[양혜규, 베니스비엔날레 한국대표작가] Yang Haegue to represent Korea in Venice

2008.12.31

---

Installation artist Yang Haegue has been chosen to hold a solo presentation in the Korean Pavilion at the 53rd Venice Biennale in Italy.

"Yang is one of the most significant Korean artists performing now," said Joo Eungie, the pavilion commissioner, at the press conference last week at Arts Council Korea. "This is her moment. Through this Venice Biennale, she can get attention and so can Korean contemporary art."

A new commissioner is designated every year for the Korean Pavilion by Arts Council Korea, and the commissioner selects an artist or a group of artists to present in the Biennale.

Graduating from Seoul National University Fine Arts College, Yang has been showcasing her work more internationally - splitting her time here and in Germany. German newspaper Capital included her as one of the top 100 international installation artists, along with compatriot Lee Bul.

Yang uses sculpture, video and installation to express her sentiments about humanity, history and her private memories.

"I think the similarity between an artist and a philosopher is that they both try to realize something that already exists," said Yang at the press conference. "I simply try to express them with my artistic words."

She has not decided what to exhibit at the Biennale yet, but her former work gives us a few hints.

Electric machines frequently appear in her work. "Asymmetric Equality" which was exhibited in Gallery at REDCAT in Los Angeles last summer, featured theatrical lights connected to sensors on a drum set. If one drummed on the set, different blazing lights moved as an echo of the sound.

An infrared heater warmed the air in her exhibition room from one corner and an air conditioner cooled it from another side. Humidifiers made the space moist.

"It made viewers confront their opposite senses," Joo said.

Similar substances filled the room in "A Series of Vulnerable Arrangements," which Yang displayed in Sao Paulo Biennale in 2006.

For those who have followed Yang's career, "vulnerable" is the word that usually pops up. Yang has used the word very often since 2004 to express sadness, loneliness and melancholy.

"The stronger and more impressive I found my surroundings, the weaker my heart became," said Yang. "Then this melancholic vulnerability seemed to open small passages where different beings and elements can newly be connected through."

Yang defines her works as "sentimental communities mobilized by senses." Sounds complicated? Yang herself admits that her works are indescribable.

"My works are hard to imagine if you don't actually experience it. You need to breathe it, feel it, and see it using all your senses. You have to be covered from top to toe by the shades and lights of my work to really get it," said Yang.

Unfortunately, viewers will not be able to see Yang's usual use of dramatic lights at Venice because the pavilion there is very bright.

"We are eagerly discussing what to do. Everything I do from now will be melded in it. I can dare say that I am up to taking on this big responsibility. I really want to do my best," said Yang.

Venice Biennale will run from June 22 to Nov. 22.

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[2008미술계 결산]Art industry suffers serious downfall

2008.12.29

---

Dreadful flames swallowed Namdaemun, Korea's 600-year-old National Treasure No. 1, on Feb. 10, breaking the hearts of Koreans. As if in mourning over the loss of Korea's most artistic cultural asset, the Korean art industry itself was at a loss all year long.

Already strained by various scandals, the industry suffered from the global economic crisis and nearly hit rock bottom. It never managed to bounce back, but instead fell deeper into a slump, weighed down by an unhelpful government.

The year began with a wobbly start as Shin Jeong-ah, the former art professor and curator who forged her academic credentials and embezzled gallery money, was sentenced to a year and six months in prison in April.

A number of art forgery scandals followed, including the one over Park Soo-keun's painting "A Wash Place." It was sold for a record 4.52 billion won ($3.4 million) last May but was soon entangled in forgery controversies.

It went through numerous evaluations, but it is still not certain whether it is authentic or not. It is currently being reinspected by the Seoul National University and it is apparent that the controversy will continue, since the person in charge at the university was recently disciplined.

Other pieces by famous artists such as Kwon Ok-yeon and Do Sang-bok were put up at auction but were exposed as fake by the artists themselves or their surviving family. The auctions were canceled at the last minute.

Making it harder for the art industry to find tranquility after these scandals quieted down were vacancies of the top of the major art galleries and art councils.

Hong Ra-hee, the former head of the Samsung Museum of Art, Leeum and who was selected as the most powerful figure in Korean art industry, announced that she would no longer participate in any of Leeum's business when she resigned earlier this year.

Her resignation was the result of the accusation that she used some of Samsung's slush funds to supplement her collection of paintings. Roy Lichtenstein's painting, "Happy Tears," was at the center of the controversy.

Since her resignation, art fans have been unable to see the museum's high-quality special exhibitions. With Korea's top private gallery silent, the art industry is busy searching for another target buyer.

Kim Yun-su, the former director of the National Museum of Contemporary Arts, was dismissed in November, accused of buying Marcel Duchamp's installation art "La Boite en Valise" for an inappropriately high 600 million won without going through proper purchasing procedures.

Kim Jeong-heon, former chairman of the Arts Council Korea, was also released from the office in December for a similar reason, the misuse of the council's budget. He was blamed for an investment loss of 5.4 billion won, which allegedly came in the form of regulations violations.

However, the culture minister Yu In-chon had announced earlier this year that it was only natural for both Kims to step down, mentioning that all officials appointed under the left-leaning Roh Moo-hyun administration should quit their posts.

The art industry seems to be one of the industries most affected by the world economic crisis, especially compared to last year, the industry's heyday. Gallery insiders say with a big sigh that this year was the worst in sales ever.

The art auction market, which was worth over 192.6 billion won last year, dropped over 40 percent, to 114.9 billion won. More than 80 percent of the bid was successful last year but this year, only 50 percent managed to sell. New auction companies such as D auction and Open auction are delaying the opening of their businesses.

It is the same situation with biennales and art fairs. Many opened this year, including Gwangju Biennale, Busan Biennale, Daegu Photo Biennale and Korea International Art Fair.

In size and quality, they left nothing to be desired. Most of them succeeded in attracting their most visitors ever, as 360 thousand visited Gwangju and 160 visited Busan during the period.

KIAF was bigger than last year, with about 1,500 artists from 20 countries presenting approximately 6,000 works. Gwangju Biennale succeeded in overcoming the void left by Shin Jeong-ah's removal with a unique theme of "no theme at all," under the name "Annual Report," led by Okwui Enwezor, the art director.

The fairs, however, did not result in good sales. More than 61 thousand visitors entered the KIAF this year, but the sales dropped from 17.5 billion won last year to 14 billion won.

To make matters worse for the art industry, the bill of imposing capital gains tax on art pieces passed the plenary session of the National Assembly on Dec. 13. Starting from 2011, art pieces that cost more than 60 million won will be taxable. Works of Korean artists are excluded.

But some experts say that this is the right time to make the art market transparent and sort out its dealing system, which had regularly seen giant bubbles of overpriced artworks.

But the controversy over the bill is likely to continue next year, as art galleries and organizations, which closed down for days in November to protest the government's movement, are still against the bill.

They worry that the real-name dealings system will make the art market shrink even more, considering how art collectors usually do not open to the public the specifics of the dealings. They also question how exactly the government will be able to estimate the prices of each art piece.

A light of hope does shine on the troubled art industry, though. Some auction companies and art galleries are paving their way into the world market, trying to survive through the depression.

Seoul Auction and K auction, the top two auction companies in Korea advanced into Hong Kong and Macao this year and are putting up a good fight. Seoul Auction sold Lichtenstein's "Still Life with Stretcher, Mirror, Bowl of Fruit" at 9.3 billion won in Hong Kong.

Arario Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, and PKM gallery opened in China, Arario Gallery and Gana Art Gallery in New York, and Pyo Gallery in Los Angeles in the United States.

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[이방인의 렌즈를 통해 본 삶] Life through a foreign lens

2008.12.22

---

 

We often encounter two paradoxes with documentary photos. One is that despite them being more frank and straightforward, they end up more touching than artistic images.

The other is that foreigners sometimes turn out to capture the most vivid and insightful moments - perhaps natives of a country are too deeply entrenched to see things clearly.

Two Seoul galleries are exhibiting documentary photos of Korea and Uganda, taken by outsiders.

One of them is a documentation of the past of Korea, recorded by Japanese photographer Kuwabara Sisei.

He became famous with his piece on a Minamata patient that helped inform the world of the seriousness of the illness.

Curious of the changes that occurred in Korea after the Korean War and the separation of the peninsula, Shisei first set foot in Korea in 1964. Since then, he has been addicted.

For half of his life, Shisei has photographed the country. His recent work includes documents on Korea's presidential election last year, later published as a photo essay.

Shisei was once deported because of his fearless exploration of the darker corners of the society, which the government was trying to conceal.

Thanks to his boldness, we can see what shantytowns and villages near military camps looked like in the 1960s and 1970s.

For the exhibition running at the Museum of Photography in Bangui-dong, southern Seoul, Shisei displays 66 of his photos. Most of them are being shown for the first time.

"He did what Koreans needed to do, but couldn't do. He recorded our history for us. That's why I am thankful to him," wrote Han Jeong-sik, photography professor at JoongAng University in his essay on Shisei.

Some of Shisei's photos of North Korea are also on display. It is weird to see how North Korea's present is so similar to South Korea's past more than two decades ago.

If Korea was not strong enough to record its own history at the time, it now seems like Koreans are paying back what they received, by photographing the history of other less developed countries.

Kim Kyung-sang, a Korean photographer, has captured the present of Uganda, which is in a civil war. His pictures focus on places that can be easily neglected and unloved.

Gallery M in Jeong-dong is showcasing 24 of Kim's photos through the exhibition "Lord's Resistance Army."

The children in his pictures appear heartrendingly innocent. An African kid grins under a single candle, with a book under his nose. The book is ragged and the candle is crooked, but his bright smile still seems genuine.

In another, a five-year-old puts his hand on his mother's knees, and stares at her with mournful eyes. His mother, who is sitting in front of a sewing machine in what looks like a factory full of workers, gives him a weak smile.

"Kim's photos are not just records. He spotlights the fundamental problems of humans through the inhumanity and brutality of the internal war," said curator Lee Ki-myeong.

Kuwabara Shisei's exhibition runs until Feb. 21. For more information, call (02) 418-1316 or visit www.photomuseum.or.kr

"Lord's Resistance Army" runs through Dec. 30. For more information, call (02) 2277-2438 or visit www.eurocreon.com/magnumphotos

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[한국의 유물 전시] A peek into old Korea through treasures

2009.12.19

---

One of the best ways to really get to know someone is to visit their home.

The same trick works when a person wants to learn about a country or a certain dynasty - looking closely at its things helps. Two Korean museums are currently hosting special exhibitions showcasing the cultural assets of old Korea - Joseon, Goryeo and Unified Silla.

For example, during the Joseon dynasty, two major wars broke out - one against Japan in 1592, and another one against Cheong China in 1636 - which had a great impact on the nation and brought about a slew of changes in people's lives.

The exhibition "Joseon Porcelain with Iron Painting," underway now at GyeongGi Cultural Foundation in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, examines Joseon's social changes through porcelain. A total of 100 ceramics with iron paintings are exhibited.

This particular type of porcelain was treated with disdain before the 17th century for being cheap and rough. Wanting to possess something beautiful and luxurious, people at that time yearned for white porcelain decorated with cobalt-based blue decoration.

Following the war the situation changed. Unable to produce expensive porcelain, people turned to pieces with iron-based glazes. In fact, as even the royal family started to use them one by one, it became the new trend.

"The porcelain with iron glazes contain the will of the Joseon people to focus more on utility than sumptuousness," explained Jang Ki-hoon, curator of the exhibition.

The National Museum of Korea in Ichon-dong, Seoul, invites visitors into the royal palace of Goryeo, which was filled with ceramics that were extravagant yet noble. The exhibition "The Royal Ceramics of Goryeo Dynasty" displays about 300 ceramics used in the palace during the 12th and 13th century.

Surprisingly, some fragments of the ceramics were not found in royal palaces but in stoves in distant spots. By matching up the pieces with the ones found in the palace, the excavation team found out that those spots were where the ceramics were produced. A celadon bottle in the shape of a melon - National Treasure No. 94 - is one of them.

Among the exhibits, the ceramics found in the tomb of Injong - the 17th king of Goryeo - are introduced through this exhibition for the first time.

"They are valuable assets which will help research not only on ceramics but also on society in the 12th century as a whole," said Kang Gyeong-nam, curator of the exhibition.

Moving even further back to the past, the museum also holds an exhibition "Echoes of Life: The Enduring Tradition of Unified Silla Sculpture," showcasing more than 200 sculptures, including some national treasures. Some of the exhibits were brought from Tokyo National Museum, Nara National Museum, and Kyushu National Museum in Japan. Unified Silla's sculptures emit an international flavor.

"Recognizing its international position in the global stage, it (Silla) opened itself to other cultures while maintaining its own creative appreciation," said Choe Kwang-shik, director-general of the museum at the exhibition's opening ceremony on Monday.

The exhibition is divided into six parts. The first four parts display sculptures from Unified Silla in a chronological order. National Treasures such as "Amitabha Buddha" can be found there.

The fifth part, "Guardians of the Dead - Tomb Sculptures," holds stone pagodas and the monkey figure of the 12 zodiac animals. Visitors can guess what the people of that time thought about the afterlife.

In the final division "Culmination of Artistic Spirit - Seokguram Grotto," a model of the grotto can be found. Designated as a World Heritage site by UNESCO, the Seokguram Grotto is an embodiment of the best artistic, scientific, and religious minds of the time.

"This Seokguram Grotto model is specially organized for children," said Heo Hyeong-wook, the curator. With sculpted rocks and pillars installed around the dome and the Buddha sitting in the middle, viewers will feel like they are in Mt. Tohamsan near Gyeongju, where the actual grotto is seated.

"Joseon Porcelain with Iron Painting" runs through Feb. 20 at GyeongGi Cultural Foundation in Suwon, south of Seoul. For more information, call (031) 231-7263 or visit www.ggcf.or.kr

"The Royal Ceramics of Goryeo Dynasty" runs through Feb. 15 and "Echoes of Life: the Enduring Tradition of Unified Silla Sculpture" until March 1 at National Museum of Korea in Ichon-dong in central Seoul. For more information, contact (02) 2077-9000 or visit www.museum.go.kr

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[오래된 미래] 'Ancient Futures'

2008.12.17

---

Human beings have long been transforming the natural environment to pursue progress. But few pay attention to exactly what we are doing and how nature reacts.

The exhibition "Ancient Futures" at Seoul Museum of Art NamSeoul in Namhyeon-dong tries to tell nature's side of the story.

"This is an opportunity for viewers to reflect on lost values," said Kim Woo-in, curator of the exhibition.

More than 60 works of various genres created by 15 artists seem to retort to humans, "Now look what happened!"

On the first floor, pieces of nature such as rocks and insect wings - often considered meaningless - are magnified, sculpted and photographed under the theme "Ecological Imagination - Principles of Life."

In Yeo-rak's space, hundreds of bones collected from roadkill are lined up behind glass. They are what remain after Yeo picked up the dead animals and cremated them. With what remained after cremation, the artist stuck them together and painted them. It looks like the ground, only hung on the wall.

"Yeo's art signifies how everything, including small creatures, is connected in a giant circle of time," said Kim.

Upstairs in the "A Symbolized World - Paradise Regained" section, viewers can immediately sense that artists gave consideration to the thin line between the concept of artificial and natural.

Ever seen a deer with ammonites or corals instead of horns? Takuma Uematsu's white, alien-like figures, which are mixtures of various species, stand awkwardly on a table, genetically modified by humans.

In the next room, Son Jeong-eun created a 100 percent artificial paradise where wind blows, water flows and birds chirp.

"This shows how the border between artificial and natural has become vague, and reminds us of people's desire to possess nature," explained Kim.

This exhibition may not be a comforting display of dreamy art depicting flowery scenery, but it will give visitors something to think about.

The current exhibition runs through Feb. 15, 2009 at Seoul Museum of Art NamSeoul in southern Seoul. It is free of admission and closed on Mondays. For more information, call (02) 598-6247 or visit www.seoulmoa.org

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[63스카이아트] An exhibition in the clouds

2008.12.10

---

Can you imagine wandering through an art gallery so high up that its windows show clouds outside?

This is possible at 63 Sky Art in Yeouido, southwestern Seoul, the world's highest museum. Its exhibition, "Wander on the Sky," started last week.

Located on the 60th floor of the 63 building, a major landmark in the capital city, 63 Sky Art took the title of world's highest museum away from Tokyo's Mori Art Museum, which is on the 53rd floor, when it opened last year.

The 60th floor - 264 meters above sea level - is where the observation deck, a popular spot for tourists, used to be. No need to worry, though; visitors may still enjoy the remarkable view of Seoul through the gigantic windows and coin-operated binoculars.

"Many visitors commented that the observation deck offered literally nothing to see but the outside view. So we thought some art would give the visitors something more to enjoy," said museum vice-president Yoo Deok-jong at a press conference last Friday.

"About 2 million people visit the 63 building every year. It is the clearly the landmark of Seoul by height, and with this art museum, we hope it could also become a cultural landmark," he added.

To promote its debut, the exhibition displays 63 pieces of sky-themed art. More than 30 well-known artists, including Lee U Fan, Zou Wei, Andy Warhol and Paik Nam-june have their paintings, sculptures, photos, videos and installations presented. The exposition is divided into three parts: "Sky of dream and fantasy," "Sky of freedom and infinity," and "Sky of love and innocence of a child."

In the first section, Kwon Ki-soo, a painter famous for his "donguri" character, drew a smiling donguri in "Flying." He also showcases his new work "Layers" for the first time.

Kwon O-chul's astrophotographs make viewers doubt their eyes. Falling stars stand still behind a glowing tree and millions of stars embroider the purple sky.

Paik's video art "Neptune" is notable in the second section, but since it is placed on the first basement floor it would be better for viewing before going up to the museum.

In the third division, "Moon Explore Robot," a painting of Andy Warhol, and the witty sculptures of Kim So-yeon and Lee Kyu-min add to the fun.

While there, make sure you visit the restroom, which was decorated with flower stickers by artist Park Ki-sung.

This museum's greatest charm, though, is that viewers are able to take glances of the Seoul view between art pieces.

"Visit once more at night time. With the Han river flowing by, the night view is breathtaking," said Kwon A-reum, the curator. The museum is open until midnight everyday.

The current exhibition runs through March 15. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, 11,000 won for adolescents and 10,000 won for children. For more information, call (02) 789-5663 or visit www.63.co.kr

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

Exhibition to find the next Lee Bul

2008.12.8

---

The best part of being young and having less experience is that one is forgiven for being bold and fearless.

Seventeen up-and-coming artists show off their daring, uninhibited ideas in the "2008 I AM AN ARTIST" exhibition at the National Museum of Contemporary Art.

Started in 1981, the biannual exhibition is the museum's oldest project. The project brought to light more than 300 artists in the past 27 years. Some of them grew to be leading artists in Korea and the world, such as photographer Koo Bohn-chang and installation artist Lee Bul.

The museum is sure that the artists participating this time also possess great potential.

"Korean contemporary art market has greatly expanded in the 20th century, and it seems to be getting more and more corrupt and commercialized," said Lee Chu-young, assistant curator of the exhibition, at a press conference last Thursday.

"We selected artists aged 24 to 38 years old who do not compromise with the existing art world but reveal their existence as artists in their own ways. They seem to cry out 'I am an artist!' by uniquely expressing their view of people, society and history."

The 17 artists are: Oh Suk Kuhn, Safranski Mackerel, Lee Eun Sil, Lee Hyein, Na Hyun, Chu One Joon, Kim Yun Ho, Ahn Doo Jin, Lee Jae Hoon, Kang Seok Ho, Lim Seung Chun, Lee Wan, Wee Young Il, Liil Liil, Kim Si Won, Kwon Kyung Hwan and Lee Jin Joon.

"Erotic jjamppong man in distress" by Wee Young Il [National Museum of Contemporary Art]

They exhibit various kinds of artwork, ranging from paintings and installations to sculptures, photographs, videos and animations in their separate spaces. There are a total of 250 pieces of work on display.

Liil Liil's space is like an amusement park. Viewers can wear 3D glasses and enjoy her "Voyage to Vanishing Landscape Project" series, which shows the landscapes of the South Pole and the desert in Central Asia.

Wee Young Il's space is full of satire, ready to make viewers crack up. Wee's "Artist Color Chart" criticizes some of the famous artists who repeat the same style of work over and over again.

By creating a "jjamppongman" character, which is a mixture of superheroes, including Batman, Superman and Spiderman, he made fun of the typical American heroes.

Some works are so raw and unfamiliar that viewers might even question if it can be called art or not.

Kim Si Won makes a room full of white boxes of different sizes, which signify the amount of sleep he had while preparing for this exhibition. He also pushed one of the walls everyday until it slightly tilted, to show how much strength he put into the preparation.

"I decided to turn the changes that occurred to my body during preparation into an artwork," Kim said.

At any rate, the emerging artists will more than fulfill viewer's anticipations, if what they expect is some spunkiness, a lot of inspiration and a basket full of fun.

"2008 I AM AN ARTIST" will be on display through March 8 at National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province. Tickets are 3,000 won. For more information, call (02) 2188-6000 or visit www.moca.go.kr

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[쌈지농부전] Farming as art

2008.12.15

---

If you consider that art is all about creating new things, farming is possibly one of the most artistic activities in the world.

Gallery Ssamzie in Insa-dong brings the artistic side of farming to the fore with its "Ssamzie Farmer Exhibition." Under the theme "Farming is Art," it displays farm-themed paintings, handbags, and T-shirts in a market-like space.

Gallery Ssamzie decided to continue the exhibition in its gallery to give more visitors a chance to see it, after it received a positive response at the Seoul Design Olympiad this year.

"We eat food and wear clothes every day. It is time that eco-friendly products were spotlighted, for our own good," said Lee Do-young, curator of the exhibition.

Artist Lee Jong-ku's works depict the precious relationship between people and nature. In "The earth-spring," Lee shows his respect towards soil - the source of our food and ultimately, our lives.

The bags made of recycled banners and used tires designed by Ssamzie are unique in design and color. There are also T-shirts with organic vegetables drawn on them. All exhibits are available to buy, except for those which are one-off productions.

"Visitors seem to prefer the ones that are not for sale because they are so special," Lee said. "But in any case, this exhibition will remind visitors of how eco-friendly and artistic farming can be."

The exhibition runs through Dec. 21 at Ssamzie Gallery in central Seoul. For more information, contact (02) 736-0900 or visit www.ssamziegil.com

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[윌리엄 블레이크] Blake's artistic side rediscovered

2008.12.5

---

Many remember William Blake (1757-1827) as one of the leading poets of the Romantic period. Not many know that he was actually an artist before becoming a poet.

Museum of Art Seoul National University in Sillim-dong spotlights Blake's artistic side and his influence on British culture for the first time in Korea. In the exhibition "Blake's Shadow: William Blake and his Artistic Legacy," 62 pieces of Blake's, his contemporaries' and those he influenced are displayed.

After the Tate Gallery in London and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York held exhibitions on Blake's art in 2000 and 2001, his artwork became more popular.

"It was a hit, people loved to discover Blake's unveiled talents," Baek Hyun-joo, an exhibition guide, told The Korea Herald. "Since those exhibitions, Blake gained an affirmation that he was one of the most effective British artists who gave a preview of the future of British art."

Most of his works can be found in the Whitworth Art Gallery in the University of Manchester. Pieces from the Whitworth were brought here for this show.

"The Ancient of Days" by William Blake [Museum of Art Seoul National University]

Blake's work is mostly illustrations from literature - either his or others'. Penniless at the time, Blake drew illustrations of the work of well-known writers for money. "Blake reflected his romantic and fantastic ideas in his paintings," stated Baek, pointing to "The Ancient of Days," which is the frontispiece to his anthology of poetry "Europe: A Prophecy." A white-haired man reminiscent of the characters in Michelangelo's paintings sits with one knee up.

"He expressed the sacredness of the human body by closely depicting the muscles and expressions. By making a composition of a circle in a square, he offers the viewers a fourfold vision, which can lead to infinite meanings."

Blake has influenced many artists from the Victorian era until now. Fifty-three paintings of 26 artists such as George Frederic Watts from the Victorian era, or Anish Kapoor of the 20th century, who were under Blake's "shadow" are also showcased in the exhibition.

The exhibition runs through Feb. 14 at Museum of Art Seoul National University in southern Seoul but is closed on Mondays. Tickets are 3,000 won. For more information, contact (02) 880-9509 or visit www.snumoa.org

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[공예 트렌드 페어] Korea's biggest craft fair kicks off

2008.12.3

---

"Craft Trend Fair 2008," Korea's biggest craft fair, kicks off at COEX Pacific Hall, in Samsung-dong, Seoul today.

The fair, which started in 2006, is hosted by the Korea Craft Promotion Foundation and sponsored by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

"The economic situation is bad, and the craftwork industry is highly affected," said Seong Moon-mo, director of KCPF, at a recent press conference. "The purpose of this fair is to promote craft culture and the craft industry market."

More than 100 companies and student or artist groups will be presented in some 300 booths. It is divided into five parts - Craft Industrial Exhibition, Traditional Exhibition, Life Art Exhibition, Public Exhibition and Experience Exhibition.

The theme of the Craft Industrial Exhibition is "Digital Craft." It displays the work of 44 artists who added digital elements to their crafts to make them fit in the digital era.

In the Life Art Exhibition named "Lighting," 235 artists show lights made with various materials including "hanji," or Korean traditional paper, and ceramics.

"From tree," Lee Eun-hye [Korean Craft Promotion Foundation]

The Traditional Exhibition, "Blend," exhibits unique furniture which Korean human cultural assets and some up-and-coming furniture designers made together. For example, human cultural assets Seo Han-kyu and Kim Mun-sik provided their veteran skills and traditional materials while the young designers came up with chic designs.

The brilliant craftworks of college students can be found in the Public Exhibition. Various programs which visitors can actually participate in, including making hanji craftwork, or dyeing with nature materials, are prepared in the Experience Exhibition.

The tickets are 5,000 won but visitors will receive a gift certificate worth the same amount when they buy tickets. The certificates can be used to buy crafts or to participate in charged programs.

"We hope visitors will buy some crafts with the gift certificates and get to know the craft culture," said Seong.

The fair runs through Sunday. For more information, call (02) 733-9040 or visit craftfair.kcpf.or.kr

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[사진작가 주명덕] Photographer casts critical gaze at cities

2008.12.1

---

Half of the world's population lives in cities.

Giant screens replay the same advertisement over and over, gray buildings block the sunlight and flashy neon signs annoy people everyday.

In the exhibition "Cityscape," at Daelim Contemporary Art Museum in Tongui-dong, photographer Joo Myung Duck exhibits the results of his critical scrutiny of the city. His 75 photos reveal the hidden vanity of cities, where advertising seems to control the unconsciousness of urbanites but offers nothing of value.

Joo is a renowned Korean photographer who has been shooting photos for more than 45 years. He is famous for his documentary photos that focus on crucial social issues and disappearing cultural heritages.

"Mr. Holt's Orphanage," his exhibition in 1996, displayed photos of war orphans. These first documentary photos by a Korean photographer created a great sensation, when most photos taken in Korea were elegant indoor shots.

This time, Joo spotlights cityscapes, perhaps to raise alarm over how big and vain cities have become. The exhibition displays cityscapes from various spots in Seoul such as Gwanghwamun and Yeouido, as well as Ilsan, where he lives.

"Yeouido," Joo Myung Duck, Type C-print, 2008 Joo Myung Duck

"Joo tried to show the beautiful sides of our cities as well, but we can easily find his critical views," said Park Ju-seok, a professor of photography at Myongji University and the director of this exhibition at the press conference last Tuesday. "He seems to think of this city as not a real one but rather a virtual one built with overflowing images and media," Park said.

Not surprisingly, Joo's cityscapes are packed with buildings and neon signs. Advertisements of beautiful women, icons produced by mass media, throw luring glances to nowhere, masking a reality that lies beneath the veneer.

"Advertisements are almost like a religion these days," said Joo. "It seems as if Seoul is practically invaded by them."

Joo's way of criticizing is quiet but powerful. He takes a step backwards and records the city from a certain distance, most passers-by would see it. By sharing this point of view, viewers can more easily understand what Joo meant to say.

Daelim Contemporary Art Museum will hold two more exhibitions of Joo's work focusing on people's homes in 2009 and 2010. Joo's work can still be found there after that, since the museum plans to collect all his work and records to establish a Joo Myung Duck archive.

"We are up to this task, which has a very significant meaning in the history of Korean photography," said Park.

The exhibition runs through Jan. 18 at Daelim Contemporary Art Museum in central Seoul. Tickets are 4,000 won for adults and 2,000 won for students. For more information, call (02) 720-0667 or visit www.daelimmuseum.org

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)