Haven’t you heard? Cheongsong Gallery is not just another art space. It’s a portal. It’s a portal that invites you to view collections over the glass windows and observe the storage and conservation status of its major collections.
The Cheongsong Gallery opened its doors on April 29 2005. It stands as a testament to Korean art and culture. It exhibits 350 Korean paintings and pottery works of Yasong Lee Won-jwa. Yasong Lee Won-jwa is a traditional Korean painter native to Cheongsong.
The Cheongsong Gallery also has around 50 works of noted painters and sculptors from in and out of Korea. There are also over 10000 art books. All of which have been donated to the gallery.
Originally, this building was the Sinchon Primary School. After the school’s closure, it was remodeled into the art gallery we see today. The transformation breathes new life into the old building. It creates a space where art and history intertwine.
Inside Cheongsong Gallery, the spirit of Korean art comes alive. You’ll find ceramics. Ceramics is a unique type of art that involves the harmonious interaction of people earth and fire. The invention of porcelain marks a significant turning point in the history of ceramics. To make porcelain extremely fragile materials are sculpted coated with glaze and baked at temperatures as high as 1300°C. It is a remarkably delicate artistic practice that requires unparalleled mastery of technology and technique.
Korean porcelain was first produced in the late 9th or early 10th century. Around that time people began producing celadon and white porcelain developing earthenware technology under the influence of China’s Yue ware. By the turn of the 11th century celadon production technology had become much more sophisticated and it reached its pinnacle in the 12th century. The greatest achievements were the creation of jade-colored celadon wherein the glaze is tinted with a light jade color and the development of inlay technique which opened a new chapter in ceramic art.
The MMCA Cheongju operates the country’s first open storage. It invites visitors closer to the collections of the MMCA Art Bank and Government Art Bank. The open storage displays the museum’s collections to visitors in storage format. This extended concept of exhibition allows visitors to appreciate the extensive collection of art. It also introduces them to previously unseen features of the museum.
At the MMCA Cheongju visitors can view collections over glass windows. They can observe the storage and conservation status of its major collections. Artworks by local and international artists are stored in visible storage. It is on the second third and fourth floors of the museum. Through the visible storage the MMCA will continue its dynamic conversation with the general public.
The term Larchiveum refers to a combination of library archive and museum. The MMCA Larchiveum is involved in collecting and managing a wide range of Korean modern and contemporary art contents. Visitors freely access contents at the Larchiveum.
So as you wander through the Cheongsong Gallery remember that you’re not just observing art. You’re stepping into a living story. It’s a story of tradition innovation and the enduring power of Korean artistry.