[Interview] The Frame Art Store Offers a 5,000-Year History of Korean Art Through Partnership With the Leeum Museum of Art

Since it opened in 2004, the Leeum Museum of Art has earned a reputation as a cultural space where traditional, modern and international artworks that span a range of eras and styles are brought together. After the pandemic required it to close for nineteen months, the renovated museum has now reopened with new exhibits that include advanced technological displays which provide enhanced viewing of its expansive collection.

As technology continues to enter the art world in ways that haven’t been seen before, the display and creation of digital art are becoming increasingly common. Amid this climate, Samsung Electronics has partnered with the Leeum Museum of Art to promote the convergence of art and technology and allow people to experience 5,000 years of history with a curated collection in the Art Store on The Frame.

Samsung Newsroom reached out to Kwang-bae Lee, a curator at the Leeum Museum of Art, to get the inside scoop on the museum’s reopening, its collections and its collaboration with Samsung.

Transcending Time and Space With Artworks That Span Eras and Styles

▲ Exterior view of the Leeum Museum of Art

The Samsung Foundation of Culture established the Leeum Museum of Art in Hannam-dong, Seoul, Korea in 2004 in order to preserve its cultural assets and share them with the public. It was designed by acclaimed architects, Mario Botta, Jean Nouvel and Rem Koolhaas, and is highly regarded for its architectural value and harmonious design which blends with nature. With its unfailing dedication to holding exhibitions and showcasing its expansive collection, the museum now has one of the most broadly representative and varied collections in South Korea. Today, the Leeum is known as an open museum where various artistic styles, from traditional Korean art to vibrant and modern contemporary pieces from both Korea and abroad, can coexist. The museum has also been utilizing digital technology in its exhibits for the past ten years with this technology allowing, old artworks to be displayed in new and exciting ways. In this way, the Leeum seeks to head toward the future while not forgetting about the past. The museum is currently using a variety of state-of-the-art devices for both exhibition and education purposes.

▲ The interior of the Leeum Museum of Art

During the renovation period, the Leeum launched new permanent exhibits featuring both traditional and modern artworks. It also revived a special exhibition entitled “Human, 7 questions”, which is designed to offer visitors a chance to reflect on humanity as the source of art and contemplate the meaning of human existence during times of crisis. It has also installed a massive Media Wall in its lobby, allowing users to appreciate the artwork of Jennifer Steinkamp upon entering the museum.

“Following the Leeum’s reopening, people seem to be paying special attention to the new collections and special exhibitions we have opened,” said Lee. “I am excited to have visitors come in and see the new and improved space for themselves as they enjoy the full experience the renovated museum offers.”

Samsung and Leeum Usher in a New Era of Digital Art

The partnership between Samsung Electronics and the Leeum is also playing an important role in the ongoing unification of art and technology. Thanks to the fact that works curated by the museum are included on The Frame, users can now view them not just outside of the museum, but across the world. As Korean culture continues to grow more popular and expand into new countries, the introduction of this collection on the Art Store opens new opportunities for users around the world to experience the beauty of Korean traditional art.

▲ Lidded Bowl (National Treasure), 11th-12th century (Goryeo Dynasty)

Curators spent a great amount of time and effort selecting a collection that shines a light on the artistry and aesthetic of Korean art for display on The Frame. Because of this, viewers can now enjoy beautiful patterns on metal, subtly colored pottery and vibrant paintings from the comfort of their homes.

“Technology allows visitors to appreciate finer details in an artwork – whether it is a picture, a text, or a voice – that they may not have noticed before,” Lee said. “As technologies continue developing, our appreciation and understanding of art will expand beyond what we could ever have imagined.”

▲ Daoist Immortals, Kim Hong Do, 1776 (Joseon Dynasty)

Samsung Electronics and Leeum have been cooperating on using technology to promote art since the museum opened in 2004. Beyond digital art displays, this partnership has also demonstrated how digital archives can play an important role in preserving historical legacies.

“In this era, when we have access to abundance of masterpieces, the best of art and technology have to come together to complement one another,” Lee commented. “We hope our collaboration with Samsung will eventually come to be regarded as a masterpiece in and of itself.”

The collection of artworks curated by the Leeum is available in the Art Store on The Frame today.

Check out some of the Leeum’s top picks for The Frame below.