Anjwa Island Project Floating Museum

Shinan County is located in Dadohae, Jeolla-do, at the southwesternmost end of Korea, consisting of a total of 1,004 islands including 72 manned islands and 932 uninhabited islands. The county is called “Angel Islands” because “1004” is pronounced the same as “Angel” in Korean. It is completely made up of islands with a combined population of 30,000 people. Discovered off the coast of Shinan in 1976, the sunken ship called “Shinan Ship” was discovered to be a trading ship connecting the city of Qingyuan (present day Ningbo) in China and Hakata in Japan in 1323. This proved that the sea of Shinan was a channel for the mutual exchange of people, things, culture, and technology for many generations.
Previously, the only way to travel from Mokpo on the mainland to each island was by boat, but with the opening of the 10.8km-long “1004 Bridge” in 2019, more and more people are able to access the islands by car. Shinan’s sea area is about 70 times larger than the land area, and the largest mudflats in Korea are present here. The mudflats are a treasure trove of endangered species and are registered as UNESCO Natural Heritage sites. It also has a rich natural landscape, including a vast salt field where more than 88% of the natural salt, considered the highest grade of salt in Korea, is produced. Despite the many natural attractions, Shinan County continues to deal with the challenges of a low birth rate and an aging population due to the concentration of young people in Seoul and other metropolitan areas. To bring more attention to the area the project “ONE ISLAND, ONE MUSEUM” was founded in 2010.

Diplomacy between Korea and Japan began in 1375, when Yoshimitsu Ashikaga, the third shogun of the Muromachi shogunate, sent a diplomatic mission “Joseon Tongsinsa” to the then-ruling Goryeo Dynasty. After that, although repeatedly suspended and resumed, the mission was held about 12 times up to 1811, maintaining peaceful and friendly relations between the two countries and contributing to cultural development. Hoshu Amenomori, a Korean diplomat of Tsushima Domain who helped to negotiate between Japan and Korea stated in his book “Seishin no Majiwari” that “Seishin means we will not deceive or fight each other, but to interact truthfully” as he believed the importance of diplomacy to be a deep understanding of each other’s customs and culture.

Hyoungkee Kang, the executive director of the Anjwa Island Project was drawn to Yanagi’s work at the Inujima Seireisho Art Museum while researching similar work with an emphasis on the unique climate of the archipelago and the ties between Japan and Korea. Respecting Yanagi’s idea that there is no point in making a “box” without a soul, the new plan for “FLOATING MUSEUM” and the surrounding art site was born.
During the 6 year planning, this project has been delayed significantly from its original schedule due to worsening diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan and the Covid-19 pandemic, but construction is scheduled to be completed this Spring. The long-awaited museum – the second architectural project for the artist since Inujima – will open to the public in 2024.