On April 4, the Seoul Museum of Art unveils ‘SeMA L (Learning),’ an education and public programming space that experiments with the vision of a “museum for all.” SeMA L is a place of practice for mutual learning and an open learning space that anyone can participate in, and will run as a pilot for 2024.

Located in the Project Gallery on the third floor of the Seosomun Main Branch, SeMA L will operate as a variable, multi-purpose space that can be used to experiment with a variety of programs, including exhibition-related programs, talks, workshops, performances, screenings, small exhibitions, and artists’ lunchboxes, based on a permanent program using the collection.

SeMA L is home to the permanent educational programs ‘Collect-Connect Heart Beads’ and ‘A Story of the Museum in a Continual Loop’ that use the collections that capture the identity of the Seoul Museum of Art. These permanent programs are a combination of online and offline, allowing visitors to engage with the actual collections while viewing them on Instagram.

‘Collect-Connect Heart Beads’ is a program that connects and shares thoughts about collections and museums through heart beads. After watching videos of the museum’s major collections and exhibitions, participants select an activity sheet for each audience (children, teenagers, and adults), write their impressions and feelings, put them on a bead, and move it through a pipe to a vending machine. Participants can also randomly pick other people’s beads using coins provided by the museum. This allows participants to experience the analog pleasure of opening other people’s marbles and understanding each other.

‘A Story of the Museum in a Continual Loop’ is a program that allows participants to view a single work of art in the exhibition hall and leave a comment on the museum’s Instagram using a QR code, allowing them to share their thoughts with each other in a tail-biting manner. The collection will rotate quarterly, focusing on works in the areas of prints and drawings that are accessible and fun for everyone.

In addition to the two permanent programs, special programs for families, seniors, school groups, and others will be held approximately 30 times a year. In addition, activities related to the “Future Positive: Norman Foster, Foster + Partners” exhibition (June-July), the 18th SeMA Nanji Residency Artist Portfolio Review (August-September), the “Art for All Program” Progress Report Exhibition (October-November), and the 13th Seoul Media City Biennale Symposium (December) will be held in conjunction with the Artist’s Lunchbox (June-November, scheduled once a month).

Eun-ju Choi, director of SeMA, said “We look forward to a variety of experiences and exchanges in the open learning space of SeMA L, and especially hope that participants will gather and continue their interest and love for the collection through the analog play process.”

References

• 서울시립미술관 보도자료 (Seoul Museum of Art, SeMA Press Release)