KIMYOUNGGAP GALLERY DUMOAK

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A rural school reborn as a photo gallery. Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak, 2002, Kim Young-gap. The building introduced today was originally Samdal Elementary School, which opened in 1967. Following the implementation of educational autonomy in 1990, Jeju Island, which had scarce provincial budgets, pushed for the consolidation of small schools, leading to the school's closure in 1998 and being leased to photographer Kim Young-gap in 2001. In the summer of 2002, it opened its doors as 'Kim Young-gap Gallery Dumoak'. 'Dumoak' refers to the old name of Mount Halla, and the space houses works by Kim Young-gap, who has exclusively captured Jeju Island in photographs for over 20 years. Because the artist personally renovated the abandoned school, it resembles the old elementary school buildings on Jeju Island, being a single-story reinforced concrete structure. Furthermore, the playground has been transformed into a garden with stone statues, and the former corridors and classrooms now serve as exhibition spaces. This adaptation seems suitable for galleries and studios, as schools are generally designed with wide spaces between columns. The gallery also has a memorial room displaying Kim Young-gap's works and personal items, allowing visitors to see his books, camera, and memories from his active years and battle with Lou Gehrig's disease through photos and videos. Unlike other galleries, admission comes with a postcard featuring a photo of Jeju Island taken by the artist, which was a unique feature. The indoor space, with its low ceiling and soft lighting, offers a serene environment for quietly appreciating the photographs. Spaces between the walls where only one of the artist's photographs is displayed also serve to emphasize the work, which seems possible due to the horizontal frame size of the pictures. Behind the gallery, there's a self-service tea house and a walking path, providing a quiet place for rest. The gallery not only revitalizes an old building but also enriches the cultural landscape in a rural area lacking such facilities.