The Baek Young Soo Art and Culture Foundation is a non-profit organization established in 2016 by the Baek Young-soo couple. The foundation opened the art museum in 2017 and was registered as the first 1 type art museum in Uijeongbu in 2018. The art museum was designed by Kang Tae-kyung and  is located in Howon-dong, Uijeongbu. Paik moved to Paris in 1979, but he always missed this old house and returned to Korea after 35 years of living in Paris in 2011, focusing on his work until his death. He is one of Korea’s first abstract art groups, Shinssilpa, and this museum commemorates, preserves, and studies his works, and conducts exhibitions and education projects. 

100th anniversary of Baek Young-soo’s birth

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Baek Young-soo’s birth, the museum is holding an exhibition of <Homage Baek Young-soo>, a local culture and art platform project in 2022. This event consists of part 1, which invites 10 artists to connect with the beautiful relationship in France in the 80’s with the works of younger artists and congratulatory messages, and part 2, which invites local artists from the art museum where Baek Young-soo rested. After 1977, Baek moved to Paris, France and worked as an exclusive contract artist at the Yomiuri Art Center and has participated in more than 100 exhibitions including 22 largest exhibitions, group exhibitions, and salon exhibitions, including Pagani Gallery in Milan, Italy. At this time, Kim Whan-ki, Lee Jung-seop, and Jang Uk-jin were members, and he was active as a member of the New Realism movement, and he was also a member of ‘Salon Comparaison Realite Seconde’ in France. In this exhibition, the five invited artists connected to France, where Baek Young-soo worked, are Kwak Soo-young, Kwon Soon-cheol, Park Seung-soon, Byun Yeon-mi, and Lee Bae. 

Helen Kim’s October concert 

Soprano Helen Kim, who is trying to make opera accessible to people, held the ‘Helen Kim’s October Concert’ on Friday, October 28th at 4pm at the museum. She graduated from the Department of Vocal Music and Conducting at Kassel City Music University, Germany. After that, she served as a member of the Opera National Theater in Kassel, Germany, and performed various songs with the orchestra as a soloist as she studied in Germany. She is also good at conducting, so she returned to Korea in 2010 and was appointed conductor of the Sokcho Municipal Choir, and founded the Gyeonggi Opera Company. In 2019, she made a special appearance at the 19th Regular Concert of Eunpyeong Youth Orchestra and held a classical concert with commentary at the Hongdae Jazz Cafe.

‘Helen Kim’s October Concert’ is an event on Gyeonggi-do Culture Day, held to soothe the weary hearts of Uijeongbu citizens. She sang Korean songs, musicals, and opera arias. She also sang ‘First Love, Habanera, Hymn of Love, Beautiful Country’ and announcer Kim Mi-nang narrated the performance. This event was sponsored by the president of the Gangwon-do Provincial Association in Uijeongbu City, the monthly Power Korea, and the representative of Daewon law firm. On October 26th, Helen Kim also held a ‘concert with commentary by Helen Kim’ at the Metal House Gallery with announcer Kim Mi-nang.