Art shows this week

Taking an office building constructed by architect Kim Swoo-geun in 1971, the space went under a transformation in 2014 to become the Contemporary Art Museum that it is today. As it was built by such respected architect, the original structure was left almost untouched—the building itself was preserved and treated as a piece of art. Although the building did take on an extension in 1977, it has low ceilings, narrow staircases, and windows of all shapes and sizes, as it was modeled after traditional building conventions. Inside the maze-like lair lies the well curated collection owned by domestic artist "Ci Kim" or Kim Chang-il, one of Seoul's most well-known art collectors. As the gallery is also equipped with a bakery, café, and restaurant completely incased in glass, you'll find plenty to occupy yourself with at Arario in Space, even if you are not very fond of fine art.

On the last Wed of the month, major art galleries, museums, and national palaces are free. Well, almost. Tickets for DDP and Hangaram Art Museum are half price if you visit after 6pm. Movies, concerts, musicals, street performances, and even sport games are all included in the benefits of "Culture Day." Here are some museums that sport Culture Day, as well as free exhibitions and events. 

Dan and Lia Perjovschi met at an art school for art when they were ten, and now they are married and both self-sustaining artists. Notorious for scribbling on the walls of art museums like a witty but a politically aware child, Dan has been illustrating for a Romanian newspaper since the ‘90s. Lia, on the other hand, collects objects from art gallery shops all over the world, jots down handwritten notes from her readings on science and art history and merges everything together into giant, drawing-based installations. Although the two Romanian artists are equally passionate about the social and political climate at all times, they create very different work. Time Out Seoul talked to the artists on the day of their opening, where Dan cracked jokes at the end of each sentence, and Lia, gave a tour of her “Knowledge Museum” like an articulate and intelligent historian.    For the exhibition, both of you packed light—Dan brought four markers to draw with and lia, some figurines and objects to install. Dan We want to make valuable art out of small, simple and inexpensive things. For instance, you’ll find a bunch of postcards stuck on the walls in the beginning part of the exhibition. I sent these to the Total Museum starting this January, and it’s a 30 dollar production altogether.   Lia’s "Knowledge museum" is like a 3D mind map on seven disciplines, including the earth, bodies and art, but it's all written in English. How should a Korean-speaking viewer approach the work? Lia...