Sinan County Appoints World-Renowned Architect Mario Botta and Sculptor Park Eun Sun as Ambassadors

Jaeundo Museum of Art

Transforming into the Hub of Premium Extended-Stay Tourism

Sinan-gun, located in the Jeonnam Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, has appointed world-renowned architect Mario Botta and internationally acclaimed sculptor Park Eun Sun as ambassadors. By highlighting the soon-to-open Sinan County Museum of Art—scheduled to open in 2027—the county is accelerating its global cultural tourism strategy to transform the area from a destination for quick visits into a premium, extended-stay destination.

On September 11 (local time), the county attended the opening ceremony of the "Park Eun Sun–Mario Botta" exhibition at the Gabriele & Anna Braglia Foundation in Lugano, Switzerland. Following the exhibition, a ceremony was held at the Hotel Splendide Royal to appoint Mario Botta and Park Eun Sun as ambassadors for Sinan-gun.

On the 11th, Shinan County attended the opening ceremony of the "Eunsun Park Mario Botta" exhibition held at the Braglia Foundation in Lugano, Switzerland. Photo by Shinan County

This exhibition was organized to showcase both the architectural designs and models of the Sinan County Museum of Art, which is currently under construction on Jaeundo, alongside the artistic world of Park Eun Sun.

Of particular note, the Braglia Foundation independently planned and financed the exhibition, providing the first official introduction of the Sinan County Museum of Art—opening in 2027—to the European art community.

The museum will be built as a two-story structure with one basement level. By combining the designs of a world-class architect with international art content, the museum aims to become a new cultural tourism landmark that represents Sinan.

Mario Botta, appointed as one of the ambassadors, is a Swiss architect of global standing who has designed the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), as well as the Gangnam Kyobo Tower and Leeum Museum of Art in Korea. He is currently in charge of designing the Sinan County Museum of Art.

Park Eun Sun has worked as a sculptor based mainly in Pietrasanta, Italy, since 1993 and was named an honorary citizen of Pietrasanta in 2021, further establishing her international career centered around Europe.

The county plans to utilize the appointment of these two masters as an opportunity to actively promote not only the Sinan County Museum of Art, but also the islands, gardens, and cultural-art resources of Sinan to the global stage.

In particular, the ninth elected administration of Sinan-gun is moving beyond simply increasing the number of visitors and instead is focusing on expanding the actual duration of visitors' stays and the amount of local spending, making "premium extended-stay tourism" a central government initiative.

While previous policies focused on Sinan’s natural resources—its islands, marine areas, and gardens—the new strategy is to add world-class museums and cultural-art content, giving tourists compelling reasons to extend their stay on the islands.

The museum is considered a core facility for this transformation of the tourism paradigm.

The plan is to make the museum—designed by a globally acclaimed architect—a standalone tourist attraction, while also developing high-quality exhibitions and cultural-art programs. The museum visit will be integrated with accommodation, food, and visits to nearby attractions, establishing a structure for extended-stay tourism.

Furthermore, the county intends not to operate the museum as an isolated facility, but in connection with nearby islands such as Jaeundo, creating itineraries that encourage tourists who travel to Sinan for cultural and artistic reasons to stay for at least one night.

This exhibition in Switzerland is also significant as it allows Sinan to network with the European art scene and establish international recognition even before the museum’s opening.

With Mario Botta and Park Eun Sun serving as ambassadors, the county expects them to play an important role in expanding exchanges with the international cultural and art communities, attracting international exhibitions, and promoting Sinan’s cultural tourism brand overseas.

Tae-seong Kim, Mayor of Sinan County, stated, “I envision a future where a visit to feel the arts leads to an overnight stay on the islands, and that one night’s stay creates demand for restaurants, accommodations, and jobs for local residents. Through the reputation of these two global masters, I hope Sinan will connect with the world.”

He added, “Our aim is to make the Sinan County Museum of Art not merely a place to display works, but rather the centerpiece of premium, extended-stay tourism that encourages people to come and stay in Sinan.”

Meanwhile, during their visit to Switzerland, Sinan officials held a separate meeting with Mario Botta, the architect of the Sinan County Museum of Art, to discuss specific ways to enhance the quality of the museum, including architectural design and spatial composition.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.