A view of the museum's permanent exhibition of its contemporary art collection. Courtesy of Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art

Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art, has often been referred to as one of Korea’s top private art museums, displaying a number of national treasures and works coming from the collection of late Samsung Group founder Lee Byung-chul and his son Lee Kun-hee.

Since Leeum Director Hong Ra-hee, wife of Lee Kun-hee, resigned in 2017, however, the museum has only displayed permanent exhibitions from its antiquities and contemporary art collections, foregoing any special exhibitions for more than four years. It was even tentatively closed in February 2020, citing the spread of COVID-19, and opted instead to provide a virtual showcase on its website.

A year and a half later, Leeum finally reopened on October 8, with remodeled visitor service areas, reorganized permanent exhibitions and a new special exhibition – “Human, 7 Questions.”

Creative Director Jung Ku-ho, who was in charge of the renovation, explained that his main goal was to reorganize the lobby and other service areas so that those spaces could highlight the original aesthetics envisioned by the three acclaimed architects – Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas – who designed the buildings in the complex.

"Human, 7 Questions" takes on the meaning of human existence in a rapidly developing society, one marked by social inequality and ecological destruction. It will run until January 2, 2022, and features some 130 works by 51 Korean and overseas artists, including Lee Bul, Damien Hirst, Andy Warhol and Nam June Paik.

The museum has also reorganized its large-scale permanent exhibitions to display many works that are being shown publicly for the first time.

Some notable pieces from the museum’s traditional Korean art and contemporary art collections include "Box Inlaid with Mother-of-Pearl," Joseon lacquerware created between the 14th and 15th century, and British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor’s sculpture “Double Vertigo” (2012).

"The advisory committee’s future goal is to help Leeum become a global art museum that is well known beyond Korea and help domestic artists gain more recognition in the international art scene,” newly-appointed Deputy Museum Director Kim Sung-won said.

**If you have any questions about this article, feel free to contact us at kocis@korea.kr.**