A black tent at the entrance and later a wide screen displaying a blacksmith greets the viewer, then a voice: “While watching his father working as a blacksmith, he had an exceptional understanding of space. Due to frequent illnesses, he spent much time looking out of the house alone[...] For him, nature was his eternal teacher and he always tried to catch the most pure and joyful image of nature. He dreamed of[...]” and the video goes on. This is about Antoni Gaudi, today’s world renowned architect, and the Barcelona that he always dreamed of. Through the Antoni Gaudi Exhibition: Dream of Barcelona, meet his dreams, dream like him, and then go off to Barcelona.

 

After the end of the video, at the very next corner begins the first section, Gaudi’s biographical notes. In chronological order, it is a display of the notes from his youth when he started to work as an architect after graduation to the moment he unexpectedly died in a streetcar accident. Definitely the most eye-catching is the head sculpture of Gaudi located right in the middle of the hall. It is a death mask made using a cast of the dead body of Gaudi. Not long after an eerie feeling, his unadorned, conservative appearance comes to sight again, which is somewhat out of keeping with the fancy and elegant image of most architects. 

 

Another imposing exhibit is a watercolor of a contemplating man. This is “Gaudi in study at Sagrada Familia” by Ricard Opiso. In the painting, although the overall shape is vague, Gaudi’s serious facial expressions are well-depicted, demonstrating how gravely he devoted himself to constructing Sagrada Familia, now one of the most famous cathedrals, located in Barcelona, Spain. What makes this painting more intriguing is that this is the original version, which has been found very recently while preparing for this exhibition in Korea.

 

The proceding section displays Antoni Gaudi’s works created when he was as an architecture student. There is a quote written on the wall, which summarizes his entire work at that time. “I am not sure I hand in this diploma to either the genius madman,” is what the president of the School of Architecture of Barcelona said to Gaudi on commencement day. Looking around numerous blueprints varying from ground plans to cross section plans, it is hard to believe that an undergraduate created all of them. In Gaudi’s graduation project, “The Auditorium Project,” all components including columns, staircases, and even stone statues and famous artworks for decoration are depicted in great detail. 

 

In the third section, Gaudi’s early works where he had laid groundwork for his future achievement as an architect are exhibited. After the death of three members of his family, he immersed himself in his works more than ever. In the meantime, by chance, he met Eusebi Guell, an entrepreneur who became his biggest supporter later. Gaudi spent his best days with him, constructing historic accomplishments including Park Guell and Colonia Guell Palace, which have been also designated as World Heritage sites by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). In the next two sections, diverse diagrams Gaudi designed for constructing town houses are displayed. At the same time, furniture and fittings such as tiles and door knobs are also shown to the viewers.

 

Definitely, the climax is the sixth section where Gaudi’s works for Sagrada Familia are exhibited. It is said that Gaudi spent most of his time as an architect—for 43 years—working on the construction of the cathedral. Yet he could not complete his work; the construction is still ongoing. Nevertheless, it is already considered as one of the greatest works of architecture of all time. Indeed, this Seoul exhibition seems to have put great effort into displaying these works. That is, there are various ways for audiences to experience the characteristic grandiosity and refinedness of Sagrada Familia.

 

There is a cross-section structure of the cathedral which resembles a tree trunk. The smaller branch-like pillars stretch up to the sky as it goes higher, just like a tree. It seems, however, that Gaudi did not only imitate how the tree looks, but also tried to imply meaning, because he was an architect who adored and even venerated nature. Besides, on the opposite side, the videos slowly capturing every part of the cathedral, are played with the audio guide, which shows the elaborateness of the cathedral. Above all, the most impressive exhibit would be the small screen nearby the structure. With the name “2026, We Build Tomorrow,” the screen displays the actual ongoing construction process and the completed works in 2026, using flashy computer graphics. This is the moment when the audiences’ dreams of going to Barcelona and seeing the completed work are accomplished. 

 

   
▲ The picture of magnificent Sagrada Familia Cathedral. Provided by entertour.enterhost.co.kr.

Throughout the exhibition, where 169 artworks and 100 pictures are exhibited, the audience can rarely see the completed works. Instead, many other byproducts used in the construction are shown to them—varying from fairly rough design plans, sketches, and architectural components, to pictures of the ongoing construction. On one hand, it is easy to think that students studying architecture or those who have seen the works in person would appreciate the exhibition better as they understand architectural terms and can imagine what they have seen.

 

However, the exhibition itself arranges diverse methods to encourage many people to enjoy the exhibition. For example, hourlong docent-led tours are provided three times a day. Alternatively, visitors can utilize the audio guide program either by borrowing the museum’s smartphone or by downloading the application on their own phone. In this case, it is recommended to see the exhibition more than once—the first time without the guide and the next with it. This is because the application and the comments on the exhibits themselves give quite different explanations. 

 

There is another device the exhibition has arranged—3D Virtual Reality (VD) Dive Experience. Whether an architecture afficionado or layperson, anyone finishing the exhibition will dream of traveling to Spain and seeing the works in person. These devices make dreams become reality as the audience can see the current pictures of the works in 3D at the end of the display. It was like the finishing touch of the exhibition, if it is likened to an artwork.

 

It is an undeniable fact that Antoni Gaudi comes to many people’s mind when they think of Barcelona. People are paying more attention to Gaudi and his art, and some even fly to Barcelona to witness such a renowned architect’s artworks for themselves. Antoni Gaudi Exhibition: Dream of Barcelona will be a great chance to meet Gaudi’s dreams in Barcelona and dream along with him. After seeing this exhibition, many will begin to dream of going off to Barcelona. 

 

Exhibition Information Venue: Hangaram Design Museum in Seoul Arts Center 

Date: July 31 – November 1 (Closed on October 26) 
Time: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. 
Price: Adult 15,000 won / University students 13,000 won (student ID card required) 
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