Twice a year, Yeobaek Seowon in South Korea, the house of books invites a scientist, poet or artist to spend some time there, working in between ginseng and rice fields, next to the forest. A lovely retreat, as onliest noise you can hear is chickens, birds and sometimes the voices of farmers in the fields.
The residency, Yeobaek Seowon consists of three buildings and is located on the end of a valley. The main building is like a library, filled with books, mostly in Korean in German. Johannes Mundinger had a guest house as working and sleeping space and the third building is a small gallery, where he was having a small exhibition opening.
The founder has been professor for literature at the Seoul University and teached him the Korean letters within one hour.
As part of the residency the artist just finished his first two murals on the facade of the dormitory of Neulpureun School an alternative school.
They are two separate murals, but located around the corner, so could also be seen as one big wall. He was directing the motives towards the residents of the building.
As usually, his walls are quite abstract, but here they still contain certain ideas. ’Shadow’, the fully painted wall plays with the allegory of the cave by Plato.
The second, „Stage“, is more of a frame for the pure wall, than a classical painting. He thought about the school itself. That gives a frame, a base of knowledge and experience, that will be filled through ones own development during life.
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