한미사진박물관 "요술,이미지" 전시 리뷰

Photos peek into other genres

 

The only thing the pieces at the exhibition "Magic of Photography" at the Museum of Photography in southeastern Seoul have in common is that they are based in photographs.

Only about half are hanging on the walls, normally in frames. The rest of the photos are printed on or made into unexpected forms, such as different-sized boxes, long paper rolls clustered together or stretched out vertically.

"The point is to confuse the visitors about photography by showing them these new attempts. Various types of photos are on display. We organized the show room so that visitors will have to see the works in an order that will confuse them the most," said curator Lee Gye-young.

Fourteen Korean artists including Jung Yeon-doo are showcasing more than 50 photographs, stereo photos, installations and videos.

The works are fairly original.

Take Lim Taek's photos for example. They feature a fantasy-like paradise with white clouds and mountains, which is so unreal that it looks like a painting. But peering into them carefully, one can see that all appearing elements are pictures taken from life.

The secret is digital composition. He photographed the white set he built with styrofoam and cotton and added photos of moons, suns, trees and animals on top of them. The actual set he used for shooting is displayed at the exhibition.

Bae Joon-sung preferred a more analogue way to charm his photos, by using lenticular or vinyl and oil paint.

A woman stands in what looks like a European ballroom. As the photo is covered in lenticular, she is fully dressed in a party dress when seen from one side, but as the viewer moves to the other side, she slowly turns naked.

Another of Bae's work shows a woman holding a baby up in the air, also in an occidental setting. Curiously enough, the work is covered with see-through vinyl. Lifting it up, viewers will find only a naked woman waving her hands into the air. Bae, who is also a painter, had oil painted the woman's dress and the baby on the vinyl.

Jang Seung-hyo took a step further and used his photos only as materials for his paper sculpture.

He cut the pictures he took in various spots, keeping in mind what colors he would need later on, and connected them together to make robots, birds, or life size motorcyclists. The pieces are so delicately glued together that they remind of quilts.

The exhibition runs through Oct. 1 at the Museum of Photography in Bangi-dong, southeastern Seoul. Tickets are 3,000 won for students and 5,000 won for adults. For more information, visit www.photomuseum.or.kr or call (02) 418-1315.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

 

도올 김용옥 교수의 딸, 김미루씨 전시 리뷰

 

올블랙으로 차려입고 온 김미루씨는 조용조용하셨어요.

뭔가 신비한 분위기?!

완젼 열정적으로 강의하시는 아버지와는 또 다른 ^-^;

다들 누드 사진전이네.. 김용옥의 딸이네..하면서 주목하지만,

작품 자체만으로도 충분히 주목할만한 작가인 것 같습니다.

 

 

Naked photographer dissects city

 

It was about a quarter past 3 a.m. when Kim Miru, 27, slid down from one of the top peaks of the Manhattan Bridge in New York, United States, hair loose and naked. A friend of hers pressed on the shutter of the camera which Kim had installed at another of the bridge's summits. Helicopters soon approached, flashing lights at Kim. Someone must have called the police. "How in the world did she get up there" was probably the question the New York police asked at the time, as did anyone who later saw that night's unbelievable photo. Kim's answer was simple. "I just climbed up," Kim, wearing a droopy black dress and smoky eye makeup, told the awestruck press last week. "I wanted to see the view from up there. I figured that since not so many people have been there, the view would be very unique." This "brave" Korean photographer is holding her solo exhibition "Naked City Spleen" at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam Space in southern Seoul. Although she is already quite well-known for her experimental works in the United States, this is Kim's first show in Korea. And looking at the response from the local media, it looks like Kim has achieved fame on her first try here. In addition to her talent, she is well-placed. She is the daughter of Kim Yong-ok, a celebrity professor of oriental philosophy. "He said that he liked my works because they contain thoughts," the photographer said, sparing words. After seeing them, however, and knowing her passion for them, it becomes clear that Kim is worth being valued as an individual artist, not someone's daughter. The former pre-med student, who wanted to become a surgeon due to her interest in anatomy, decided to dissect cities instead and shifted her career to become an artist. After majoring in French and Romance Philology at Columbia University, she earned a Master of Fine Arts in painting at Pratt Institute. At this exhibition, Kim is displaying about 50 photos that feature her adventures as an "urban explorer," one who explores the urban ruins hidden below and above the city, which most people are unfamiliar with. Ultimately, rats led her to the internet-based community of urban explorers. "I always liked rats, and I was at the subway trying to photograph them when a man came up to me and said I can't take pictures there. So I decided to follow the rats. There, I realized that there was a whole new dimension to the city I never saw before and most people don't get to see. Around the same time I found about the urban explorers through the internet," Kim said. Since then, Kim explored hidden spaces in world's major cities, often alone and sometimes with one or two friends but always with a camera in hand. She crawled into countless tunnels, squeezed in between the narrow walls of abandoned factories, lied down in ossuaries and climbed up wobbling towers. The adventures had to take place late at night or early in the morning because first, she did not want to get caught by the police and cause trouble, and second, she had to appear in her photos, in nudity. "Simply documenting these soon to be demolished structures wasn't enough for me. So I wanted to create a fictional character or an animal that dwelled in these spaces and the simplest way to do it was to model myself. I decided against clothing because I wanted the animal to be without any cultural implications or time specific elements," said Kim. Her body in the photos does not look erotic at all but rather curious, miserable and lonely, like the last surviving animal of its kind. The exhibition runs through Sept. 13 at Gallery Hyundai Gangnam Space in Sinsa-dong, southern Seoul. For more information, visit www.galleryhyundai.com or call (02) 519-0800. (claire@heraldm.com) By Park Min-young

아트마케팅의 진화_이제 골프장에서도^-^

Art latest tool in golf marketing

For quite some time now, great art masterpieces have lent their designs to various commercial goods such as fashion and furniture. In the meantime, more art shows have been thrown in unexpected places lately, like in trains, hotel rooms and even on the vast green of a golf course. Marketing insiders are the latest to catch up on this new trend. Yes, art has risen to be one of the hottest ways of promoting, well, almost everything.

The exhibition "Eighteen Masterpiece" which took place last week in "The Classic" golf course in Jeju Island was the first-ever art show held amid a golf tournament in Korea.

Installed at the golf course last Wednesday, 18 artworks greeted players and galleries during the KLPGA tour "Nefs Masterpiece 2009" which ran from Friday to Sunday.

The works were removed after the game was finished and the winner Lee Bo-mi, 21, took home the flower patterned trophy specially designed by artist Kang Yong-meon.

The KLPGA tour was broadcasted live on cable channels such as MBC ESPN and J Golf. The art works were placed at perfect spots, right across the mobile units, so that they would have the most exposure on TV.

Every time the golfers took a swing, at least one of the colorful masterpieces appeared somewhere in the frame.

This first golf and art combined event was beneficial for every one of the participants.

The eighteen Korean artists - Kang Yong-meon, Kwon Doo-hyoun, Keum Joong-ki, Gim Mu-jun, Kim Seok, Noh Jun, Park Seung-mo, Park Eun-young, Byun Dae-yong, Shin Chi-hyun, Yong Gwan, Lee Kang-hoon, Lee Jung-hun, Im Ju-ri, Jeong Tae-jeon, Cho Hoon, Choi Tae-hoon and Hong Jung-pyo - gave their works more than enough public exposure in three short days.

Nefs, a Korean kitchen furniture maker which hosted the game, not only promoted their name but also gained a sophisticated and high-end image through exhibiting the art works.

So did "The Classic," whose officials liked their field's new look so much that they are considering a permanent installation of one of the exhibits.

"Everyone is satisfied with the event so far. It will probably be held again next year," said Lee Dae-hyung, director of art company H which was the company that curated the exhibition, on the first day of the show.

One of the most difficult parts in organizing this event was assuring that the artwork would not be damaged. Luckily, none of it was.

The officials carefully went over all possible scenarios, calculated distances and checked the firmness of the ground before installing the works.

"We had golf experts to supervise after we finished the installations. We made sure that the works would neither interfere with the game nor would be damaged due to the game," said Lee.

The exhibits will fly back to Seoul and will be displayed for a month from Sept. 7 at Nefspace in Samsung-dong, southern Seoul.

For more information about the exhibition, visit www.artcompanyh.com or call (02) 445-0853.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

제주도 올레길을 다녀왔어요 ^-^

취재차 갔던 제주도에서 올레길에 들렀습니다.

 

제주도 말로 "올레"는 "그저 걷는 길" 혹은 "골목길" 정도의 뜻인가봐요.

 

여러가지 코스가 있어요. 최근에 13번째 코스가 개장했다죠?!ㅋ

 

우리 일행은 제 7코스, 돔베낭길을 택했습니다.

40분정도 걸으면 되는 길이고, 해안 절경이 가장 멋있는 코스랍니다.ㅋ

(여섯시간쯤 걸어야하는 코스도 있대요;; 오 마이갓;;)

 

평지도 걷고,

내리막길도 걷고.

오르막길때는 아마 제가 힘들어서 사진을 안 찍은 것 같아요.ㅋㅋ

저는 땀이 원래 잘 안나는 편이라 비교적 멀쩡했지만,

땀 좀 흘린다는 남자분들은 땀방울이 뚝뚝 그냥 떨어지더라구요 ^-^;ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ

 

길목에 서있는 열대식물들이 넘 예뻤어요 ^.^

 

해안을 따라 걷는 길이라 왼쪽에 보이는 바다 역시 완젼 멋지답니다 +_+

이어서 올레길에서 내려다본 바다를 마저 감상하세요♥ㅋㅋ

 

More pics on "Eighteen Masterpiece"

제주도 더클래식 골프장에서 열린 "Eighteen Masterpiece" 전시를 취재하고 왔어요.

처음으로 간 1박2일 출장!ㅎㅎ

 

국내 최초로 골프와 미술의 결합이라고 하길래 나름 기대를 하고 갔었죠.

그렇다고 뭔가 획기적인 전시방법은 아니고,,

그냥 골프장에 현대미술작품을 설치한 것입니다 ^-^

딱- 생각한 정도로 괜찮았어요. (냉정한 평가 ㅋㅋ)

 

 

저 하얀 사슴이 보이시죠?

(어떤 사람은 저걸 탔다고 하네요;;;; 깨지기라도 하면 어쩌려고 +0+)

이렇게 곳곳에 작품 총 18개가 숨어있답니다.

미술을 이용한 마케팅방법이 날로 다양해져가고 있는 것 같긴해요 ㅋㅋ

최태훈 작가의 작품.

골프장 측에서 이걸 특히 맘에 들어해서 계속 설치할지 검토중이라고 하네요.

 

작품과 함께 선 정태전 작가.

이날 카트까지 운전해주시는 자상함을 보이셨습니다 ㅎㅎ

더클래식 골프장은 생긴지 얼마 안되었다고 하더라구요. 리모델링을 했다던가;

뭐 골프장을 많이 가보진 못했지만= 깔끔하고 좋은 것 같았어요.

이건 클럽하우스.

 

각 홀마다 상품이 또 걸려 있었는데요,

여기는 요런 넵스 주방가구가 걸려있는 홀!ㅋㅋ

어떤 홀에는 아우디도 걸려있더라는 +_+ ㅋㅋㅋ

 

 

영화 [국가대표] 리뷰

지금까지 누가 쓰라고 시켰을 때 빼고는

몬가 영화에 대한 글을 써본 적이 아마 한 번도 없을꺼예요.

 

그런데 영화"국가대표"는 정말 너무너무 심하게 좋아서 자꾸만 얘기하게 되는거 있죠;

사실 어제 밤에 봤는데-

지금까지 꽤나 많은 사람들에게 "강추!"라고 소리질렀어요 ㅋㅋㅋ

 

지금 쬐끔 더 흥행하고 있는 해운대보다 개인적으로 훠얼씬 더 좋았다는 ^.^

 

좋아하는 배우 (하정우, 김동욱) 들이 나와서도 그렇고,

실화-based 라기에도 그렇고,

감동도 있고,

재미도 있고,

긴장감도 있고!!

(특히 스키 대회 장면에서는 심장이 너무 쿵쾅쿵쾅거려서 몸까지 덜덜 떨리더라는ㅋㅋㅋ 제가 너무 과도하게 몰입했을지도 몰라요 히히히)

 

암튼 국가대표 강추입니다 꺄아♡

 

 

이번주말-호텔방에서 열리는 아트페어

Art shopping in hotel rooms

 

Instead of wandering around galleries and museums, head for a hotel in central Seoul this weekend to see some great Asian art.

More than 60 leading galleries from Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong and Taiwan will gather at Grand Hyatt Seoul for three days starting tomorrow for "Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair 09."

This is the second year for the annual fair. The first took place at the New Otani Hotel in Tokyo last year. China will host next year's event in Shanghai.

Without a doubt, the most distinguishing part about AHAF is that it is held in actual hotel rooms.

The concept of having an art fair in plush hotel rooms is already familiar and popular to the public in the United States and European countries, according to the organizers.

"It will give the consumers who want to possess the art works an excellent simulation that will let them imagine the view of his or her own room with the displayed paintings," the organizers said in a statement.

Pictures were laid out on beds and sculptures stood in bathtubs at last year's fair in New Otani Hotel. Similar scenes will be created in 84 rooms on Grand Hyatt's 10th and 11th floor this year.

Each room will be uniquely decorated under different themes presented by the participating galleries, artists, and auctions, including Korea's two biggest - Seoul Auction and K-Auction.

Among the artists, Han Jemma, who is also an author and Korea's first art-related MC, will display her doll series with handpicked everyday items like lights, carpets and cushions in "Jemma's Room."

Some rooms will be featuring special exhibitions.

"AHAF Star Exhibition" will showcase works by two Korean celebrities - singer/artist Naul and actor/photographer Zio Mingki. As much as they have captured the public through the small screen, they are also quite well-known artists who have hosted many exhibitions.

Visitors will also find a special "Lee U-Fan exhibition" which was organized with the help from Shimoda Kenzi, a Japanese who has collected the artist's works for over 30 years. About 30 representative works by Lee will be on display.

The fair runs from Aug. 21-23 at Grand Hyatt Seoul in Hannam-dong, central Seoul.

For more information, visit www.hotelartfair.co.kr or call (02) 741-6320.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

여름휴가_설악산,정선♥

가족이랑 너무 열심히 놀아서 입술이 다 부르터보셨나요?!ㅋㅋ

 

여름을 맞이하여 우리 기러기 가족은 일년만에 상봉을 하고

엄청난 스케쥴을 소화하며 정말 하루하루 정신없이 놀고 있습니다. ㅋㅋ

 

저도 마침 지난주에 일주일간 여름 휴가여서

친척들이 모여서 모처럼 설악산과 정선으로 여행을 떠났습니다♥

 

사실은 일본에 가고 싶었지만,

기껏 귀국해 또 외국을 가야하겠냐며

(듣고보니 참 반박할 수 없더라는;;;ㅋㅋㅋ)

반대하는 엄마와 동생때문에 국내로 골랐는데요, 

 

갔다오고나니 역시 우리나라도 그 어느 나라 못지않다는 생각이 새삼 들더군요 ^-^

아직 안가신 분들~올 여름 휴가는 국내로 ㅋㅋㅋ

 

음음-매우 간추려서 몇 가지 기억에 남는 점을 적어보자면!!

 

1. 캐리비안베이  vs 설악워터피아

 

친구,연인과 가신다면 캐리비안 베이로, 가족과 함께 가신다면 설악 워터피아로!ㅋㅋ

 

올 여름에 어쩌다 보니 두 군데 다 갔는데용, 둘다 좋아요 ㅋㅋ

 

캐리비안베이는...

 아시다시피 쫌 더 다이내믹하고 슬라이드 등등 젊은이(?) 들 놀 게 더 많아요.

 

워터피아는...

 역시 나름 휴양지에 있다보니 스파나 온천등등

남녀노소 모두가 즐길 수 있는게 많더라구요 히히

 

아아아!! 여기에 물총싸움하는 보트가 있는데 완젼 강추!!!

 

구경하는 사람들이 보기엔 재미없어보이는 거...알아요 ㅋㅋ

하지만 선입견은 금물.

ㅋㅋㅋ 직접 해보세요 ㅋㅋㅋ

 

하다보니 마구마구 승부욕 불타올라서 (친척들끼리 했음에도 불구하고 ㅋㅋㅋ)

물 하두 맞아서 앞도 안 보이는 주제에

보트에서 일어나서 물총 쏘다가 넘어져서 발목에서 피나는데도 모르고

정신없이 물총을 쏘게...된답니다 ㅋㅋㅋ

 

그런데 보아하니 요즘 이효리의 오션월드가 대세라던데 ㅋㅋㅋ

여름이 가기전에 거기도 꼭 가보고싶습니다!ㅋㅋ

 

음... 사진은 생략 ^-^; 히히히

 

 

2. 정선 레일바이크

 

밤 새워 줄을 서도 표를 얻을 수 있을까 없을까하다는 !

표 사다주는 알바생들이 존재하는!

우리도 역시 겨우겨우 표를 구해서 타러 갔습니다 ㅋㅋ

 

안쓰는 철길에 신기한 바이크같은 마차같은 것을 설치해서

두명씩 혹은 네 명씩 한 차를 타고 약 한 시간 동안 경치구경하며 탈 수 있게 한거랍니다.

 

우리는 4인용을 탔는데,

앞의 두 사람은 좀 편안히 벤치같은 의자에 앉아서 가고,

뒤의 두 명은 자전거시트에 앉아서 내내 페달을 돌려야하는 거였어요 ㅋㅋㅋ

하지만 대부분 내리막길이었다는 ^.^ 

 

 

비가 정말 엄청나게 쏟아지는, 호우경보가 발령난 그 날이었는데요,

(이장님께서 방송하셨어요 다급한 목소리로 ㅋㅋㅋ)

그래도 사람들이 우비입고 바이크 꽉꽉 채워서 탔습니다 ㅋㅋ

 

ㅋㅋ저도 시작전부터 어찌나 신나던지 ^.^

[완전 바른자세로 혼자 손잡이까지 잡고 출발을 기다리며 잔뜩 기대중 ♡.♡ ㅋㅋㅋ]

 

(가족들이 쫌 못나와서 미안하지만,

사진찍는 줄도 모르고 저렇게 앞만 보며 두근대고있는 내 모습이 스스로 너무 웃겨서요ㅋ)

 

암튼 다들 노란 우비입고 줄줄이 페달을 밟는데 어찌나 스머프들 같던지 ㅋㅋㅋ

아아, 이티를 태우고 다들 하늘로 날아갈 것 같기도 했어요 ㅋㅋㅋ

 

[탄광에서 일하고 나온 스머프 한 가족 ㅋㅋㅋ]

 

물론, 맑은 날에 타보질 않아서 모르겠지만

개인적으로는 비가 쏟아지는 날 타니까 더 운치있고 좋던데요?! ^-^

 

특히 터널을 통과해 나올 때 앞에 펼쳐지는 물안개낀 풍경은

정말정말 동화속의 한 장면 같았답니다♥

 

p.s. 원래 그러면 안되는데, "추돌금지"라고 엄청 많이 적혀있긴 하지만

한 번 추돌해보니 그것도 완젼 스릴있고 재미있더라는 ㅋㅋㅋㅋ

물론 앞차에는 친척이 타고 있었음. ㅋㅋ

 

3. 아쉬운..평창 패러글라이딩

 

해 본 것 처럼 썼지만 못 해봤다는 ㅠ-ㅠ

오래전부터 벼르고 별렀던 건데...기상이 너무 안 좋아져서 못했습니다 흑;

이륙장까지만 갔어요.

여기서 뚝 뛰어내렸어야 하는데 말이죠 ㅠ-ㅠ

서울근교에서도 할 수 있는 곳이 있다던데- 아시는 분?!ㅎㅎ

[추억의 거리에 가보셨나요?] 60년대로의 산책

국립민속박물관 내에 60-70년대의 거리를 재현해놓은 "추억의 거리" 가 생겼습니다.

그 시절의 이발소, 만화방, 옷가게, 다방, 식당, 사진관, 그리고 포니자동차까지 ^-^

 

 

Stroll back to the sixties

 

Inside the National Folk Museum of Korea next to Gyeongbokgung, central Seoul, a peculiar narrow road opened last Tuesday. Named the "Street of Memory," the road takes visitors back to the 1960s and '70s.

From a cafe, comic book store and barbershop to a photo studio tucked away at the end, the road is filled with dozens of old-fashioned stores.

The Street of Memory was built to commemorate the official reopening of The National Children's Museum of Korea.

The museum was initially created as a part of the National Folk Museum of Korea in 2003 but has gained enough popularity to be given separate status. This is the first time a children's museum here has earned the status of a national institution.

Based on detailed research, the stores on the street are perfectly reproduced to make middle-aged Koreans nostalgic.

For example, the barber shop "Hwagae" is after the one in the same name that actually existed nearby in Sogyuk-dong for over 50 years until 2007.

On opening day, a barber cut visitors' hair at the shop using traditional supplies.

"Norano's Boutique," a dressmaker, is named for Madame Norano, the fashion designer who held the first fashion show in Korea in 1956.

After she opened her shop in the 1960s, a bunch of high-end boutiques opened in Seoul and women learned more about fashion trends.

Visitors can also find Hyundai's 1978 version of "Pony 1 Pick-up" car - the nation's first domestic model - at the street.

The museum recently bought the car from a Gangwon Province resident. Although it is more than 30 years old, the car still runs well.

"Starting from this Street of Memory, the museum will build a totally traditional village in the area which will be finished by 2011," said Kim Mee-gyeom, educator of the museum.

The National Children's Museum of Korea is situated inside the National Folk Museum of Korea in Samcheong-dong, central Seoul. For more information, visit www.kidsnfm.go.kr or call (02) 3704-3130~1.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

Artist hopes to settle portraits in home country

It would not be a surprise if the Korean artist Suh Jeong-in, 52, said he felt that Nebraska is more like home than Seoul. It was, after all, in that Midwestern U.S. state that the portrait artist received so much help as a 24-year-old heart patient.

Born with ventricular septal defect, Suh was so weak that he had to drop out of high school. Having no other horizons to explore, he decided to make a living out of painting, which he had always been good at, and moved to the United States to get a proper education.

Even then, he did not know that the disease was so deadly.

While attending Hastings College in Nebraska, he went to the doctor because of a sore ear and discovered his threatening heart situation. Doctors said that he had only a year left at best if he did not undergo surgery.

Suh's father, however, was unable to pay for the operation and the family had no medical insurance to cover the procedure either. Worse still, as a member of Jehovah's Witness, Suh was unable to accept a blood transfusion.

Not wanting to lose one of his most talented students, Richard Brink, a Hastings art professor, started a fund to help pay Suh's surgery expenses.

The local newspaper reported the story and one by one TV stations and national wire services picked it up and spread it throughout the nation.

"People sent me donations from all over, with heartfelt letters and newspaper clippings attached, (including from) the Baltimore Sun, Chicago Tribune, Texas Chronicle," Suh said.

Dr. Denton Cooley, an internationally-known heart surgeon famed for operations without using transfusions, also heard the story and volunteered to perform surgery on Suh for free. A wealthy resident of the area took care of Suh's ride to the hospital on his private jet.

"Can you imagine? It was such a warm welcome for a foreigner. Being cared for by so many people, I had gained the courage to live in the States," Suh said.

Through the love and care he received, Suh soon recovered and his career started to grow.

He compensated Cooley by painting him his portrait, and commissions and offers soon poured in.

"When I was working at my art school, an old man occasionally came and peered into my paintings over my shoulder. I just assumed that he must be some lonely man. But one day he invited me to lunch, and I was stunned to find out that he was George Gray, a member of the oldest art club in the United States," Suh said.

With Gray supporting him, Suh joined the Society of Illustrators and also met the chance to paint former U.S. president Ronald Reagan's portrait.

"A friend of the Gray was Kipp Soldwedel, the well known marine artist. It was him who was originally requested by the National Republican Committee to paint Reagan's portrait. But after seeing my portfolio Soldwedel recommended me instead, saying that I would do a better job," Suh said.

So it was the portrait by Suh that was used during the 1984 presidential campaign.

"President Reagan liked the portrait so much that he signed it and personally sent copies to me and my parents in Korea," Suh said, showing the signed and framed duplicate.

Among the hundreds of portraits Suh has painted, many of them were of high-profile figures like Reagan.

Suh, however, maintains that he never really thinks of how important his subjects are while he paints them.

"This is the portrait of Patricia Schroeder, who was a U.S. Congresswoman. But to me, she was just like any old friendly neighbor. If the artist is cowed in front of someone famous, he cannot fully express his artistic skills. I just think of them as another regular person, like me," Suh said.

Two years ago, the lucky artist returned home for good. The country to which his grandfather Suh Dong-jin - a well-known artist and former Korean assemblyman - had first introduced Western painting, however, did not greet him so warmly.

"Koreans still don't have much passion for portraits, unlike Americans who like to hang them in their living rooms." Suh said.

He has been knocking on the doors of several galleries and museums, but they have responded rather coolly.

"It seems like Koreans are into contemporary art right now. I understand, my paintings are not so shocking compared to those. Classical music would not be so attractive if you are so used to rock and roll," Suh said.

But he hopes that Korea will gradually learn to enjoy portraits. As one of the few portrait artists in Korea, Suh aims to lead the shift in taste.

"A person's information is limited in photos. They tell you only about your looks and nothing more. A portrait, on the other hand, is your picture painted by another man, not a machine. It is a way to see one's self through something that has a human touch," Suh said.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

황당한 사람들

아무거나 말고,

 

분명 유익하고 볼만한 전시나

흥미롭고 이슈가 될만한 작가들을 소개하는것이 맞다고 생각한다.

 

그런데,

 

무조건 수십번씩 전화하고 이멜보내서 실어달라고 조르는 사람들,

게다가 꼭 이번주내로 내달라고 구체적으로 기간까지 명시하는 사람들,

혹은...기사가 나온 뒤에 기대한만큼 PR을 안해줬다고,

왜 수상경력을 별로 쓰지 않았냐며 타박하는 사람들은 대체대체대체 뭘까;

 

신문이 자기꺼임?!+_+

 

 

 

 

 

이번엔 도자기로 만든 베개와 풍선! ㅋㅋ

Pillows made of ceramics

 

No matter how soft and plush they look, do not plunge your head into Nina Jun's pillows. The pillows and balloons made by the Korean sculptor are actually ceramics.

"I am interested in capturing the vanity of the soft, puffy and airy balloon in contradicting material - hard fired ceramic," Jun said.

Her recent work can be found at the exhibition "Whisper, Pillow-Talk," underway at Gana Art Space in Gwanhun-dong.

This is her first solo exhibition in her home country. Jun received her bachelor's degree and Master of Fine Arts in sculpture at California State University, Long Beach and currently lives in the United States.

Little ceramic couples get married and ceramic children play on her pillows., They apparently are the reproductions of Jun's dreams. "I see the pillow as a metaphor of the small internal universe where the mind rests and dreams when we lay our heads on it. My pillows represent something intimate, like pillow talk," she said.

The exhibition runs through Aug. 11 at Gana Art Space in Gwanhun-dong, central Seoul. For more information, visit www.ninajun.com or call (02) 734-1333.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

사진일까요 그림일까요?

Are these photos or paintings?

 

A picture shows two puckered lips on the verge of kissing. One can even see the tiny wrinkles. Think it is a photo? It is a painting. Seongnam Arts Center is exhibiting more than 70 such realistic paintings by 48 local and international artists including Ju Tae-seok, Lee Eun and Roberto Bernardi at the exhibition "Hyper Realism."

"'Hyper realism,' also known as 'photo realism' or 'super realism,' depicts things in the everyday life such as cars, people or the city so delicately that they almost looks like photographs," said the exhibition curator in a statement.

In Korea, the trend began in the 1970s, following Western countries.

Divided into three sections, the exhibition views different tendencies of the trend according to the times.

The first part showcases works by the first generation of hyper realism painters in Korea, who actively worked in the 1970s and 1980s.

"The artists were influenced by the urbanization of the time. Not all, but most of them implied how Korea went through such a fast urbanization in their paintings," said Seo Seong-rok, art professor at Andong University, in a statement regarding the exhibition.

Meanwhile the painters of the 2000s, as their works are displayed in the second division, do not share a common trend but rather show their own unique styles.

The second generation artists benefitted more from digital media like cameras or computer graphics so they could make their paintings more accurate and diverse.

Viewers can compare hyper realism paintings from different countries in the final section. Works by Korean, Japanese and German artists are on display.

The exhibition runs through Aug. 27 at Seongnam Arts Center in Bundang, Gyeonggi Province. Tickets range from 2,000 won to 6,000 won. Guided tours are available in English.

For more information, call (031) 783-8000 or visit www.snart.or.kr

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young