Busan Museum of Art - 부산시립미술관

Introduction
Located in U-dong (Haeundae-gu), Busan Museum of Art is a main cultural attraction along with Busan Cultural Center, Busan Citizens' Hall, and Busan Museum. Opened in 1998, this spacious museum with five floors offers exhibition halls, archives, educational rooms, and an outdoor sculpture park. It displays and collects a rich array of arts from various genres; it is actively involved in international exchanges with other countries and conducting research. Nurturing artists and offering high quality exhibitions, the museum provides visitors with excellent opportunities to appreciate art.

History
It took nearly 4 years (from December 12, 1994 to February 25, 1998) to complete the Busan Museum of Art and opened to public on March 20, 1998. The Art Museum with 21,425 of indoor space, which stands 3 story high and 2 story deep on the total land size 21,560, consists of Exhibition Halls, Text Archieve, Curatorial Office, Adminstrative Office, Outdoor Sculpture Park, etc.
Busan Museum of Arts contributes to wide spectrum of art culture via collecting, exhibiting, and researching art-work under specific genre. The Museum would also like to globally exchange art related activities and information with others who have similar interests. It is also an aim of the Museum to effect an active art environtment through providing a distinctive space of culture suitable for the 21st century's marine capital of Far East.
Busan Museum of Art was born to enhance awareness of the citizens of Busan on art culture, to provide a healthy space for art activities, and to contribute to overall advancement in art culture. The Museum will play its rightful roll for the community by being the comprehensive place for art complex especially accommodating diversified modern arts and various art-works created by people of Busan and Yungnam areas. Busan Museum of Art strives to provide a comfortable place for art-work to the citizens that they would feel as if they were doing the art work at home

• December 12, 1994 Commencement of the construction of the Museum
• March 20, 1998 Opening of the Museum/Inaguration of the first Director Kim Jong Geum
• February 8, 2001 Inaguration of the second Director Hur Hwang
• February 26, 2004 Inaguration of the third Director Kim Yong Dae
• March 21, 2006 Inaguration of the fourth Director Cho Il Sang
• March, 2011 Opened the Busan Museum of Art Children's Museum

Mission Statement
Busan Museum of Art is conducting many different activities to fulfil the cultural nostalgia and aesthetic needs of the general audience through collection and research of artworks of different genres, a variety of different planned exhibitions and international exchange exhibitions. It is also activating art culture by conducting cultural activities fitting of the status of marine capital of Northeast Asia in the twenty-first century, and making efforts to promote a variety of different socio-cultural activities.

Activity
1. Exhibition
The museum hold exhibitions that try to understand and counteract to the art culture phenomena in Busan and contemporary art phenomena in Korea and around the world. Planned exhibitions are also simultaneously held to expand understanding of Korean modern art. In addition, various types of visual art are accepted for exhibitions using cutting-edge media or art and culture exhibitions of other genres.
2. Research/Studies
Artwork produced in different forms and all artworks produced using cutting-edge media are the subject of study. Elements that link the past, present and the future are recognized through a wide variety of research and studies on artworks that change together with contemporary society.
3. Collecting/Preservation
The current situation of Busan art and Korean contemporary art are understood and the artworks of major artists are collected. There are also plans to collect artworks of a variety of different media in contemporary art and various visual artworks. The collected artworks are well managed and preserved.
4. International Exchange Business
Korean art and Busan art are made known to the world through sisterhood relationship and exchanges with overseas museums, and exhibitions are held to introduce foreign art in Busan. A wide variety of projects such as academic conferences, lecture and exchange of human resources are also pursued.
5. Education
A systematic education program is developed and executed to raise the quality of life of citizens. Lectures related to different exhibitions, art and culture classes for the public, children's art classes, conversations with artists, docent education for volunteers and other diverse classes are held.
6. Cultural Events
Not only art exhibitions, but also a variety of cultural services such as music and dance are provided to the audience, aimed at pursuing a space of comprehensive cultural enjoyment.
7. Book Publications
The many different books published by the museum are the result of exhibitions and artwork research. Academic journals and newsletters are also published to make the activities of the museum known.
8. Children's Museum
A friendly museum at the eye level of children is operated to develop sensitivity and creativity in children. Exhibitions and education programs for children are developed and executed.

Floor Guide
In March, 1998 the Busan Museum of Art opened the first local museum in Korea with a proper museum structure including two basement floors and three floors over ground. It includes 14 exhibition halls, and many subsidiary facilities such as a hall with seating for 160 persons, a library, a materials room, an outdor sculpture park, an art shop and a cafetaria.
By holding exhibitions with a wide variety of themes that are in tune with the flow of contemporary art, developing helpful education programs, and through different culture and art events, the Busan Museum of Art is developing into a museum that breathes together with the public.

• Basement 1: Busan art information center, Children's museum, Practice room, Hall
• 1st floor: 1st floor lobby, Art shop, Cafetaria, AV room, Nursing room, Information desk, Offices
• 2nd floor: Planned exhibition hall, Donated exhibition hall, Library
• 3rd floor: 3rd floor exhibition hall, Terrace and garden

Education Programs

• An Arts Course for Adults. This is a one-year theory/practical skill course on arts in which anttendees learn the current trends of the arts circles both at home and abroad, profiles of big-name masters and fine art techniques.
• An Arts Course for Children. This is a course designed to help kindergarten and lower grade elementary school children build their creativity and imagination during their vacation through opportunities to appreciate artworks and draw pictures.
• Seminars. Seminars are held to give the general public opportunities to understand art by inviting well-known artists and critics both in and out of Korea, in addition to lectures and opportunities for first-hand experience of making artworks.
• Dialogs with Artists. These are designed to help the general public to build their ability to understand and appreciate artworks with the aid of well-known artists

Cultural Events

• The Mobile Museum. This 10-day event is an opportunity provided by the Busan Museum of Art three to four times a year, between September and November, in community centers in Busan.
• The Practical Art Skills Contest for Students. The spring-fall events for elementary school pupils and junior/senior high school students are designed to help them enhance their esthetic sense and be engaged in art activities more positively.
• The Saturday Live Performance. The performance held in a roomy space at 02:00 pm on Saturday provides the Saturday afternoon pleasure-seekers with opportunities to enjoy various genres of arts, I.e. music (including Korean folk music), dances and plays.

Collection
The Busan Museum of Art has collected contemporary and modern artworks and art related materials that can express the society and culture of the age well since it opened, and possesses around 2,000 pieces today, in 2010. It possesses a wide variety of pieces including Korean modern and contemporary artworks, artworks of artists who were active mainly in Busan, and contemporary artworks from China, Japan, Vietnam, Europe and the United States.

• Modern and Contemporary Busan Art. The museum has artworks from deceased artists who cultivated modern Busan art, including Yang Dal Suk, Woo Shin Chool, Kim Jong Shik, Lim ho, Song Hae Soo and Seo Sung Chan, Busan formative artworks and installation pieces, and the artwoks of major artists active in Busan.
• Contemporary Chinese Art. The museum possesses pieces by world-renowned Chinese temporary artists such as Yue Minjun, Zhang Xiaogang, Xiao Gui, Feng Zhengjie and Zhou Chunya. Their artworks are important material for researching the motivation and reason for Chinese contemporary art making an international leap.
• Shin Ok-Jin Collection: Modern and Contemporary Japanese Art and Busan Art. Shin Ok-Jin donated many artworks to the Busan Museum of Art. More than 50 pieces by modern Japanese artists who had a great influence on modern Korean art, such as Morikazu Kumagai, Leonard Foujita and Kentaro Koito, were especially donated, making them very special possessions of the Busan Museum of Art.
• Ha Jung-Woong Donations: Artworks by Henry Miller and Korean Artists Residing in Japan. Ha Jung-Woong is a Korean entrepeneur residing in Japan, and has donated many pieces to Korean museums. He donated many artworks to the Busan Museum of Art, too. The especially the special pieces he donated are the 180 pieces by Henry Miller, the artist famous for the novel "Tropic of Cancer."
• Houei Collection: Vietnamese Art. The museum hold around 80 artworks that potray the scenery, daily life, incidents and history of Vietnam, and also has around 300 donated pieces. This is a collection created through the donations of Japanese collector couple Toyokichi Ito and Tamiko Ito.

Founding Organization
Busan City Hall

Managing Organization
Busan Museum of Art

Subsidiary Facilities
1. Art Shop
The art shop sells books on art, original art pieces, domestic and international art posters, catalogues and other art related souvenirs.
2. Restaurant
Food and drinks are available for viewers
3. Text Archive
The library provides professional text materials, magazines, theses, information on domestic and overseas art exhibitions, artists, and such art and art related subjects.
4. AV Hall
AV Hall offers opportunity to view various artistic audio-visual materials to promote public interest in art.
Mon. - Fri.: 2 shows per day
Sat. Sun. &Holidays: 3 shows per day

Admission
Free (separate special exhibition admission fees apply)

Address
58, APEC-ro, Haeundae-gu, Busan
부산광역시 해운대구 APEC로 58 (우동)

Directions
*Bus
Busan Museum of Art - #36, 39, 40, 63, 63-1, 139, 140, 141, 142, 235, 239, 320
Subi Intersection - #31, 31-1, 100, 100-1, 115, 115-1, 200, 200-1, 307

*Subway
Museum of Art Station, Busan Subway line 2, Exit #5 >> 100m from the station

Operating Hours
10:00-20:00
Last admission is 1hr before closing

Closed
Every Monday, New Year's Day

Homepage
Busan Museum Of Art (BMA)
(Korea, English, Chinese, Japanese)

Video



Source: Visit Korea, Busan Museum of Art, ...the Red Dragon Diaries, The China Post