Korean artists head for London

2009.5.15

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Throughout history, the greatest artworks and artists were usually better recognized outside of prosperous times.

The members of the Young British Artists, led by Damien Hurst, are a good example. Their struggle to do art during Britain's worst economic recession in the 1980s must have refined them because they have now become one of the most popular artists in the world.

Now that an economic crisis has hit again, 30 brilliant Korean contemporary artists are attempting to do the same: stepping up to introduce Korean art to the world and to boost export figures too.

Their exhibition "Moon Generation - Contemporary ART from Seoul," hosted by Korean Eye, will open at Saatchi Gallery in London, England, in June. It previews for a week at Standard Charters First Bank in central Seoul starting Monday. About 30 artworks will be on display.

Korean Eye is an international initiative that started in London last year to highlight the best of Korean contemporary art. It hosts exhibitions, auctions and scholarship funds for promising Korean artists. Phillips de Pury, one of the three globally renowned art auction companies along with Christie's and Sotheby's, is a partner of the committee

"I first visited Korea several years ago and was amazed at the richness and vibrancy of the country's contemporary art scene," said David Ciclitira, founder of Korean Eye and chairman of Parallel Media Group at a press conference in March.

"It became my mission to ensure that the work and artists enjoy the recognition they deserve on the international stage," he added.

Korean Eye plans to organize an annual exhibition in international cities for the next four years to create an enduring legacy for Korean contemporary art and make an impressive cultural contribution to the London Olympics in 2012.

This exhibition shows the cultural roots and identities of Korean contemporary art and also defines its relationship with Western art through the concept of moon.

"Looking at the moon Koreans pray for a better future while the West associates it with darkness and uncertainness. These different views on the moon have been deeply rooted in the collective sentiments of the two cultures," said Lee Dae-hyung, curator of the exhibition.

The participating artists including Kim Joon and Debbie Han are already well-established in Korea and have been spotlighted in many international art fairs and biennales in recent years.

The preview in Korea will run from May 18 to 23 at Standard Chartered First Bank in Chungmuro, central Seoul and the actual exhibition will run from June 20 to July 5 at London's Saatchi Gallery.

For more information, visit www.koreaneye.org

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)