Public Art Work for Creating Hangang Artpark - Focus on A Project ‘Thinking of Each Other’ -

Abstract

Hangang Artpark construction is an enterprise founded in 2018 that involved installing public artworks created by 37 different people (teams) in Hangang Park located in Yeouido and Ichon Park. An iconic public space in Seoul, Hangang Park is turning into an even better public space due to the efforts to change the park into an eco-friendly, cultural-artistic space in tandem with the change in times. The objective of the Hangang Artpark construction business is to augment the environmental and scenic value of Hangang not only to provide a space for leisurely activities but also to revive it as a cultural-artistic area. This is a study of the concept and the design and installation processes of “Thinking of each other”, a project by the Hangang Artpark construction business. This art piece has been installed in the wetlands and it trails along Ichon Hangang Park, which was created during the environmental recovery project. The piece consists of sculptures molded into animal shapes that are unique to the location and ecology of the area, displayed in harmony with the park’s street furniture. By showing the coexistence of animals that existed in Hangang in the past along with the current inhabitants and the natural enemies of these inhabitants, the piece displays an ecofriendly scene. Moreover, by incorporating this piece into the street facilities of the park, such as gazebos, streetlights, surveillance cameras, and perches, the piece exhibits a different kind of street view compared to the installation style of other conventional environmental artworks. The various sculptures are installed along with the street facilities throughout the trail, rather than in a specific location intended for artworks, thereby achieving harmony with the park scene. In so doing, the piece elicits in the beholder an environment-friendly way of thinking, and at the same time, gives them a sense of calm and pleasure. Further, the paper researches the methods of safely installing art pieces in public spaces and of maintaining these installations.