After several postponements this year, Leeum, Samsung Museum of Art (Leeum), and Ho-am Art Museum, both run by the Samsung Foundation of Culture, have finally reopened their doors to the public on October 8th.

Leeum has been preparing to reopen since the beginning of this year; the museum announced its new brand identity and has been inquiring other museums about loaning artworks to organize a special exhibition.

After former director Hong Ra-hee, also the wife of the late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee stepped down from her position in March 2017, the museum left the position vacant and did not hold special exhibitions for four years. The spread of the coronavirus in March 2020 even caused the museum to close its permanent exhibition, which has kept the museum building dormant for almost two years. 

During its temporal closedown, however, Lee Seo-hyun, head of the Samsung Welfare Foundation and the operating committee at the Leeum, has been taking the lead in preparing for the reopening by improving the lobby for accessibility, re-organizing its permanent exhibition, and preparing the special exhibition.

The special exhibition held for the first time in four years is entitled Human, 7 Questions. Selected works are presented under seven questions on mankind that would “look back on humanity and art to reflect on the meaning of human existence in times of crisis.”

Participating Korean artists include Lee Bul, Haegue Yang, Do Ho Suh, Bahc Yiso, and Yeondoo Jung. It has been reported that the exhibited artworks do not include the late Lee Kun-hee’s personal collection which was recently donated to the nation. The family of the late chairman has gifted a total of 23,181 pieces of works ranging from ancient to contemporary to national museums this April. 

Leeum, founded in 2004 in Hannam-dong, Seoul, is known for its extensive art collection from historic national treasures to a wide collection of modern and contemporary art. 

The museum is offering free admission for its permanent exhibitions to “honor the meaning behind the donation of the late Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s collection to the nation.” The special exhibition will be free of charge until the end of this y

References

• 한겨레, ‘이건희컬렉션 핵심’ 삼성미술관 리움이 내달 8일 다시 열린다, 2021.09.25
• 이데일리, 리움 귀환…4년 반 침묵 깨고 자코메티 ‘거대한 여인’도 깨우고, 2021.09.28
• Korea JoongAng Daily, Leeum is opening its doors once again with brand new exhibits, 2021.10.05