Seoul’s public art can add spice to daily life

Kim Mi-hyang, a contracted social worker at the Seoul Metropolitan Government, found a way to make her work day much more interesting.

While her work takes her in to the far corners and back alleys of Seoul to inspect the living conditions of those that receive a monthly stipend, she is now part of a select few Seoul citizens dedicated to uncovering public street art.

In August Kim become one of the 100 participants in the “Art on Seoul’s streets found by citizens” project, a two-month municipal program to promote lesser-known street art and landmarks. Once a week, each team of 10 goes out to discover relatively unknown artwork and come up with ideas on how to promote and preserve these hidden gems.

Since Kim’s job requires a lot of walking around, it has been easy for her to track down hidden public art, but she admits that appreciating art is a skill she had to learn.

“In the beginning I did not know what public art is and what is not, because I knew nothing about art,” said Kim. But with field experts and art connoisseurs helping the group, she soon found a new appreciation for street art.

“I came to have an eye for the hidden charm of public art on the street. When I view public art, now I think about why that statue is standing there and for what purpose. I can now appreciate the influence of public art and the joy it brings to ordinary citizens’ lives who may just pass by it in their everyday lives,” added Kim.

Lee Kyung-mi, a freelance curator who supervised the project as one of the leading field experts, said it is important to bring change to the perception that citizens can only enjoy art in galleries.

“Many think that citizens can only enjoy art by visiting museums or galleries, when they change that perception they realize that they have the perk of viewing art on the street,” said Lee.

“The true enjoyment of art, including public art, can come from a variety of places and spaces. I believe more municipal support (like this program) can enhance the quality of public art, allowing public art to easily mingle with citizens’ lives,” she added.

By Kim Da-sol(ddd@heraldcorp.com)