‘Brise-Soleil and Rounded Corners’, the title of the exhibition, references a concept transplanted from the West, however, the exhibition was inspired by an architectural scene in which a brise-soleil provides shade over a sunlit and breezy spiral staircase, embodying the confluence of tropical climate conditions and pre-colonial indigenous cultures. While a spatial experience such as this may be part of everyday life, understanding the architects’ intentions or the social or cultural contexts from which they emerged is no easy task. In this way, architecture initiates a subtle dialogue with its users. It encapsulates the sensitivities and needs of its time through distinctive design languages and is in a state of perpetual reinterpretation. This exhibition aspires to capture the complex interactions between architecture and people, architecture and society, through the exhibited videos, photographs and architectural models. It invites visitors to travel through the ‘holistic landscapes’ of Southeast Asia’s major cities, and to delight in the discovery of the multifarious stories and scenes on display.

Today, the popularity of fiber art is hotter than ever. The medium of fiber encompasses key discourses in the art world – such as postcolonialism, feminism, and formalism – while the flexible materials bring a sense of novelty to audiences accustomed to fixed forms like sculpture, installation, and painting. This exhibition at the KF ASEAN Culture House, however, aims to break away from the existing trends of mainstream fiber art exhibitions, focusing instead on ‘enjoyment’, ‘healing’ and ‘rehabilitation’ as intrinsic functions of the act of weaving.

"ASEAN on the Move: Transportation and Digital Lifestyle" is a special exhibition hosted by ASEAN Culture House that spotlights modes of transportation and digital lifestyles of ASEAN member nations

ASEAN Culture House is pleased to present To A Faraway Friend: Beyond Afro-Southeast Asian Affinities, the second collaborated exhibition with the ASEAN Foundation, as part of the KONNECT ASEAN supported by the AKCF (ASEAN-ROK Cooperation Fund). Based on the re-constructed international situation after the World War II, the exhibition highlights the regional exchange made between Africa and Southeast Asia, and the attempts of affinities extended toward Korea.

The ASEAN Culture House (ACH) is pleased to host the special exhibition Tea Time & Coffee Break. The custom of taking time during the day to relax with a cup of tea or coffee is a virtually universal one that is not at all unique to Western society. The long-standing practice in most ASEAN countries of serving tea to guests evolved into diverse formats over centuries of actively interacting with not only neighboring India and China but also cultures that were encountered during multiple colonizations. This exhibition focuses on three concepts—coffee, tea, and a pause—and features, in five sections, the work of Jungki Beak, Changwon Lee, Hwa Young Park, GoWaSeo graphic design studio (founded by Goeun Park and Seokyung Kim), and the spatial design team Mujindongsa.

Till We Meet Again: 2021 Mekong-ROK Exchange Year Photo & Design Exhibition 2021.9.23.~10.31. The ASEAN Culture House (ACH) and the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) are pleased to present the winning entries of two art contests held in celebration of 2021 as the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year.   Mekong-ROK Exchange Year Photo Contest “Mekong in Korea, Korea in Mekong” The year 2021, officially designated as the Mekong-ROK Exchange Year, marks the 10th anniversary of Mekong-ROK cooperation. To commemorate this occasion, the Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs hosted a photography contest that was open to anyone with an interested in Korea and the five Mekong nations (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, and Vietnam). Over 28 days (June 7 through July 4), 163 photos were submitted to the contest, which was conducted under the theme of “Mekong in Korea, Korea in Mekong.” The entries portray many different instances of cooperation and exchange between Korea and the Mekong region; this exhibition features the 35 winning photos that were selected in a screening by experts in photography and the Mekong region.  

2021 ASEAN Culture House’s special exhibition ASEAN Animals: Depictions of Animals in ASEAN Arts & Cultures draws attention to depictions of animals in the arts and cultures of the ASEAN region, starting with an exploration of each member state’s symbolic animals and the values associated with them. The close, everyday bonds forged between ASEAN peoples, who have long maintained agricultural societies, with animals such as chickens, water buffaloes, and elephants remain strong today. Stories about personified, deified, and imaginary or mythical animals are found throughout the many legends and folk tales of traditional ASEAN cultures.  Through the records and audiovisual materials on display, we hope visitors can learn more about the friendships that existed between ASEAN peoples and animals. The animal depictions on this exhibition’s diverse artifacts and artworks offer a glimpse of the fascinating world of ASEAN imagination.

This permanent exhibition of the ASEAN Culture House displays the unique cultures of each country through its handicrafts made from their own indigenous materials. The exhibition consists of handicrafts donated by the ten ASEAN countries. These include wooden crafts made from bamboo, rattan, and palm trees; clothing made from fibers extracted from fruits such as pineapple and coconut; marine handicrafts made from mother-of-pearl; metal crafts produced with mineral resources; and textiles made from natural dyes and threads from indigenous plants. Although the same natural materials are often used by different cultures – due to the similarities in geography and environment – designs, colors, and patterns vary from artisan to artisan. Craft making has become a way of life and a tradition that connects generations. The crafts displayed are not just tools, but the beautiful manifestations of tradition and art reflected in life. Through this exhibit, we hope to enhance your understanding of the aesthetics of deliberateness portrayed in the elaborate and delicate handicrafts crafted over long periods of time by the ASEAN people. In addition, we hope to promote respect for cultural values that cherish the artistic sense and tradition of the ASEAN people which can never be imitated by machines.

The ASEAN Culture House (ACH), operated by the Korea Foundation (KF), is pleased to host the special exhibition Light of ASEAN, One Community and Harmony, first held at the Asia Culture Center in Gwangju from October 17–November 17, 2019 in commemoration of the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-ROK dialogue relations.   This exhibition is the first joint project between the ACH and the Asia Culture Institute (ACI, Gwangju) since the two institutions signed a memorandum of understanding to establish a comprehensive mutually cooperative relationship.   The kinetic media artworks Breeze Fire and Mysterious Fire, produced by media artist group SILO Lab, have motifs based on aspects of ASEAN culture related to light. Breeze Fire presents lanterns flying into the sky and shining light onto the surface of a river. Mysterious Fire is made of about 270 incandescent bulbs and projects images symbolizing ASEAN through the slow ignition and disappearance of these analog lights.   Light casts out darkness and allows for the world to be seen clearly; it has carried implications of hopes and dreams across the globe and throughout time, from ancient days up through the present. You will be able to read a yearning for peace and harmony between Korea and ASEAN in the rising lights and flashing incandescent bulbs on display.