The Sorol Art Museum in Gangneung, Gangwon Province, which opened in February last year, will be renamed "Gangneung Art Museum Sorol" (tentative name) in April and newly operated as a municipal art museum.

Designed by the world-renowned architect Richard Meier, famous for his "white buildings," Sorol Art Museum has hosted exhibitions of globally acclaimed contemporary artists Lucio Fontana and Agnes Martin, attracting a total of approximately 60,000 visitors since its opening.

Currently, the museum is temporarily closed following the conclusion of its operation by the Korean Research Institute of Contemporary Art (KoRICA), which had been responsible for its initial management. Ownership has since been transferred to the City of Gangneung, and the museum is undergoing maintenance and repairs.

In response, members of the art community have raised concerns, arguing that a six-month hiatus is difficult to justify, especially given that the museum was rapidly establishing itself as a new cultural and artistic landmark in Korea, drawing tens of thousands of visitors beyond Gangneung.

This coming April, Sorol Art Museum will reopen with a special exhibition on Kim Whanki, a pioneer of Korean abstract art. In July, the museum plans to hold an architectural-themed exhibition on Richard Meier, the master of modern architecture who designed the museum. In October, it will present an exhibition featuring Catherine Bernhardt, a leading figure in American pop art.

The City of Gangneung has announced plans to operate these three special exhibitions and related programs with the goal of attracting 50,000 visitors this year.

References

• MBC강원영동, 강릉 솔올미술관, 시립으로 운영되고 4월에 김환기 특별전 열어, 2025.01.27
• 컬처램프, 강릉 솔올미술관, 25일 아그네스 마틴 전시 종료 후 역사 속으로?, 2024.08.24

Ji Yeon Lee has been working as an editor for the media art and culture channel AliceOn since 2021 and worked as an exhibition coordinator at samuso (now Space for Contemporary Art) from 2021 to 2023.