A unique dialogue has been forged between two masters of their respective fields: Japanese architect Tadao Ando and British sculptor Antony Gormley. At Museum SAN in Wonju, South Korea, their first-ever collaboration has resulted in a permanent subterranean gallery named Ground. Conceived as both a work of art and an “experiential site,” the concrete dome is a powerful spatial experiment designed to challenge the conventional “white-cube” exhibition format. By burying the gallery beneath the museum’s flower garden, Ando has created a serene, introspective space that becomes a stage for Gormley’s abstract cast-iron figures, forging a unique conversation between architecture, sculpture, and the surrounding landscape that is both a culmination of their individual practices and a landmark in contemporary art.
The Dialogue of Concrete and Body
Tadao Ando’s architectural language is one of raw, exposed concrete, a material he uses to craft spaces defined by their precise geometry, simplicity, and a profound relationship with light. Antony Gormley, on the other hand, has dedicated his career to exploring the human body as a “place of perception” and a “vessel for feeling.” In the Ground gallery, these two powerful artistic philosophies converge, creating a space where the rigid stillness of the architecture is brought to life by the human forms that inhabit it.
The project was conceived as a space where “physical and imaginative space come together,” in Gormley’s words. The artist’s cast-iron figures—abstract and abstracted from the human form—do not merely occupy the space; they “activate” it. The rough texture of Ando’s concrete walls and the glossy finish of the floors create a backdrop that accentuates the presence of each sculpture. This dialogue between the materials and the forms is a core element of the installation, a collaboration where the architecture is as much a part of the artwork as the sculptures themselves, inviting the viewer to engage with both their physical and emotional dimensions.
A Sanctuary Beneath the Surface
The Ground gallery’s most captivating feature is its complete submersion beneath the earth. Situated beneath the museum’s flower garden, the subterranean volume is a 25-meter-wide concrete dome, a powerful architectural statement that is both an invisible structure and an immersive experience. Access is gained through an underground observation room, where a glazed opening offers a preview into the main gallery space, building a sense of anticipation before entry.
Inside the dome, a central oculus serves as a crucial element, drawing in a single, powerful beam of natural light that changes throughout the day, transforming the space and casting dynamic shadows on the walls and sculptures. This interplay of light and shadow is a signature of Ando’s work, creating a temporal dimension to the otherwise static architecture. Complementing the oculus is a large arched opening carved into the dome, which not only draws in additional light but also offers expansive views out over the surrounding landscape, connecting the interior to the external world. This opening extends the exhibition space out to an external terrace, where one of Gormley’s sculptures is installed, further blurring the lines between art, architecture, and nature.
Beyond the White Cube
The Ground gallery was commissioned with the explicit purpose of challenging the “conventional white-cube exhibition format.” The sterile, neutral environment of a typical gallery is often designed to isolate the art from all external distractions, but this project takes the opposite approach. It fully integrates the environment, using the museum’s existing landscape, architecture, and even the surrounding mountain range as part of the total experience.
This new permanent space is a culmination of Museum SAN’s long-standing commitment to creating “experimental environments where sculpture, landscape, and architecture converge.” The museum has a history of collaborating with Ando, who completed the original museum in 2013 and later added the Space of Light meditation space in 2023. This latest project is an evolution of their shared vision, creating a meditative and experiential space that goes beyond a traditional viewing experience. It forces visitors to slow down and become more aware of their surroundings, of the space they are in, and of their own bodies, a core tenet of both Gormley’s art and Ando’s architecture.
An Enduring Artistic Legacy
The Ground gallery is a significant milestone in the careers of both Tadao Ando and Antony Gormley, a project that is as much a legacy piece as it is a new installation. For Ando, it is his latest adaptation to a museum he has shaped over more than a decade, a masterwork that continues his exploration of pure forms, light, and materiality. It stands as a testament to his ability to create powerful, emotional spaces from simple, unadorned concrete. For Gormley, it is the home of a permanent installation and the centerpiece of his largest presentation in Korea to date, the Drawing on Space exhibition.
The collaboration represents a powerful synthesis of two distinct but complementary visions. Ando creates the empty space, the “void” in which Gormley’s human figures can exist and breathe. Together, they have crafted a work of art that is timeless and profound, a subterranean sanctuary that will serve as a permanent testament to the power of architecture and sculpture. Much like Ando’s other enduring works, such as the MPavilion which will remain in Melbourne until 2030, this installation promises to be a lasting legacy, a timeless piece of their combined creative output that will continue to resonate for generations to come.
