[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)