The Jeonbuk Special Self-Governing Province Culture and Tourism Foundation (hereinafter referred to as the Foundation) is continuing to hold curated exhibitions, art sales, and inter-regional artistic exchanges through private cultural facilities in the province supported by its "2026 Outstanding Exhibition Planning Support Project."

The "Outstanding Exhibition Planning Support Project" aims to enhance the planning capacity of private cultural facilities and improve residents' cultural accessibility by supporting exhibitions self-planned based on local resources and social issues.

Selected facilities run curated exhibitions free of charge for 30 days or more, expanding opportunities for visitor participation through linked programs such as artist talks and hands-on experiences.

A total of seven private cultural facilities were selected this year. Five facilities—Nouvelles-Vagues Museum, Museum Sol, Gyodong Art Museum, Woojin Cultural Foundation, and AP9 (Jeonju Art Gallery)—have already concluded their exhibitions. Following them, Ongo Co., Ltd.’s exhibition "Hanji; Becoming a Foundation" welcomes visitors until October 20, and Iksan W Museum will host "Project A.I.M. - 10 Years After AlphaGo, AI Art Laboratory on Canvas" from October 24 to November 22.

Among them, the Woojin Cultural Foundation sold 21 artworks for a total of 24.25 million won. Gyodong Art Museum presented an exchange exhibition featuring artists from Jeonju and Cheongju, while Nouvelles-Vagues Museum created an interactive exhibition where visitors' messages and records became part of the display. Museum Sol highlighted the flow of Korean painting and the roots of Jeonbuk art through bird-and-flower paintings by modern masters.

From Appreciation to Acquisition: Experiencing Empathy and Exchange in Exhibitions

The Woojin Cultural Foundation presented 120 works by 12 Jeonbuk-based artists in "Room and Outside: 12 Rooms." The exhibition captured how stories originating from "rooms," the private spaces of artists, establish relationships with society.

The exhibition-linked event "ART NIGHT" was held twice, drawing about 400 participants to performances, docent lectures, and an art auction.

All 12 items put up for auction were successfully bidded, and combined with 9 additional private transactions, a total of 21 pieces were sold. The number of sold artworks increased by 40% compared to last year's 15 pieces, while total sales grew from 8.4 million won to 24.25 million won.

According to the Woojin Cultural Foundation, the entire sales proceeds were delivered to the participating artists, serving as income to support their creative activities.

Gyodong Art Museum exhibited about 40 works by 18 artists from Jeonju and Cheongju in "Memory and Production: Things Blooming from Vanished Places." The participating artists expressed memories and experiences accumulated in the two cities through painting, sculpture, installation, and video, connecting artistic perspectives between regions. The museum also planned artist talks and hands-on hanji experiences for children as linked programs.

Nouvelles-Vagues Museum addressed issues experienced by children and adolescents, such as school violence, bullying, and emotional isolation, in "Cheering for You as You Sprout Ⅱ." Featuring about 50 works, including 13 pieces from two contest award rounds, the exhibition was structured so that visitors' messages and records accumulated as part of the display. This allowed visitors to reflect on their own experiences and empathize with the pain of others.

Museum Sol showcased 53 works in "Walking Only on Flower Paths: Bird-and-Flower Paintings by Modern Masters." Focusing on Korean traditional paintings depicting flowers and birds, the exhibition illuminated the artistic trends of modern masters and the roots of Jeonbuk art. By designing a space where visitors could leisurely appreciate works and stay awhile, along with flower-themed photo zones and eco-bag decorating experiences, the museum offered visitors a moment of rest and comfort.

A Fresh Interpretation of Jeonju Hanji and Film

Ongo Co., Ltd. and AP9 (Jeonju Art Gallery) planned exhibitions that freshly interpreted local cultural resources using Jeonju hanji and film as subjects.

Ongo Co., Ltd. is holding the exhibition "Hanji; Becoming a Foundation" at Ongo Gallery until October 20. Fifteen artists applied various materials and techniques to three-dimensional "textured hanji canvases," demonstrating the pictorial potential of Jeonju hanji. Following last year’s focus on hanji printing, Ongo expanded its scope of exploration to painting this year, organizing interactive sessions like "Let's Draw Together," where visitors added lines and colors directly to experience hanji as a creative medium.

In addition, from October 9 to 10, the company operated a promotional booth utilizing exhibition contents at the "Now, Hanji" festival of the "2026 Jeonju International Hanji Industry Daejeon," hosted by the Jeonju Cultural Foundation. About 200 people participated in the booth, with Ongo promoting new uses for hanji outside the gallery space.

AP9 (Jeonju Art Gallery) presented "Reading Film through Photography: From Gosadong to Hollywood." The exhibition explored the relationship between photography and film through stills from local independent films, posters of Chungmuro commercial films, and portraits of Hollywood actors. It highlighted Jeonju's cultural assets as a film city from the perspective of photographic art, pairing screenings, conversations, and seminars to broaden understanding of imagery.

Examining Human and AI Creation Together to Question the Role of Artists

Iksan W Museum will host "Project A.I.M. - 10 Years After AlphaGo, AI Art Laboratory on Canvas" from October 24 to November 22. By displaying AI-generated images based on artists' notes alongside the actual artworks, the exhibition explores the role of human thought and choice in the creative process. It plans to provide opportunities to examine the relationship between technology and art by inviting citizens to participate in AI image generation experiences.

A Single Exhibition Experience Serving as the Foundation for Future Planning

This year's exhibitions—which led to artwork sales, inter-regional exchanges, and visitor participation—demonstrate the various ways private cultural facilities connect artists and residents. Cases such as the Woojin Cultural Foundation expanding its art sales scale compared to last year and Ongo Co., Ltd. broadening its exploration from hanji printing to painting show how experiences accumulated from previous exhibitions laid the groundwork for this year's planning.

Hong Seung-kwang, Head of the Culture and Arts Division, stated, "We hope that the planning capabilities of local cultural facilities will accumulate to provide a sustainable creative foundation for artists and an opportunity for residents to encounter diverse exhibitions in their daily lives. We will reflect this year's operational experiences and field opinions into the next project to support the development of planning that highlights the unique characteristics of each facility."

Meanwhile, the Foundation specialized its "Private Cultural Facility Planning Program Support Project," which supported performances, literature, and visual arts through 2023, exclusively into the visual arts field starting in 2024. It currently supports curated exhibitions at private cultural facilities through the "Outstanding Exhibition Planning Support Project."

For more details regarding the project, inquiries can be made to the Foundation’s Creative Support Team (063-230-7445).

[Copyright (c) Global Economic Times. All Rights Reserved.]