Taro Igarashi | Architectural Walkabout 10: Between Japan and Korea in Architecture and Art
Taro Igarashi examines the relationship between Japanese and Korean architecture and art through a review of a Yokohama Museum exhibition and recent trends in Seoul.Summary
Taro Igarashi reflects on the history of mutual influence between Japanese and Korean art and architecture, prompted by the Yokohama Museum of Art exhibition, "Always Beside You: 80 Years of Art Between Japan and Korea." The exhibition focuses on the historical relationship, including Zainichi Koreans and post-normalization exchanges. Igarashi notes the significant presence of internationally active artist Nam June Paik in Korea, visiting the Nam June Paik Art Center. In architecture, he explores the legacies of Korean modernist architects Kim Swoo-geun and Kim Chung-up, who studied in Japan, by examining their works related to the Seoul Olympics and visiting the Kim Chung-up Museum. Furthermore, his visit to the Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism highlights the work of Japanese architects like Tadao Ando, Riken Yamamoto, and Kengo Kuma in Korea. The article concludes by noting the shared theme of "human design" evident in the work of Korean architect Cho Jeong-gu and Japanese architect Yoshiharu Nakamura, connecting the past and present of both nations' creative fields.
(Source：artscape)