“Separate But Inseparable: Mythology and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome” Exhibition (Seoul, South Korea)

 

The “Separate But Inseparable: Mythology and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome” Exhibition

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

 

The “Separate But Inseparable: Mythology and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome” Exhibition, from June 15, 2023 to May 30, 2027, highlights, through the themes of mythology, portraiture, and the afterlife, how the cultures and histories of ancient Greece and Rome became deeply intertwined—separate but inseparable—in a symbiotic relationship that greatly benefited them both.

 

"The World of Mythology" Exhibit

Jointly organized with the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, Austria (which houses a world-renowned collection of Greek and Roman Antiquities), on exhibit are 126 cultural artifacts and artworks, including Portrait of Gaius Julius Caesar estimated to be from between 100 BCE to 100 CE, and a Roman bronze sculpture of Zeus from between the first and second century. 

Check out “Kunsthistorisches Museum” and "National Museum of Korea"

 

Marble sculptures at "The World of Mythology" Exhibit

The “World of Mythology,” the first part, considers the famous myths that originated in Greece and were later adopted by Rome. On showcase are 55 works, including Greek pottery vessels and terracotta lamps decorated with images of the gods, along with large marble sculptures and small bronze statuettes from the Roman era.

 

Gods That Move the World

The displayed items and accompanying audiovisual materials illustrate the unique powers and domains of the most important Greek gods through related stories, while also explaining how and why these myths became so deeply ingrained in the lives of ancient people. 

Gods in Greek and Roman Life

Heroes Born From Gods and Humans

The exhibition also emphasizes how Rome’s embrace of Greek mythology served as the foundation for a shared worldview that has forever linked the two civilizations. Visitors will also learn about the religious nature of ancient mythology and why the gods were depicted in human forms representing absolute beauty.

 

Terracotta oil lamps

"The Human Sphere," the second part, is dedicated to portraiture from the two empires, focusing particularly on portrait sculptures, which uniquely reveal the discrepancies between ancient Greece and Rome while highlighting the mutually beneficial relationship between the two cultures. 

The Roman villa themed "The Human Sphere" Exhibit

The space hosting this part of the exhibition was modeled after a Roman villa, where portrait sculptures were predominantly displayed. At the center of the exhibition, visitors can immerse themselves in the ambiance of ancient Greece and Rome, where they are invited to engage in philosophical conversations about gods, death, and existence, just as the ancient Greeks and Romans did.

 

Roman busts.  At the center is the bust of Emperor Marcus Aurelius

Roman marble sculptures.  The bust of Gaius Julius Caesar  is at the center

"The Empire of Shadows," the third part, examines the ancient Greek and Roman conceptions of the afterlife through tombstone art, a notion that inspired ornate inscriptions and images to be engraved on cremation urns and sarcophagi.

 

"The Empire of Shadows" Exhibit

The exhibition includes simple but informative work descriptions, as well as tactile exhibits and braille signage for visitors with visual impairment and other disabilities.  It also features “My Picks,” a special video which offers new ways for visitors to experience and enjoy the exhibited artworks.  

Minerva/Athena

Bacchus

Here, eight acclaimed leaders from different fields (including a music critic, a physicist, a fashion designer, a priest, and an actor) share their personal perspectives and interpretations of one selected work from the exhibition to help the audience better understand the two civilizations.

 

Beauty is Virtue

“Separate But Inseparable: Mythology and Culture of Ancient Greece and Rome” Exhibition: Ancient Greece and Rome Gallery (Room 311), World Arts Gallery, National Museum of Korea, 137, Seobinggo-ro, Yongsan-gu, Seoul 04383, South Korea. Tel : +82-2-2077-9000.  Open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Sundays, 10 AM – 6 PM., Wednesdays and Saturdays, 10 AM – 9 PM. Entry closes 30 minutes before the closing time.  Closed on New Year’s Day, Seollal (Lunar New Year’s Day and Chuseok (Korean Thanksgiving Day. Admission free but charges apply for special exhibitions. Website: www.museum.go.kr. Guided tours (in Korean) are conducted three times per day (11 AM, 1 PM, 3 PM). Coordinates: 37°31′26″N 126°58′49″E. 

How to Get There: By subway, take Line 4 or the Gyeongui-Joungang Line (Munsan-Yongmun) to Ichon Station. Go out Exit 2 and walk 150 m. toward Yongsan Family Park. Information on elevator: An elevator is located in the direction of Exit 1 and Exit 2 of Ichon Station. 

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.