations by promising new artists

The Seoul Metropolitan Government on June 10 said it is hosting "Namsangol Artlab," an exhibition of new interpretations of Hanok (traditional Korean homes) by up-and-coming artists.

Launched on May 31 and running through July 31, the event is being hosted at Carpenter Yi Seung-eop's House, a traditional home in Namsangol Hanok Village in the Samgak-dong neighborhood of Seoul's Jung-gu District.

Held for the first time this year, the exhibition is a contest to support a variety of creative activities involving Hanok buildings. To discover regional and promising young artists, participation is limited to those under age 35 who have held fewer than three solo exhibitions.

Recruiting is done once in the first half and another in the second. This year's exhibition has four rounds scheduled by two solo and two teams of artists.

The event's secondary title "Twist" expresses the meaning of reinterpreting and "twisting" a traditional home without preconceived notions or genre restrictions for the venue's development into an artistic space.

Visual artist Lee A Young's exhibition "Letter (unofficial translation)" runs through June 26 and 1352, a group of digital artists and illustrators, will host "Click-clack (unofficial translation)" from July 5-31.   

More information about the event is available on the exhibition's official website (www.hanokmaeul.or.kr). Admission is free and visitor hours are from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily except Mondays.