As part of the Seoul metropolitan government’s project to establish creative spaces, Seoul Art Space GEUMCHEON was formed by remodeling a printing plant at Doksan-dong, Guro-gu, Seoul. This creative space is based on the new concept of executing joint projects, within international artist-in-residencies, experimenting with global aesthetics and locality. This creative space formation project, spearheaded by Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, is a key part of Seoul’s cultural strategy, to bring life to idle facilities located in the downtown area, such as factories, underground shops, and empty governmental offices, by remodeling them as spaces for artists’ creation and exchange, and spaces for citizens’ enjoyment of culture and arts.
Seoul Art Space GEUMCHEON consists of 19 residence studios, two rooms for resident creation, five hostels, a collaborative work studio, performance practice room, and media laboratory. Long-term and short-term resident artists chosen through competition are currently living and working here. This space is presently shared by artists working in a wide range of mediums including visual arts, installation, video, performance, experimental art, curating, and criticism.
The space, providing artists with a stable place for creation and international exchange, offering local residents an opportunity to enjoy and learn culture and arts, will grow into an international artistic zone practicing ‘glocal art’, pursuing internationalization, and globalization, alongside localization. Its primary goal is to secure a bridgehead for domestic artists to advance to the international art world, and provide them with an opportunity to execute collaborative work with outstanding foreign artists.
We intend to bring out our own aesthetics by merging worldwide aesthetics with our local culture through art. Seoul Art Space GEUMCHEON assumes the role of a base, backing up industries through its connection with local industries, along with supporting artists’ creative activities. The space also makes diverse attempts to enhance cultural, and artistic infrastructures of Geumcheon-gu where the space is nestled, and to address its vulnerabilities.
