Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's F&B director Emmanuele Accame, left, and gallery Mondeouvert CEO Hong Myeong-kyeong poses during an art dining event at the hotel in Seoul, Sept. 12. Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul By Lee Hae-rin This autumn, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul pays tribute to the creativity and finesse of Korean contemporary art with an in-hotel exhibition titled “Timeless Art, Passion at Heart” from Aug.
29 to mid-November. In collaboration with Gallery Mondeouvert, a local art hub located just a few blocks away from the hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Seoul showcases art pieces of six carefully selected Korean artists throughout the hotel, including the lobby, the gym areas, spa and executive club lounge. As part of the collaboration, the hotel hosts a series of events, including an exhibition of paintings that express Korea’s four different seasons, an auction dinner at the Italian restaurant Boccalino and a private seminar on contemporary Korean art for hotel guests.
Notably, the hotel’s entrance on the first floor features four iconic pieces that express the four seasons in various color schemes, and two art installations exploring natural themes, all of which attract visitors’ eyes with flower décor by world-renowned floral artist Nicolai Bergmann. According to gallery CEO Hong Myeong-kyeong, these six pieces portray not only the authentic beauty of Korea’s four seasons and nature in distinct, vibrant colors but also convey the artists' worldviews and interpretations of Korea’s sociocultural context. For instance, Jeon Hee-kyung expresses spring’s vitality by gliding spontaneous and dynamic curves and brushstrokes across the canvas with a palette of yellow and green in her work “Interminable Blue 8.
” “Jeon’s works are inspired by the nature of Jeju Island and her life experience there,” Hong said during a recent interview with The Korea Times at the hotel. “It expresses a cascade of emotions that seem to pour down onto viewers, which comes from an experience of completely being immersed into a forest and trees.” As for summer, Nam Sang-woon’s “Blue Moon” captivates viewers with a unique layering technique that involves a process of repeatedly mixing, drying and repainting the canvas to cultivate a richly expressive and solid blue for summer’s moon-inspired lotus flowers, she explained.
Lee Sea-hyun’s “Beyond Red,” most recognized by art enthusiasts staying at the hotel for the month of Frieze Seoul in September, evokes a sense of mystery and otherworldliness by depicting Korea’s natural scenery in intense red hues. “Lee’s concept was inspired by the red-tinted landscapes of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) that the artist observed through nightvision goggles during his military service,” Hong said, adding that the series garnered immediate attention from renowned art collector Uli Sigg. The series also received a global spotlight for being chosen as the official poster for the seventh London East Asia Film Festival.
Also, for winter, Choi Young-wook’s “KARMA” features Korea’s historic Joseon-era moon jar with ice crack patterns, which serves as a metaphor for life, Hong explained. “Choi’s moon jar painting brings the round and generous form of the jar-shape by clay and human warmth onto a flat canvas, radiating an elegant, calm and humble beauty that garners universal admiration,” she said, adding that the Korean moon jar is characterized by minimal beauty and subtle changes in color, in contrast to the grand and splendid style from China and Japan’s elaborate and detailed aesthetics. Additionally, on Aug.
12, the hotel hosted an auction of the paintings while serving a five-course meal with wine pairings themed under four seasons art at the hotel’s Italian restaurant Boccalino. A painting by Jeon Hee-kyoung is presented during an auction at Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's art dining event at the hotel, Sept. 12.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul “We planned this collaboration to make it easier and more comfortable for people to experience the creativity of Korean artists and the high-quality art scene, without needing to visit galleries. We aimed to offer this experience through all five senses, with F&B being the most accessible part of a hotel,” said Emmanuele Accame, the hotel’s F&B director. “Our goal is for guests to fully engage with this multi-sensory dining experience.
They will start by visually enjoying the artworks, then savor the dishes and selected wines inspired by these pieces. By listening to the stories behind the dishes and wine pairings, guests will immerse themselves in the harmony between the artwork, cuisine and wine.” Seen is vongole verde mare, a pasta prepared by the Four Seasons Hotel Seoul's Italian restaurant Boccalino with an inspiration from Korean art pieces on display.
Courtesy of Four Seasons Hotel Seoul On Sept. 14 and Oct. 3, the hotel offers a private art seminar to guests whose curiosity has been piqued by Seoul’s vibrant art scene.
The pre-booked program includes a talk on contemporary art in Korea as well as an in-hotel guided tour with an art professional in Korean and English. Those who book and attend the tour will be given a coupon for two welcome drinks that can be used at Boccalino or the hotel’s contemporary bar OUL..
