On March 1, 2025, Space Risangchun was established as a contemporary art complex (dedicated to research, education, exhibitions, and criticism) at 26 Namsan-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu (2nd floor). Gonggan Ri Sang-chun was established to carry on the avant-garde artistic spirit of Daegu-born artist Ri Sang-chun (1910–1937), who dedicated himself to national independence and the liberation of workers and farmers through the avant-garde art styles of the Japanese colonial era. After enduring repeated imprisonment due to Japanese oppression, he died tragically at the age of 27. Space Ri Sang-chun is an alternative cultural and artistic space jointly established by “RICA (Ri Sang Chun Institute of Contemporary Art)” and “Local Post,” two organizations that have led Daegu’s contemporary art scene since the 2010s by addressing pressing local issues.
The “contemporary art” that Space Risangchun advocates refers, above all, to art that has evolved from conceptual art—which led this transition by rejecting the formalist modernism of the past and addressing local contemporary issues conceptually and through performance art using appropriate media and forms—within the context of the art-historical shift from modern art to contemporary art. In this context, Rika has recently addressed local ecological issues (the Palhyeon Wetlands along the Geumho River), gender conflicts (the Daegu Queer Culture Festival), religious and cultural conflicts (the construction of an Islamic mosque in Daehyeon-dong), institutional criticism (the Lee In-sung Art Award), and issues of democracy (the erection of a Park Chung-hee statue). Similarly, Local Post has focused on local issues such as the transmission towers in Sampyeong-ri, Cheongdo; the THAAD deployment in Seongju; the redevelopment of Dongin Apartments; and the Gumi Optical case.
Based on research and discussion of contemporary art, Space Risangchun plans to nurture local young artists and operate various contemporary art education programs for citizens. It also aims to curate timely exhibitions addressing current global and regional issues and, furthermore, to establish a space for critical discourse. Space Risangchun will actively promote projects that engage directly with citizens—including installation projects and, in particular, interventions in streets, plazas, everyday life, and public spaces—and will exhibit these projects with a focus on their processes and outcomes, thereby seeking to drive change in the local community. In short, Space Risangchun aims to serve as a hub for contemporary art in the region by building networks with artists not only from other parts of Korea but also from diverse regions around the world.
