Anselm Kiefer's "Herbst" Showcase at Heredium, a Former Japanese Oriental Development Company Building in Daejeon

Key Highlights :

1. The building that now houses Heredium was originally the Daejeon branch of the Japanese Oriental Development Company.

2. The building was built in 1922 and operated as the Daejeon branch of the Japanese Oriental Development Company during Japanese colonial rule.

3. The building survived the Korean War and the sweeping urban redevelopment that followed.

4. After two years of extensive renovation, the once-forgotten Japanese colonial company has come back to life this year as a new cultural complex, known as Heredium.

5. The show at Heredium, "Herbst," features the works of German post-war master Anselm Kiefer and is anchored in the poignant verses of Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke.

6. The focus of the show is on the duality of life and death and how the waning remnant of Japanese colonial history has revived as a relevant cultural institution.

     The city of Daejeon in South Korea has a long and storied history, and one of its most significant landmarks is the building that once belonged to the Japanese Oriental Development Company. Established in 1908 shortly before Japanese colonial rule began, the company was a state-led economic enterprise to control and exploit Korea's land and resources. Built in 1922, the building has stood for a century, surviving both the Korean War and the sweeping urban redevelopment that came in the following decades.

     This year, it has come back to life as a new cultural complex, known as Heredium, and to mark its official opening, the center has put forth its inaugural art exhibition, "Herbst" (translated as "autumn"), as Korea's first museum showcase of German post-war master Anselm Kiefer. The show brings together Kiefer's 17 latest paintings and installations, most of which have never been unveiled before this occasion. The pieces on view are all anchored in the poignant verses of Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke, who penned three poems dedicated to the fall season.

     Kiefer's works are heavily influenced by the battle-scarred landscapes of post-World War II Germany of his childhood, and his pieces highlight the eternal cycle of decay and rebirth. This resonates with the museum's own history, as the building was once on the brink of destruction and oblivion, but has experienced a remarkable rebirth as a cultural complex.

     The exhibition provides viewers with a chance to take a contemplative look at their autumnal melancholy, and to consider the duality of life and death. Just as how the waning remnant of Japanese colonial history revived as a relevant cultural institution, Kiefer's falling leaves painted in intense autumn browns on canvas are seen not only as decaying debris but as the unexpected foundation for a new beginning.

     "Herbst" runs through Jan. 31, 2024 at Heredium, and is an opportunity to experience the beauty of Kiefer's artwork and to reflect on the history of the building and its place in the city of Daejeon. It is a reminder of how destruction can be the foundation for something new, and how a building can be transformed and reborn.

Continue Reading at Source : koreatimes