Mrs. Kim Hye-kyung attended the opening ceremony of the Korea-UAE joint exhibition ‘Close Worlds’ held at the Seoul Museum of Art this afternoon, emphasizing the importance of cultural exchange and solidarity between the two countries. This exhibition was selected for the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism’s bilateral international cultural cooperation support project and was organized by the Seoul Museum of Art (SeMA) and the Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF). ‘Close Worlds’ is the first large-scale exhibition in Korea to introduce contemporary UAE art, featuring 110 works by 44 teams of artists representing contemporary UAE art, including paintings, photographs, videos, sculptures, and installations.
Previously, in May, the Korea-UAE joint exhibition ‘Layered Medium: We Are in Open Circuits,’ featuring 48 works by leading Korean artists such as Kim Ah-young, Park Hyun-ki, and Nam June Paik, was held in Abu Dhabi. Before the opening ceremony, Mrs. Kim had a conversation with Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Choi Hwi-young, UAE Minister of Culture Salem bin Khalid Al Qasimi, and Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation Chairwoman Huda Alkhamis-Kanoo about cultural exchange between the two countries.
Mrs. Kim expressed her deep gratitude for the warm hospitality shown by the UAE during the state visit last month, saying, “I was deeply moved during the joint performance at the Presidential Palace, and when my eyes welled up with tears, the UAE Minister of Culture handed me a handkerchief, a moment that has stayed with me.” Minister Choi also mentioned that the scene became a hot topic in Korea, saying, “It was a symbolic moment showing the friendship and trust between the two countries.” In response, UAE Minister of Culture Salem bin Khalid Al Qasimi humorously remarked, “I noticed a lot of Koreans were looking at us.”
He further stated, “Cultural exchange is becoming an important foundation that deepens the relationship between the two countries. I hope that such cooperation will continue to expand into various fields, further solidifying the friendship and trust between Korea and the UAE.” At the subsequent exhibition opening ceremony, Mrs. Kim said in her congratulatory speech, “The recent state visit has strengthened the special partnership between Korea and the UAE. I hope this exhibition will broaden mutual understanding between the peoples of the two countries and serve as an opportunity for cultural cooperation to mature further.”