“한 시간에 그림 하나…미술관에선 속도를 내려놓으세요”

The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, a renowned landmark, reveals that visitors typically spend an average of one hour gazing at a single artwork. Surrounded by contrasting descriptions and the art itself, time seems to slip away, leaving little room for contemplation. In the age of certification and sharing, museums are often bustling yet filled with a nagging memory of 'I've been there.'

The question arises: why must we hasten even at a museum? Could a museum not become a more meaningful space in our lives? This is a long-standing inquiry by Hong Jeon, a first-generation 'educator' (curator for education) at the Korean Museum and the former president of the Museum Education Research Association. On the 23rd, he met with a senior who has been pondering this for a long time.

While 'do-not-stop' commentary has become commonplace in today's exhibition landscape, the situation was different during the 'late 20th century.' Having studied art history at graduate school, Hong began his career as a curator at the Art & Research Center in 1998, later moving to the Samsung Culture Foundation in 2000 to become an educator.

It was at this time that the Samsung Foundation for Culture realized the importance of museum education beyond exhibition planning and artifact management. For a museum to become rooted in people's daily lives, it requires the non-stop program, educational classes for children, author dialogues, and lectures. He confessed that he appreciated 'people' more than 'works.'

He enjoyed listening to discussions among various individuals, from college students to retirees, about art. After starting as an educator at the Samsung Culture Foundation and the Goyang National Modern Art Museum, his work as a do-not-stop educator expanded nationwide, visiting public and private museums from Seoul to Jeju Island.

Subsequently, he held positions as the education director and future leadership team leader at the Hoam Museum and the Luim Museum. His interest in museum education broadened to encompass the entire educational process mediated by the museum. "In 2004, shortly after the Luim Museum opened, we invited children from a nearby welfare center for a meal there.

One child asked, 'How much money is needed to build this building?' It felt like a flurry of paper in my mind. Unlike VIPs, we wanted to approach children with a friendly attitude, focusing more on the buffet than the explanations." In his quest to enhance the skills of museum educators, Hong led a group of peers and mentees to create the program 'Look at One Picture Fully,' emphasizing the need to break free from the impatience of speed.

'A museum with excellent works cannot automatically imbue our lives with meaning.' He said, "For a museum to enrich our lives, it requires visitors to approach, stay, observe, and ask questions about the works. This process becomes a healing journey leading to inner transformation." In 2022, he co-founded the Museum Education Research Association with fellow educators and colleagues to strengthen educator skills, enrich visitor experiences, and promote the public nature of museums.

The association seeks to move beyond the 'how to explain well' focus, encouraging educators to become companions rather than informants. He expressed his desire to reflect on the 'slow' approach during an upcoming international conference on museums held on the 19th of the following month. "I want to move away from the rigid explanations among experts and explore ways to interpret works in new ways that captivate audiences."

As he prepares to leave the Luim Museum after 27 years, he envisions a future where museums actively engage with their communities, such as the Amsterdams Museum with its Van Gogh collection, the Taejeon Museum with its Yeoh Jeong-myeong collection, the Gyeongju Museum with its Yoo Joo-hee collection, and the Anyang Museum with its Jang Uk-jin collection.