Incheon Paradise Hotel welcomes guests into world of art

The indoor plaza located inside Incheon Paradise City Hotel is inspired by Piazza della Signoria in Florence. [PARADISE GROUP]

 
A large-scale indoor square comes into sight as one enters Incheon Paradise City Hotel located on Yeongjong Island. Amid gigantic sculptures placed here and there, shops and restaurants are dotted along the plaza. 
 
The plaza looks similar to squares in some European countries. The guess is correct. Choi Yoon-jung, chairwoman of the Paradise Cultural Foundation, said she “drew inspiration from the Piazza della Signoria in Florence.”
 
“When I visited the Piazza della Signoria, I told my husband I wanted a space where life and art coexist. A space where architecture and sculptures blend together. A place where people can relax and then head straight to the nearby museums. We’ve created the place we drew in our imaginations.” 
 

Choi Yoon-jung, the chairwoman of the Paradise Cultural Foundation, sits against the backdrop of Andy Warhol’s silkscreen printings. [KWEN HYEK-JAE]

 
The Paradise Group and Incheon Paradise City Hotel’s art collection has since gone viral, with more overseas guests visiting the hotel to see art pieces. “I am proud when our collection is noticed by art aficionados,” Choi said.  
 
Paradise Group is currently preparing to open a new five-star hotel in Jangchung-dong, central Seoul, where its headquarters is located. It will be the group’s third hotel alongside those in Busan and Incheon.
 
When asked about the new hotel, Choi said, “Competition will be tough because five-star hotels are springing up in Seoul. Among all the brand-new hotels, we are pondering what we offer as a Korean [hotel] brand.”
 
The JoongAng Ilbo, an affiliate of the Korea JoongAng Daily, recently sat down with Choi to hear more about her love for art. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.  
 
Q: Tell us some anecdotes from when you were collecting the art pieces.  
A: I came to know many good people as I began collecting artwork. I still have a good relationship with Damien Hirst and Jeff Koons. Koons was here for the opening ceremony of Paradise Art Space. I’m especially fond of his wit and bold humor.
 
All of Hirst and Koons’ creations stand side by side at the Paradise Art Space. Is there a special reason? 
  
The first time I met Hirst was in the early 2000s. We’ve known each other since he first broke into the art scene with the Sensation exhibition. When I was working on the opening of Paradise City Hotel, I asked him to work on a piece for our hotel and he promised to present a monumental one. It is one of the spot painting series, which was the biggest one at that time. It is titled “Aurous Cyanide” and measures 9 (29 feet) by 3 meters. I remember having a hard time finding somewhere to store it before its installation because of its size.  


How is your collection different from your corporate collection?
 
They are very different. My collection reflects my preferences while the corporate collection, which you can view at Paradise City Hotel, incorporates the Paradise Group’s vision and philosophy. My collection includes pieces by Ed Ruscha, Lee Ufan, and Haegue Yang.
 

French artist Jean Hélion’s painting was chosen by Choi Yoon-jung, the chairwoman of the Paradise Cultural Foundation, as the most special among all the art pieces she possesses. [PARADISE GROUP]

 
Out of all your collections, if you have to choose the one that is most special to you which would it be? 


I would say it is “L’Homme a la Chaussure Blanche” by French artist Jean Hélion (1904-1987). My father-in-law [Chun Rak-won] had it even before I married my husband and hung the painting on his wall. After getting married, I used to live with my father-in-law. He and I spent a lot of time together at home because he was very sick then. We often looked at the painting together more than anything else. 
 
It seems like French modern paintings are being rediscovered after Art Basel was held in Paris last year. Although French paintings from the 1930s are sold at the highest prices, this one by Hélion is still meaningful in art history. The artist worked on it after he was deported to New York in 1944 because he took a stance against the Nazi regime. I was asked to sell this several times before but this is a special painting for my entire family so this one will stay with us forever.  
 
Is there any artist you did not pay attention to before but became interested in later?  


For me, this would be Elizabeth Peyton. People used to tell me about her but she didn’t intrigue me that much back then. When I visited the Frieze Art Fair held in Los Angeles last year, I was captivated by her work. It was this small-scale painting of the late Queen Elizabeth drawn with light and bold touches. I stood in front of the painting for a while and ended up purchasing it. The funny thing is my English name is Elizabeth, too. [laughs] Three Elizabeths in one drawing.
 

Portrait of Queen Elizabeth by Elizabeth Peyton [PARADISE GROUP]

 
Let me ask you some other questions other than your collection. Can you tell us the most impressive exhibition you’ve been to recently?


I loved the exhibition of Cecily Brown held in April at The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. I am quite conservative so I am not a fan of the way she expresses her messages in a direct manner. But I love her explosive energy, bold layout, complicated narratives, and her unique usage of colors. I am frankly more attracted to the exhibitions of artists whose artwork we have in our collection. I try to appreciate the artwork piece by piece but I sometimes pay attention to the arrangement of art pieces or how they blend in the gallery.
 
What changes have you undergone since beginning to collect artwork?


I met a lot of people through art. I had to see and buy artwork myself so I traveled a lot, both domestically and overseas, and met people from all walks of life. Through this community, we exchange important information. I have wanted to contribute to the expansion of Korean art abroad. This job is very important and rewarding.
 

Korean artist Lee Bae’s installations were exhibited during the 2018 Incheon Paradise City Art Space. [PARADISE CULTURAL FOUNDATION]

Ceramic artist Lee Ka-jin’s installation greets visitors at the tea lounge of Incheon Paradise City Hotel. [PARADISE GROUP]

Paradise Cultural Foundation published a report in English on the country’s art market in December 2022. Sponsored by Korea Arts Management Service, it was a collaborative project with Seoul National University Business School. By teaming up with experts in the art industry, the report touches on trends in the contemporary Korean art market with themes such as art fairs, auctions, collection trends, and exhibition trends. It was unprecedented for a cultural foundation run by a private company to publish such a report. What made you publish this report on the Korean art market in English?  

The overseas art world is very interested in the Korean art market but the thing is there is not enough information. I felt bad for those who wanted to learn more about the Korean art market. So we published the report and uploaded it free of charge on our cultural foundation and the Korea Arts Management Service websites.
 
Paradise Cultural Foundation previously organized New York Art-Omi, which is a residency program for promising artists. Some of the program’s beneficiaries include Yeondoo Jung and Kim Beom. The foundation tried its hand at other various cultural projects such as Paradise Art Lab and Paradise Zip, which is a cultural center. Of all these, Paradise Art Lab is the foundation’s signature project, with the foundation supporting the production of 29 art pieces over the past three years. The Art Lab is set to take place between September 1 and 10 at the Paradise City Hotel’s plaza.
 
I still have clear memories of my hands-on experience with augmented reality in the 2019 Paradise Art Lab. Is it true that the lab seems to be devoted to introducing high-tech media art? 
 
That is correct. Art Lab is designed to promote potential Korean artists. Out of all art’s sub-genres, Korean artists excel in media art for sure. Many artists make the most use of artificial intelligence, AR, and media facades in their fields. Many artists were sponsored by Art Lab, including Hayoun Kwon, Yunchul Kim, Collective A, Tacit Group, Youngkak Cho, Jiyeon Jang, and IVAAIU CITY. They are some of the artists who are hard at work in the art scene. In addition to assisting artists and offering memorable experiences to exhibitiongoers, I hope Art Lab will develop into a decent festival.
 
What is the most important thing to do to discover promising artists?  
 
The most important thing is to support artists. Supporting and discovering artists has been a long-held tradition at Paradise Group. I believe that helping them grow into artists is a sure-fire shortcut to discovering good artists.
 
 
Paradise Art Lab Festival  
 
 
 
It is a cultural program by Paradise Cultural Foundation. Regardless of genre, the program selects beneficiaries and provides them with financial support. Launched in 2018, the selected artists present their works at exhibitions or performances. Entering its fourth year, the festival is set to be held between September 1 and 10. Themed on the meteorite, seven teams of artists will present their creations. They include Roomtone, Keunho Park, also known as Chamsae, and YALOO & WONWOORI.
 

Artist duo Roomtone offers an immersive experience by using elements of virtual reality technology and digital games in their artwork. It will be unveiled at this year’s Paradise Art Lab Festival. [PARADISE CULTURAL FOUNDATION]

 
Paradise Group Chairman Phillip Chun’s love for Nam June Paik   

Nam June Paik ‘s “Hitchcocked” is installed at Art Paradiso Hotel in Incheon. [PARADISE GROUP]

 
It is widely known that Chun is especially fond of video art pioneer Nam June Paik. Chun has some of Paik’s pieces but the one he most treasures is “Hitchcocked,” which Chun purchased in 2017. The artwork has elements that conjure up images of Alfred Hitchcock’s films including “The Birds” (1963) and “Rear Window” (1954). Hitchcock is considered the best filmmaker to express human fear and anxiety.
 

“Golden Crown” by Choi Jeong-hwa is located at the entrance of the Incheon Paradise City Hotel. [PARADISE GROUP]

 
Must-see Korean artwork at Paradise City  


“Golden Crown” by Choi Jeong-hwa
Artist Choi Jeong-hwa blurs boundaries between real and fake, and art and daily life. Everyday commodities such as banners, plastic bowls, exfoliating washcloths and rolls of foil become materials for his art. His works are usually themed on mass production and excessive consumption by Koreans. The award-winning artist is considered the one who created the Korean pop art movement.
 

“Sonic Rotating Geometry Type1-Brass Plated #26” by Haegue Yang uses brass bells as the main material. [PARADISE GROUP]

“Sonic Rotating Geometry Type1-Brass Plated #26” by Haegue Yang


One of Haegue Yang’s installations is made with brass bells, which are often associated with shamanism and sometimes remind people of an agrarian society. It sparkles in the light and makes unique sounds when gently touched. Yang engraved her name into the global art scene when she was chosen to represent Korea at the 2009 Venice Biennale.
 

“Between Red – 016NOV” by Sea Hyun Lee is installed at the VIP entrance of Incheon Paradise City Hotel. [PARADISE GROUP]

“Between Red – 016NOV” by Sea Hyun Lee  
 
This drawing was inspired by the scenery the artist saw through night vision glasses when he was on night duty near the demilitarized zone during his mandatory military service. This red, beautiful yet surreal scenery evokes feelings of fear.
 

“Usquam Nusquam” by Je Yeo-Ran [PARADISE GROUP]

“Usquam Nusquam” by Je Yeo-Ran  


Using squeegees instead of paintbrushes, the artist spreads the bold colors of oil paints out onto the canvas.  
 

“Flâneur in Museum_Duomo, Louvre, Toledo, Catalunya” by Kim Hongshik [PARADISE GROUP]

 
“Flâneur in Museum_Duomo, Louvre, Toledo, Catalunya” by Kim Hongshik
 
Kim takes photos inside museums and prints them on stainless steel. The prints are partially painted and later framed and gilded with gold. The artist highlights crowds who flock in front of masterpieces at museums to see the artwork not with their eyes but with their smartphones or cameras.
 
 
 
 
 
 

BY LEE EUN-JU [kjdculture@joongang.co.kr]