Seoul City Hall is the chief administrative building of the city, but it also has numerous open spaces for the citizens. Many visitors to Seoul may come across the modern glass building of Seoul City Hall, which reinterprets the eaves of traditional Hanok architecture. If you happen to come across it, we recommend you not just walk past it; instead, go underground and explore.
The Seoul Citizens’ Hall is located on the ground floor of the City Hall, where you can enjoy various exhibitions and performances. Among them, the Sound Gallery is a space that showcases exhibitions on the theme of “sound,” in line with the Citizens’ Hall’s objective of creating an environment where the voices of the citizens can be heard. Equipped with a surround sound system, the Sound Gallery features exhibitions that combine sound and media art.
The exhibition, W Symphony, which opened on July 3 and runs through September 30, is a solo exhibition by artist Nakyum Hong. This exhibition was selected and organized as part of the “Wave 2023 Capital ‘Waterway(水道)’ Seoul” open call project in the field of “sound media art.”
Artist Nakyum Hong employs video and sound in her artistic practice. She investigates the relationship between humans and nature while posing existential questions, focusing on the phenomena of light and sound captured from “natural forms.”
Her latest work, W Symphony, is centered around the Hangang River, an iconic place in Seoul. The piece, composed of three parts titled “Water is Dance,” “Water is Light,” and “Water is Harmony,” prompts viewers to reflect on their own existence within the city where the Hangang River, a massive lifeline, flows. The artist portrays the primal power and nature of the Hangang River by exploring the energy of the ripples flowing along the river’s course in the ecological park created along its banks.
Due to the urban noise surrounding the Hangang River, it is difficult to concentrate on the sounds of nature. Although many ecological parks have been established along the river, the sense of wilderness has nearly disappeared. The artist captures the true nature that coexists with artificial environments, documenting it through video. By employing the “long take” technique, the artist presents not only a visually observable Hangang River but also an auditory experience, revealing the multitude of ecosystems that can thrive.