Centre Pompidou Hanwha welcomes President Emmanuel Macron as part of his state visit to South Korea

The Hanwha Foundation of Culture announced that French President Emmanuel Macron visited Centre Pompidou Hanwha on April 3 as part of his official state visit to South Korea. The visit marked a meaningful occasion to reaffirm the significance of cultural cooperation between Korea and France as the two countries celebrate the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations this year, ahead of the museum’s opening in June.

Also in attendance were Catherine Pégard, French Minister of Culture; Philippe Bertoux, Ambassador of France to South Korea; and Laurent Le Bon, President of Centre Pompidou; along with a high-level delegation of French officials and representatives from the cultural sector.

Located at the foot of 63 Tower on Yeouido Island, the building was designed by the renowned French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte, making it a further symbol of cultural dialogue between France and Korea.

The visit was followed by a meeting with Korean artists. The gathering included internationally acclaimed leading Korean artists Kimsooja and Lee Bae, as well as emerging artists such as Kim Heecheon and Yoo Junyoung. Speaking about artistic exchange and collaboration between Korea and France, President Macron said, “This museum will stand as a bridge between France and Korea. My exchange with Korean artists today — true links between our two countries — has shown that the Centre Pompidou Hanwha will serve as a platform for dialogue between the French and Korean artistic scenes. Together, France and Korea have the ambition to multiply opportunities for dialogue and residencies between our artists, and to become ever stronger creative partners.”

Established through the partnership between the Hanwha Foundation of Culture and Centre Pompidou, Centre Pompidou Hanwha is a new institution dedicated to modern and contemporary art in the heart of Seoul. With an exhibition space of over 11,000 square meters, it brings together Centre Pompidou and Hanwha’s forward-looking vision to build a cultural bridge connecting Korea, France, and the broader international art world. Its programming will create dialogue between major movements in art history and contemporary creation, while offering cultural and educational activities for Korean audiences.

Centre Pompidou — France’s multidisciplinary cultural center and national museum of modern and contemporary art — is internationally renowned for its extensive collection, which includes masterpieces from the 20th and 21st centuries by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Wassily Kandinsky, Henri Matisse, Sonia Delaunay, and Marc Chagall. Over the next four years, Centre Pompidou Hanwha will present two major exhibitions annually based on this world-class collection. In addition, the museum will produce two to three exhibitions each year centered on contemporary art, developing layered programs that connect major currents in international art history with today’s critical discourse.

Lee Sungsoo, President of the Hanwha Foundation of Culture, said, “President Macron’s visit offered an opportunity to reaffirm the significance of the partnership that Korea and France have built through arts and culture as the two countries mark the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations. Centre Pompidou Hanwha will continue to broaden the scope of international cultural exchange through a diverse range of programs as a cultural platform connecting Korea and France.”‍