The Cheongju Museum of Art (CMOA) has set a goal for 2023 to make “Cheongju City Happy with Art” and plans to hold various contemporary art exhibitions to achieve this goal. These exhibitions will be held across the museum’s four locations, including the Cheongju Museum of Art’s main building, the Daecheongho Art Museum, the Ochang Gallery, and the Cheongju Art Studio.

The museum’s first special exhibition for 2023 will be held in the main building on February 28. Building its collection since 2016, the museum will hold a new acquisition and collection exhibition that features the most representative works from its collection. The exhibition will reflect the art trends of the Korean and local art scenes through the works of various artists who specialize in diverse genres and time periods.

The museum’s second special exhibition program, Local Project 2023, is a relay exhibition of local artists. Since 2019, the museum has been introducing and highlighting the works of mid-career artists who have been active in the local area through this program. The program, now in its fifth year, will feature the works of Sa Yun-Taek in May, Gwon Osang in July, and Yun Duk Su in December.

The third contemporary art exhibition will introduce established artists of the older generation. Since 2020, the museum has been highlighting the works of established and late artists whose artistic practices and activities are centered in the Cheongju area. This year, the museum will shed light on the art world of Park Young Dae (b. 1942), a representative regional artist who is known for his barley paintings. The exhibition will present his work chronologically, from his early works that used ink and colors to his recent works that changed to more abstract forms.

In conjunction with the 13th Cheongju Craft Biennale, a special exhibition connecting architecture and art will be held. The exhibition invites 10 Korean and international artists to reconsider the relationship between architecture and contemporary art.

As for other contemporary art exhibitions at the main building, the Kim Bok-jin Art Award, which will announce its first winner this March, will open the winner’s exhibition in December. The winner will receive a monetary award of 20 million KRW (South Korean won).

The exhibitions at the Daecheongho Art Museum will be held under the keyword “environmental art.” A collection exhibition is scheduled for March, and a special exhibition in conjunction with the Daecheong Lake Environmental Art Festival in May will present works in various media, including painting, photography, installation, and video, under the theme of “the relationship and connection between humans and water.” In August, the museum will introduce the three teams selected from the “Call for Artists” program. The experimental works of these artists will reflect on Daecheong Lake and contemporary environmental issues. Lastly, a special exhibition touching on the subjects and issues of contemporary art is scheduled to be held in October.

In March, workshops, open studios, and exhibitions of the 16th residency artists will be held at the Cheongju Art Studio. The 17th residency artists will hold an exhibition in May, and their solo exhibitions will be held from August to January in order. In June and July, there will be exhibitions presenting the works of artists who have previously participated in the museum’s residency programs.

At the Ochang Gallery, an exhibition titled Invisible Cities (working title) is scheduled for March, featuring photography works with the theme of cities and architecture. In June, an exhibition under the theme of eco-friendly design will be held, expanding the field of design to the realm of art to provide an opportunity to reconsider climate and environmental issues. In December, an exhibition for children will be held where they can touch and experience the artworks.

References

• 청주시립미술관 (Cheongju Museum of Art, CMOA)