France’s Centre Pompidou has confirmed plans to open a new contemporary art museum in Seoul, South Korea in 2025.
On 19 March, the Centre Pompidou and the Hanwha Culture Foundation signed a partnership agreement to develop the outpost in Seoul.
The agreement was signed by Shin Hyunwoo, the president of the Hanwha Culture Foundation, and Laurent Le Bon, the Pompidou‘s president.
The new museum will be located in Tower 63, the headquarters of the Hanwha Group, a South Korean business conglomerate. It will be designed by the French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte.
Pompidou heading to Saudi and Seoul
“Throughout this four-year collaboration, the Centre Pompidou will offer eight monographic exhibitions – two per year – based on a selection of works from the Center Pompidou collection,” said a statement.
The news comes after the Paris-based institution signed an agreement with Saudi Arabia to open a new contemporary art museum in the kingdom’s AlUla development.
This agreement was signed on 12 March by the Centre Pompidou’s president and Nora Aldabal, AlUla’s executive director of arts.
“This partnership aims to support the enhancement and development of the cultural, artistic and creative aspects of the AlUla site,” said a statement.
The new museums will join the Centre Pompidou’s upcoming and current locations in Metz, Brussels, New Jersey, Malaga and Shanghai.
The Royal Commission for AlUla (RCU) is investing $5.2 billion in the first phase of AlUla, which is set to complete in 2023.
RCU is collaborating with the French government agency Afalula on the $15bn project, described described as the world’s largest living museum.
To be developed in three phases in 2023, 2030 and 2035, AlUla is located near Saudi Arabia’s first UNESCO World Heritage Site, Hegra.
Images: Centre Pompidou
