SEOUL, Jul. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – In a bold artistic statement on environmental issues, a unique ‘museum’ crafted from recycled plastic bags and powered by solar energy is set to take flight in the skies of Seoul this August.
The Leeum Museum of Art announced on July 24 that it will be collaborating with Argentine artist Tomás Saraceno, 51, on the Aerocene Seoul project, which will run until September 25.
Aerocene, an initiative founded by Saraceno, is an interdisciplinary community that brings together artists, activists, philosophers, and scientists from around the world to stage collaborative performances promoting ecological and social justice.
Currently active in 43 countries and 12 cities, the movement established a foundation in 2015.
The centerpiece of Aerocene Seoul is the Museo Aerosolar, a floating sculpture made entirely from discarded plastic bags.
To create this airborne museum, the Leeum Museum of Art is collecting used plastic bags from residents through designated collection points throughout Seoul’s Yongsan district, where the museum is located.
The collection drive will continue until August 4, with the goal of gathering about 5,000 plastic bags.
These bags will then be transformed through a series of workshops. Participants will cut and patch the bags together, creating a patchwork canvas.
They will then adorn this surface with drawings and messages expressing their environmental concerns.
The completed patchwork sculpture is scheduled to be launched into the air in late August. Following its flight, it will be exhibited at the Leeum Museum of Art from early September.
In addition to the Museo Aerosolar, the museum is organizing Aerocene Backpack workshops in collaboration with regional art museums in Gwangju and Gyeonggi Province.
The Aerocene Backpack is a portable kit for creating solar-powered aerial sculptures that can float without the use of helium, hydrogen, solar panels, or batteries.
Workshop participants will compose messages about care and eco-social justice before launching their own portable flying sculptures into the sky.
The Aerocene Seoul project is part of the Leeum Museum of Art’s public program called Idea Museum.
Launched in November of last year with support from the Chanel Culture Fund, this three-year program addresses climate crisis and gender issues under the overarching theme of ecological transition.
Image credit: The Leeum Museum of Art / photonews@koreabizwire.com
