▲ Photo by Podo Museum

Jeju Island, also known as “the Island of Art,” is immersing itself into the sea of culture. Jeju is an island that is steeped in the works of world-class architects such as Itami Jun and Ando Tadao, as well as the footsteps of master artists such as Lee Jung-seob, Kim Yeong-gap and Kim Chang-yeol.

Podo Museum is currently rising as one of Jeju’s most popular museums, after the previous Da Vinci Museum was closed and renewed as Podo Museum. For its opening ceremony, it hosted the APoV exhibition “The World Made We Made” by the T&C Foundation.

▲ Photo by Podo Museum

“The World We Made” is a simulation exhibition that aims to allow the audience to experience and empathize with the perspective of the artist towards the artist’s disdain and expression regarding the act of making human beings become hostile to each other and create conflict. The exhibition showcases works of eight artists from Korea, China and Japan, including Airan Kang, Yong-ju Kwon, Seonglib, Yong-baek Lee, Zin Ki-jong, Su-jin Choi, Ryota Kuwakubo and Zhang Xiaogang.

Through their artwork, visitors are guided through a sensory experience of the message of a righteous person who highlighted the pain inflicted upon humanity by the evil of hatred in the process through which fake news and distorted information foment prejudice and hatred, but instead chose the path of unity through forgiveness and tolerance despite the history of tragedy.

▲ Photo by Podo Museum

The second floor of Podo Museum hosts the “It is Spring, My Son” exhibition of prominent German artist Käthe Kollwitz, who expressed motifs such as labor, poverty, war, death and maternity through media such as print paintings and bronze sculptures.

The exhibition consists of 32 pieces of print drawings, which is an unfamiliar medium in Korea, and one bronze sculpture, in addition to three video clips that introduce the artistic world and life of the artist, which are emotionally resonant as they vividly portray the desperation of a mother who has lost her son and grandson in the First and Second World Wars.

In consideration of the COVID-19 situation, the museum offers audio guide services in four languages, consisting of Korean, English, Chinese and Japanese, recorded by Korean Wave stars such as Giselle from Aespa.

Another exhibition space that represents Jeju is Arario Museum, which is exhibiting the works of over 30 modern art luminaries such as Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, and Nam June Paik.

▲ Arario Museum

On the fifth floor of the building, an exhibition titled “I Have a Dream” by artist CI Kim (Kim Chang-il) is taking place. CI Kim is the founder, collector and resident artist of Arario Museum, who expresses the museum’s philosophy as “simplicity with soul.”

▲ Living on in the trees: Renowned Jeju photographer Kim Young Gap's gallery. Photo courtesy Susan Shain

Other iconic Jeju-based exhibition spaces include Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak and Bunker de Lumières. The former is a gallery that conveys the emotional resonance of a photographer who visited Jeju by chance and then sought to communicate with people by photographing hills of various sizes around Jeju until the end of his life.

▲ Bunker de Lumières Photo by Bunker de Lumières

The latter is an “immersive media art” exhibition space that entertains visitors’ eyes and ears by presenting works of famous artists as well as performances such as “Paul Klee, Painting Music.”