Opening ceremony at the 63 Building in Seoul marks full-scale operations on May 19
Centre Pompidou Hanwha Exterior View (Provided by Hanwha)
The Hanwha Cultural Foundation announced that it held the opening ceremony for “Centre Pompidou Hanwha” at the 63 Building in Yeouido-dong, Yeongdeungpo-gu, Seoul, on May 19, marking the start of full-scale operations at the venue.
Centre Pompidou Hanwha, which has now opened its doors, is the third branch of the Centre Pompidou museum in the world, following those in Malaga, Spain, and the West Bund in Shanghai, China. The opening ceremony drew a large gathering of prominent domestic and international guests from the cultural and arts community, including Kim Dong-won, President and Chief Global Officer (CGO) of Hanwha Life Insurance, along with executives from Hanwha Group affiliates, Philippe Bertoux, the French Ambassador to Korea, and Laurent Le Bon, President of the Centre Pompidou.
Kim Dong-won, who attended the event in person, viewed key works alongside figures from the art world and emerging artists, pausing to reflect on the significance of the occasion. He attentively examined masterpieces representing the essence of Cubism, including Pablo Picasso’s “Stage Curtain for the Ballet Mercure” and Marie Laurencin’s “Apollinaire and His Friends,” offering words of encouragement to the artists. Kim Sung-hee, Director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, remarked that the opening carries even greater significance as it coincides with the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Korea and France, and expressed hope that the venue will serve as an outstanding cultural bridge between the two nations.
Hanwha Group Chairman Kim Seung-youn conveyed his firm philosophy on culture and the arts through a commemorative address delivered on his behalf by President Kim Dong-won. Chairman Kim emphasized that Hanwha regards culture and the arts not merely as objects of support, but as a core pillar of future value.
At the opening ceremony, distinguished guests took to the stage to participate in a lighting ceremony in which the final puzzle piece was placed to complete a luminous architectural model object. This performance was designed to symbolize the dawn of a new cultural era proclaimed by Centre Pompidou Hanwha. The Hanwha Cultural Foundation expressed its ambition to develop the venue into a world-class cultural hub representing the Republic of Korea, drawing on the foundational philosophy of Chairman Kim Seung-youn.
Hanwha Group intends to more actively advance its corporate mecenat philosophy through Centre Pompidou Hanwha. The vision extends well beyond the display of celebrated works from abroad, with the group envisioning the venue as a bridgehead that empowers Korean artists to make their mark on the global stage.
Centre Pompidou Hanwha is scheduled to officially open to the general public at 10:00 a.m. on June 4.
Choi Mun-hee
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