The Russian Embassy in Seoul held a special viewing for its immersive digital exhibition of the Hermitage Museum at the Oil Tank Culture Park, showcasing more than 80 digital works and recreations of the Winter Palace through July 30.
The Hermitage Museum, founded by Empress Catherine the Great in the 18th century, is one of the world’s largest and most prestigious art museums, housing millions of artifacts in St. Petersburg’s Winter Palace.
Held at the transformed Oil Tank Culture Park, the viewing event for its "The Magnificent Hermitage" exhibition on Monday drew diplomats from over 25 countries, along with artists, journalists and media representatives.
Describing the Hermitage Museum, Georgy Zinoviev, Russia’s ambassador to South Korea, cited the exhibition as an important cultural initiative and expressed hope for future in-person exchanges.
“People of the Republic of Korea will one day have the opportunity to visit exhibitions of masterpieces from the Hermitage and other Russian museums in their original form,” Zinoviev said.
“That is a matter for the future, but for now, visitors have the opportunity to experience them here in a virtual format,” he added.
“Some exhibitions have been held within Russia, but outside our country, this is our first experience,” he said.
He also thanked Yoo Min-seok, CEO of Artworks, for bringing the project to life.
“It was Yoo’s dream to bring the Hermitage here to Seoul, and I am very happy that this dream, through his diligent work, came true,” the ambassador said.
Meanwhile, Lee Dong-won, CEO of MBN Group and the exhibition’s main sponsor, said the project demonstrates the growing role of cultural exchange in international relations noting that culture and creative works were increasingly connecting nations and people.
sanjaykumar@heraldcorp.com
