한국에 사는 다국적 아티스트들, 경계를 뛰어넘다

Erasing boundaries in Korea through art

 

한국에 사는 다국적 아티스트들, 경계를 뛰어넘다

인터내셔널 아티스트 커뮤니티”와 “서울 아트 콜렉티브”는 한국에 사는 외국인 작가들과 우리나라 작가들의 모임이다. 서로 언어가 통하지 않더라도 미술로 대화하며 전시나 자선활동 등 다양한 활동을 함께한다. 그들은 한국에 이런 다문화 모임이 늘어나는 건 서울이 곧 뉴욕, 파리와 같은 문화의 중심지가 될 수도 있다는 것,” 이라며 “국적, 나이 불문하고 창조적인 마인드만 있으면 누구나 회원이 될 수 있다,”고 말한다.

Defining individuals through conventional standards like nationalities is becoming more and more meaningless in our time.

More than 1.2 million expats are living in Korea today and that, of course, includes those who are artists.

Some of these artists, who have already blurred the border of their "home" countries by settling down in Korea, are set to break more cultural limits.

Richard Beaumont, a British artist who has been living in Korea for 10 years, recently gathered 18 artists from seven different countries to found an International Artists Community.

"Korea is becoming a multicultural society where other cultures are starting to play important roles. This could be a threat and danger of losing one's own identity. But every culture has both positive and negative affects to other cultures. The goal of this community is to bring people from other cultures together and have them appreciate, respect and learn others through creative action called art," Beaumont told The Korea Herald.

The community is based on personal network. Friends introduced friends. Sometimes Beaumont seeks new members by contacting artists whose works he found interesting on the internet, and sometimes artists contact him first.

"The group is open to everyone who is creative, which again means everyone. I would like this group to evolve," Beaumont said.

"My wife's Korean and I had only known Korean people here. I live in the Korean society, not just in an expat bubble. In fact, I never used to speak English in normal speed here until I met some of the artists through this community," he added, laughing.

His wife Jang Oui-loung is also an artist who belongs to the community.

Like Jang, half the members are Koreans. Most speak English but some do not. Beaumont said that it is fine because they can communicate through art.

All of the members, however, are familiar with multicultural societies either by birth or by education and are open-minded to all cultures.

For instance, Loreta Medina, whom Beaumont contacted to invite into the community after seeing her works online, was exposed to multiculturalism from birth, as she was born and raised in the Philippines.

"A great lot of English teachers were practically dumped to our country. The Americanization in our country is very strong, probably the strongest in Asia. Besides, we already had Muslims in the south and Chinese in the north, not to mention the Spanish who soon arrived. We had a hundred languages in our country," Medina said.

She naturally learned how to accept and sometimes refuse unfamiliar cultures all the while respecting them. After spending eight years in Korea, Korean culture was also caught in her radar.

Medina said that she loves half of Korea but does not like the other half.

"I am captivated by Korean calligraphy and oriental paintings. I love the view in Korea, you know, because we don't have snow or fall in Philippines. I am also collecting galbi bones for a future project," she added.

Living in such a multicultural ambience must evoke homesickness for some. The main materials for Medina's works are tree barks, which Filipinos used to use in traditional clothing.

But her super multicultural background could not be hidden, as she admits that she sometimes feels her "Spanish self coming out" when she spots images of veils in tree barks.

International Artists Community is preparing their first exhibition which will open on Dec. 2 at Jay Gallery and Na Gallery in central Seoul.

Including Medina, the artists -- Alexandra Beneteau, Choi Ko-ya, Kang Jea-Uk, Ko Sun-im, Kwon Song-won, Lee Ji-young, Mike Stewart, Rawini Sulaiman, Genn Toffey, Sarah McCauley, Ryan McLay, Roh Young-sun, Seo Hwa-suk, Lee Dong-seok, Olivia White, Jang and Beaumont -- will showcase various works that cannot be limited as a reflection of a single culture. International Artists Community is not the only artist group composed of international and local artists. There are several throughout the country.

Seoul Art Collective, founded in 2006, is another one. Composed of about 20 British, U.S. and Korean artists, it is an artist's community for networking and exchanging ideas.

The SAC does everything from gallery hopping, art critiques, holding exhibitions to even charity events that benefit orphans.

"People don't have to be of any particular nationality to become involved with the SAC. We aren't primarily interested in foreign art but art in general and art that is happening in Korea," said Zach Eichelberger, president of SAC.

If one is wondering if there are any rivalries or competitions among the groups, one is too much into conventional thinking.

The concept of "membership" is very loose in all groups, which may as well be considered as another meaning of blurring borders. Artists freely go in and out of the groups and sometimes even join several.

"I see it (artist groups) as acting as a catalyst for any artist wishing to collaborate on projects with other artists irrespective of nationality, language, social status, gender, age or membership of other groups. Several members of SAC are in fact taking part in this show (Cultures Connect) and I am sure this collaboration will continue in the future," said Beaumont, who is also a member of the SAC.

"To artists, freedom is very important. We like to be all over the place. We like the imagination to be free. When we belong to a rigid structure, we don't like it," added Medina, reminding how even Picasso had participated in several art groups like Cubism and Dada.

SAC is currently holding its 28th exhibition titled "Ism" at The Siuter Art Space in central Seoul. Participating artists include Choi Ko-ya, Courtney Lyn Zach, James Topple, Kim Chang-han, Kwon Sung-won, Laine Alexander, Lenny Correa, Matt Flanagan, Park Jin-seoung, Ryan McLay, Shaun Stamp, Beaumont and Eichelberger. Eichelberger also curated the exhibition.

At this exhibition, SAC took a step further. Rather than simply cross the borders between different cultures, it attempts to cross the borders between the conventional categories in art which are usually categorized with the suffix "ism."

"What 'ism' are we in today? It's hard to tell," said Eichelberger.

"The concept of the show came about by looking at the work of several artists and realizing the link between the works was in large part connected by the past. In some ways, I think art is looking to the past in order to move forward these days. There's a lot of room, or a lot of freedom to make whatever you want, and freedom can be daunting given the scope of what is out there in art, or the world at large."

Eichelberger said he would be very happy if the viewers might think of the last great line in "The Great Gatsby": "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past."

"But if perhaps they don't, I'd like the message to be that we are blind to the future, but moving on forward, and every flashlight is useless," he said.

Market insiders see the emergence of new foreign and local artist groupings as an innovational change for Korean art market.

"I think it is a very important moment for the Korean society. These kinds of cultures mixing together can create some really interesting, original forms of art. If this continues, Korea could become a cultural center of art like New York or Paris," said Young Jay Lee, director of Jay Gallery.

"Ism" runs through Dec. 13 at The Siuter Art Space in Gugi-dong, central Seoul. For more information, visit www.siuter.com or call (02) 394-2596. To find more about SAC, visit sac.travisleestreet.com

"Cultures Connect" runs from Dec. 2-15 at Jay Gallery and Na Gallery in SK Hub Plaza in Gyeongwun-dong, central Seoul. For more information, call (02) 2666-4450 or visit www.jaypia.com for Jay Gallery or call (02) 2732-8846 or visit www.na-gallery.com for Na Gallery.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

이이남 작가의 신기한 병풍

Media artist blends classical works, literally

 

A scene from "New-Danbalryeong Manggeumgang" [Hakgojae Gallery]

 

Paintings by French artist Paul Cezanne and Joseon Dynasty artist Gyeomjae Jeongseon slowly blend together before visitors' eyes at Hakgojae Gallery in central Seoul.

Raindrops splatter on the digitalized versions of the works hung side by side. The drops add colors to Jeongseon's painting and bleach Cezanne's, causing each to look like the other.

When the transformation reaches its peak, one would not be able to tell which one used to be which without checking the artists' signatures. Saint Victoire mountain in Cezanne's painting and Namsan in Jeongseon's happened to be surprisingly similar to start with.

The works slowly return to their original selves as snow falls.

This interesting work is by Lee Lee-nam, now a well-known Korean media artist.

Lee, who had actually majored in sculpture, turned to media art in 1997, inspired by some of his animation-major students who attended his clay art class.

"I got to see their animation works between classes and it looked so fun! I had finally found the way to really realize my imaginations. Paintings and sculptures do have their limits," Lee said at a recent press conference.

Excited, Lee embarked on his first series called "The Conversation between Monet & Sochi." The man on a ferry in French artist Jean Claude Monet's painting floats across the frames into the painting by Sochi Heoryeon, a Joseon Dynasty artist. The small island in Sochi's painting moves the other way.

Day turns into night during his ride as it is visible when both paintings grow dark and buildings appear in the back, unexpectedly creating a city nightscape. Morning comes again, and Sochi's painting has a ferry man and Monet's has an island.

Lee first gained fame abroad in the middle of this decade, earning favorable reviews at international art fairs. Foreign art aficionados were fascinated by unfamiliar old Asian paintings that move through advanced IT technologies.

Attention soon grew in Korea, too. Samsung Electronics Co. recently made a pledge to provide Lee with 90 LED TVs every year for the next five years. During the period, some of his works will be loaded in Samsung TVs for sale, so that consumers can enjoy his works at home.

Naturally, fame was followed by imitation. An institute in Korea and some artists from other Asian countries started to emulate his works.

"I was upset at first, but now I don't deal with them. I decided that it would more productive to absorb myself in my next work," Lee said.

His newest works have stronger and more complex narrative structures. Take "New-Danbalryeong Manggeumgang" for example. Like in the original "Danbalryeong Manggeumgang" painting by Jeongseon, the basic plot is that people enjoy the view from the mountain. Only, in Lee's new version, the view is a high-tech city with skyscrapers.

The people, apparently from Joseon Dynasty, look around in awe. A cable car that connects different mountains appears, and curious people hop on it. Some more people at the foot of the mountain seem to have heard the news, as they hurriedly climb up to ride the next cable car.

"I try to erase the border between the past and present. They are actually very close, more than we normally think. They are inseparable," he said.

"For my next project, I am eyeing AMOLED and monitors that bend."

The exhibition runs through Dec. 13 at Hakgojae Gallery in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul. For more information, visit www.hakgojae.com or call (02) 739-4937.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

Are you sure photos capture true images?

Long before digital editing became common, there were already some photographers who harbored doubts about and challenged the authenticity of photography. At the exhibition "Masks" currently running at the Sungkok Art Museum in central Seoul, viewers can find 100 photos by 48 such photographers from around the world who questioned the perception that "photos are reproductions of reality." Works by renowned photographers like Man Ray, Diane Arbus, Brassai, Cindy Sherman, Koo Bohn-chang and Oh Heinkuhn are on display. "Photographs are never authentic reality. They are simply realities wearing a mask. That is why photos are masks," said curator Alain Sayag, former director of the photography department at Pompidou Center in Paris, at the opening ceremony. With the help from several museums in France including the Pompidou Center, French Cultural Center in Korea and many individual collectors, the show covers the past 100 years of photography that feature masks. The subjects in the photos are either disguised before being photographed, often by masks, or modified afterwards through various methods. For instance, Man Ray photographed Marcel Duchamp disguised as a woman and Valerie Belin took a photo of a model who dressed up as Leonardo Da Vinci. Orlan even went through plastic surgery to turn himself as an experimental subject for his works.

Other than these contemporary photos, some tiny vintage photos from 100 years ago also show reality-look-alikes that are actually ambiguous and fake.

Organized by Sungkok Art Museum and Dong-gang Museum of Photography in Gangwon Province, this show was first held under the same title at the Gangwon museum last summer.

The exhibition runs through Dec. 31 at Sungkok Art Museum in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. Tickets are 5,000 won for adults, 4,000 won for adolescents and kids.

For more information, visit www.sungkokmuseum.com or call (02) 737-7650.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

대한민국 최대 미술컬렉터의 컬렉션 공개

Kim Chang-il unveils his collection

 

Arario Gallery is showcasing its collections under the title "Arario's Finest" to commemorate its 20th anniversary. The show is notable because the gallery's collections are in fact those of gallery president Kim Chang-il who is considered one of the world's top 100 collectors. Kim is the first Korean ever to make the list of the world's 100 top collectors, as selected by British magazine Art Review. He is also an artist himself who goes by the name "Ci Kim," although his work is not as well known as his collections. This show stages about 35 pieces from Kim's collections by world-renowned artists like Andy Warhol, Damien Hirst, Keith Haring, Marc Quinn, Neo Rauch and Tracey Emin. Of the two Arario Galleries in Korea - one in Cheonan and one in Seoul - the main venue this time is the Cheonan Gallery. The Cheonan gallery is one of the biggest private galleries in Korea. The exhibition in Cheonan starts outdoors, where the park between Arario Gallery and Galleria Department Store is filled with interesting sculptures. A man and woman climb up giant ladders that lean against the buildings around the park. A hot pink Tyrannosaurus is crushing a hot pink car in one corner, a giant monkey ranch is clipping the end of a rolled-up wire in another, and an anatomy model of a human body that stands three stories high, by Hirst, stands at the entrance of the gallery. This unfamiliar scene with all sorts of sculptures clustered together is enough to stop passers-by. More masterpieces are inside, like "Fastest Gun in the West" by Sigmar Polke on the first floor. The Polish artist put in all his methods and efforts into the work, Kim explained. Tate Modern Museum in London once borrowed it for an exhibition. "When it comes to contemporary art, there is no time to hesitate. They'll be gone if you are not quick enough. A great lot of eyes were on this painting too, but I got it first. People say I am really quick when it comes to auctions. Yup, I was the 'fastest gun' there," Kim said with a chuckle. "Self" by Marc Quinn would be the not-to-be-missed work on the second floor. It is a model of the artist's head filled with nine pints of his actual frozen blood. As shocking as it is, the bloody head, first made in 1991, soon became a world-renowned work. There are currently four editions of it in the world: the first version is in the hands of Steve Cohen, a hedge fund billionaire in New York, the 1996 version is in Dallas Museum of Art, the 2001 version is in Arario Gallery in Korea, and the latest version in National Portrait Gallery in London. Quinn collects four liters of his own blood during a four to five months period every five years. The sculpture's face, which is fixed in a silicon-filled-box, gets older in each version as the artist ages. The box has to be kept under minus 10 degrees Celcius in order to prevent the blood from melting. "Yes, it is extremely difficult to maintain this one, but you need be ready for that much effort for contemporary art," Kim said. The collector shared some more of his tips for choosing good and investment-worthy artworks, although he admitted that 90 percent of his judgements were done by his instincts. "You need to pay attention to the details. Although they are done by the same artist, their prices can differ depending on whether they include the artists' signature objects or colors or not. Well-known galleries usually have the good ones, so it is important to visit them often," he added. Some of Kim's best collections, however, are still unveiled. Kim promised there will be a time to show everything he has, probably sometime next year. The exhibition runs through Jan. 10 at Arario Gallery Seoul in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul and Jan. 24 at Arario Gallery Cheonan in Cheonan cityi, South Chungcheong Province. For more information, call (02) 723-6190, (041) 551-5100 or visit www.arariogallery.com (claire@heraldm.com) By Park Min-young

마틴크리드 전시 리뷰

British artist gets philosophical

 

Often it takes more than just artistic skill to become a world-renowned artist. After talking with Martin Creed, you might wonder if an artist needs to be philosophical as well. The Briton is a leading conceptual artist. A little younger than the Young British Artists, the 41-year-old's works range from sculptures, paintings, and installations to neon lights, sounds and films. Some Koreans might recognize his work from the "Platform Seoul" exhibition last year, in which he filled a room in Gallery Sun Contemporary with purple balloons, leading excited visitors to wade around the room gleefully. Currently, his most famous and recent works are showing at his first-ever solo exhibition in Korea at Artsonje Center in central Seoul. The 2001 Turner Prize winning artist, however, said that he doesn't really know what appeals to people. "The world is a big crazy place, it's impossible to understand everything. I work for me, so I try to make something I find exciting and beautiful. All works are sort of an experiment to find if it can make our life better and exciting. My way of finding out if my work works for the public is going out in public," said Creed at a recent press conference. So he opens his works to the public, and although he is one of the most famous artists today, not all of his works get the best responses. But they do arouse some interesting debates. An example is the ball of paper he had crumpled and showcased in the middle of one of Artsonje Center's rooms as if it was an autographed baseball. What exactly is the difference between Creed's crumpled piece of paper and the ones by the rest of the world? "There is no difference," he said, coolly. "Like there is no difference between you talking, journalists writing stories or me making my paintings. Everyone's creating something all the time." So why does his become a precious artwork while the rest are just garbage? "I don't know exactly what it means, 'art.' I like putting things on exhibitions, and because that is what artists do, only in that sense I can be called an artist." Most works, though, do not make viewers complain of injustice, but instead, make them admit Creed's keen artistic and even philosophical sensibility. Take his performance "Work No. 673," which was performed on the opening day. Orchestra members were lined up in front of the conductor, and they played a simple piece of music composed by Creed. "There is always a hierarchy in an orchestra. But I think the triangle is just as important as the violin. So the point was to make a piece which every instrument is equal," he said. Similar reasons were applied in a work that features lined-up cactuses, and in his latest work, which shows all the basic ballet positions. He said that he liked all cactuses, regardless of their size, and all ballet positions. Another aim for the orchestra work was to make it able to "see the music." "In concerts you can't really see where the music is coming from. So another idea was to make music visible," he said. A final tip to those who will visit the show: do not bother to peer into the captions beside the exhibits, because most of the works do not have a title. They are simply numbered, randomly. Creed did not want to interfere too much between the works and the viewers by naming the pieces. "The works are just a thing to look at. Ideas are in people, not in works," he said. The exhibition runs through Feb. 12 at Artsonje Center in Hwa-dong, central Seoul. Tickets are 3,000 won for adults and 1,500 won for students. For more information, call (02) 733-8945 or visit www.artsonje.org (claire@heraldm.com) By Park Min-young

루저 논란 기사

'Loser' girl in hot water

 

A college student is in hot water as her televised statement that "short men are losers" is spreading all over the internet community and has even triggered a lawsuit.

Lee Do-kyung, a Hongik University student, appeared on a popular KBS TV show "Misuda," or "Chatting with Beauties" on Monday and said, "I don't like short men. Height is competitiveness these days, and I think short men are losers. Men should at least be 180 cm tall."

Hurt and angry, Korean internet users began to criticize her online immediately, and decided to take another step: "googling" her.

Before noon the next day, all her personal information including her homepage address, graduation photos, and her frequently used internet ID were posted on numerous websites.

Internet users tracked down the trails of her internet ID. Her past activities online such as the questions she posted on her university's website about scholarships, the ones she posted on luxury brand shopping websites and plastic surgery websites were all quickly disclosed.

Internet users made a caricature of her words by creating parodied photos. For instance, "Who is Lee Do-kyung?" is written on top of a poster of the movie "The Lord of the Rings" where hobbits pose holding swords, and also on top of a portrait of Napoleon.

Some even wrote that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, who happens to be short, got furious about Lee's "loser" statement and ordered Tuesdays' naval clash between the two Koreas.

New words appeared as well, such as "Tom Closer," "Loserleon," or "Wayne Loser," each referring to Tom Cruise, Napoleon and Wayne Rooney, celebrities or historical figures who are shorter than 180 cm.

Later on the same day, Lee's every action started to be broadcast live over the internet. Students at her university seemed to be keeping a close eye on her as websites were flooded with anonymous eye witness accounts on Lee. Anonymous rumors about her and even comments about the situation from some self-claimed friends of hers quickly spread online.

In the latest development, Lee apologized on her school website yesterday as did "Misuda" producers, who said that the statement was not meant to hurt and asked the public to stop a "witch hunt" on Lee. On the other hand, a man in his 30s filed a complaint with the Press Arbitration Commission against KBS and is asking for 10 million won in compensation for "mental distress" caused from the "loser" statement. The man is reportedly 162 centimeters tall. Many internet users, meanwhile, have also started to reflect on their behavior, saying that they do not have the right to carry out surveillance on other people, and that they should stop.

"Internet users themselves are feeling burdened as the situation becomes uncontrollable," said Jeong Hyun-min, a researcher at the National Information Society Agency.

Meanwhile, a weird consequence of her comments is that some celebrities were suddenly praised on the internet for their past comments about men's height. Attention is especially focused on Hyun-ah, a member of the girl group "Four Minute," whose recent appearance on a radio show where she talked about her ideal boyfriend is spreading online.

"I hope he is shorter than 173 cm. About 170 cm would be great," she said.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

한국공예작가들 미 최대 공예페어 초청전시

U.S. craft show features Korean artists

 

Korean craft works are set to captivate the United States.

Twenty-six Korean craft artists will be showcasing their works at the 33rd Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show which runs for five days starting today at The Pennsylvania Convention Center.

It is one of the three biggest craft shows in the Untied States, along with the Smithsonian Craft Show and The International Expositions of Sculpture Objects & Functional Art. The trading volume at the Philadelphia craft show alone is approximately $3.5 million, while the size of the U.S. craft market is around $14 billion.

Like the other two shows, only U.S. citizens could participate in the Philadelphia show. But from 2001, the show decided to select guest countries and invite their artists to learn about their crafts and exchange cultures.

Korea is the seventh country that has been invited so far, following Japan, England, Northern Ireland, Germany, Finland and Canada.

"The point is that the biggest craft show in the U.S.A. focused on Korean crafts this time. Our foundation supported the cost for the booths and transportation, because we know that this show will greatly affect the possibility of whether Korean craft artists can advance into the U.S. market or not. This is not only an opportunity for the individual artists but also a great chance to promote Korean crafts as a whole," said Sung Moon-mo, president of Korean Craft Promotion Foundation.

The foundation received applications from 300 artists who wanted to participate in the show and sent the list to the Philadelphia Museum of Art. The museum selected the final 26. Some representative artists were left out and some up and coming artists were included through the process, according to the foundation.

The invited artists are Jeon Seong-im for baskets, Go Hee-suk, Kim Mun-gyeong, Kim Ji-hye, Kim Hye-jeong, Yun Ju-cheol, Lee Gi-jo and Lee In-jin for ceramics, Kim Min-ja, Lim Hye-suk, Jang Yeon-sun and Choi Ji-yun for fiber, Park Seong-won and Heo Hye-wuk for glass, Kim Bong-hee, Kim Yu-ra, Mun Chun-seon, Sim Hyeon-seok, Lee Seung-jin and Lee Jeong-gyu for jewelry, Kang Wung-gi and Park Seong-cheol for metal, Jeon Chang-ho for mixed media, Jeong hae-jo for ottchil, Jang Seong-wu for paper and Jo Seok-jin for wood.

The show is strictly commercial, so the selected artists will stay at their booths during the show and take care of the sales themselves.

Curators, collectors and gallery owners from all around the world will be visiting to browse through the works and learn about them straight from the artists.

"It will be a great opportunity to meet buyers who can help artists settle in the U.S. market," said Jo Hi-suk, General Manager of the foundation's industrial promotion division. The foundation also educated the artists on marketing skills for this occasion.

"We got the chance to participate at this competitive show because Korea is the guest country, but nothing is guaranteed for us next year. We will be evaluated purely on our works this time, so I am hoping for good results," said Park Seong-won, a participating artist and professor at Korea National University of Arts. His work "Mask 2" was printed on the cover of the show's pamphlet.

"There are not many shows or fairs like the Philadelphia Craft Show in Korea where craft artists can introduce their works to the public. There should be more, to reinvigorate Korean craft market," he added.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

 

재외한국청년미술제 U.S.B.

Works by artists between cultures

 

You Sun, a Korean artist who currently lives and works in New York, often receives some unintended responses from Americans when she holds exhibitions there.

"No matter what kind of work I show, some simply understand it as a work of 'Korean style.' I usually make my works using colorful vinyl, and some critics said that the pink and light green colors of the vinyl remind them of hanbok. I had never realized that before," You told The Korea Herald.

Including You, 24 young up-and-coming Korean artists who have had similar experiences are showcasing their works at the exhibition "Emerging Korean Artists in the World 2009 - U.S.B" at Seoul Arts Center.

The artists are overseas ethnic Koreans from eight different countries including Germany, Argentina and Japan. Although they have Korean nationality, they are better known in their resident countries and they say that Korea is unfamiliar.

So for them, it is ironic that their unintended nationality provides so much bias to the viewers. The irony continues in Korea, as here, they are once again treated as aliens who are somewhere in between Koreans and foreigners.

It was obvious at the recent press conference, as the press kept on asking, "so does the work reflect Korean sentiments or cultures or not?"

"What exactly is Koreanness? Now is time to compete with art itself and the artist themselves, not with countries," said curator Gu Jeong-won.

As well as meaning memory stick, as a metaphor for the artists who easily travel around the world, "U.S.B" in the title of the exhibition stands for "Urban Nomadism," "Species of Singularity," and "Becoming Gestalt."

With or without any stereotypes concerning the artists' nationalities or current country of residence, however, the 100 exhibits are simply fun, original and sometimes a bit peculiar.

For example, Lee Wonho, who resides in Germany, photographed himself posed in an inverted V-shaped prone position - head and feet rested on books with arms folded on his back. Named "Eolcharyeo," the position is actually used in the Korean military for punishment. Lee said the purpose of the picture was to express how hard it is for an artist to survive in the competitive art market.

Hwang Eunok, resident of France, decided to give a sneak peek of Parisian life, as if in a reality program. In her video "#8 Wrapping bodies project," Hwang and her friends each hid inside black vinyl bags, scattered themselves in the middle of a street in Paris and communicated with curious Parisians.

Other than the interesting status of the artists or the originality of the works, another factor of the exhibition that could attract visitors is that it received the most-ever financial support for a single exhibition - 300 million won ($255,000) - from the government. It is the third most including the Gwangju and Busan Biennales.

The exhibition runs through Dec. 6 at Seoul Arts Center in Seocho-dong, southern Seoul. Admission is 2,000 won for adults and 1,000 won for students and adolescents. For more information, call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

기무사터에 생길 국립현대미술관이 궁금하다면!

Get sneak preview of Kimusa exhibits

 

 

Imagine walking in a room with a book in your hand, after which soon images and sounds related to the book splash into the room.

This scenario, reminiscent of a scene one might have seen in an animated film, comes true through Kim Ae-ran's work "The Sublime - The Space of Heteropia" at the exhibition "Beginning of New Era" currently running at the former Defense Security Command complex in central Seoul.

To make it happen, Kim installed special sensors in her neon-flashy books and in a room.

Other than Kim's work, about 60 artists, ranging from veterans to rookies, are showcasing some 300 original and fun exhibits at the show that makes viewers once again ponder the limits of contemporary art.

The National Museum of Contemporary Art, which is hosting of the exhibition, says that these exhibits are previews of what kind of art museum the complex will become in 2012.

It will be the museum's third branch, completing the National Museum of Contemporary Art trio, also including the existing ones in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province and Deoksugung, central Seoul.

Nicknamed Kimusa - an abbreviation of the command's Korean name - the complex has hosted several exhibitions this year, including "Platform in Kimusa 2009."

But museum officials promise this one is completely different.

"If 'Platform' was to brush off Kimusa's past, this exhibition is to promote the forgotten space and show what a fun and exciting place the new museum will be," said museum curator Gi Hye-gyeong.

Once the trio is formed, each will take a different role.

The new museum, as it will probably be fully equipped with the latest equipment, will primarily host exhibitions on new media art combined with modern technologies. The Gwacheon museum will likely focus on its existing collections while the Deoksugung museum, as it takes place inside an old palace, will hold exhibitions that focus on traditional genres of modern and contemporary art.

Will the upcoming museum really be worth waiting for? Yes, if it really turns out to be as creative as its current exhibits.

For instance, installation artist Jeon Su-cheon has reproduced a telephone operating room whose main purpose was allegedly to bug institutions, armies and the media. Hundreds of mixed voices coming out of the operating machine make visitors prick up their ears.

Choi Woo-ram has filled a hallway with hundreds of yellow lamps hanging from its ceiling, making it look like a scene from the Harry Potter movie series.

The spider-formed lamps, called "Pendulum of Secret," are supposed to be "machine organisms" that live on secrets. Choi referred to how the former Kimusa used to be packed with state secrets.

Park Byung-chun created a miniature land in his room with 3,000 crushed ramen noodles and Im Taek created his on visitors' eye level by making a narrow hole on the wall with cotton and salt.

The exhibition runs through Dec. 6 at the former DSC complex in Sogyeok-dong, central Seoul. Admission is free. For more information, visit seoul.moca.go.kr or call (02) 2188-6000.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

한국박물관 100주년

Korean museums celebrate centennial

 

Changgyeonggung Yanghwadang, a former building of Korea`s National Museum, which was used from 1908 to 1939

Tomorrow marks the centennial anniversary for what most consider the birth of modern Korean museums.

"Jesil Bakmulgwan," or Imperial Museum, is considered Korea's first modern museum. It was established on Nov. 1, 1908 at Changgyeonggung, but was only open to the royal family and some aristocrats.

Nov. 1, 1909 - when the Imperial Museum was opened to the public for the first time at the order of Sunjong (1874-1910), Korea's last emperor - is the day Koreans count as the first day of the country's museum history. Sunjong had hoped to share the cultural assets with the people.

"We easily say the word 'century,' but for Korea, the past century was cut off here and there. Only our cultural assets held their original identities through that time, regardless of political changes. Everything westernized, except for the museum. It is where our people keep our memories," said Lee O-young, chairman of the Commemoration Promotion Committee at a recent press conference.

In the case of most of Korea's museums, most of the memories are probably painful, especially during the Japanese invasion.

In 1911, the Imperial Museum was degraded to "Lee Wang-ga Museum" by the Japanese. Instead, the Japanese opened a museum in the Japanese Joseon government, along with its branches in Gyeongju in North Gyeongsang Province and Buyeo in South Chungcheong Province, and used it as a part of their colonial policy.

After the country regained its independence in 1945, however, the museum started to get back on track. Koreans turned the former Japanese museum into a National Museum. As much meaning as the year has, 1909 was also memorable in Korea's museum history.

The country's main museum could finally be run by its people again.

The National Museum had continued to suffer since then, shifting to different places during the Korean War, but it matured during these tough times.

One by one, more museums were established outside the capital. With the help of many companies and collectors, more artifacts were donated to the museums and researchers at the museums and universities started research and discovery work.

"We worked hard to increase the number of museums, and now there are about 600 nationwide. By 2010, hopefully there will be 800," said Lee, who is a former minister of culture, sports and tourism.

As well as increasing the number of the museums, officials have been putting in extra efforts to turn them into favored places for youth and family outings.

For instance, all national museums have designated the fourth Saturday of every month as "the day to visit a museum." They have also been hosting performances and concerts since last December.

Another innovative event tries to reward people for visiting as many museums as possible. It's called "Visit 100 museums with your family" and has been running from last January and ends this December. Collect 100 tickets from the museums you have visited, and the National Museum of Korea will give out prizes.

To make museums more friendly for students, the museum is busy reorganizing artifacts in the order they are introduced in history textbooks.

In July, the Unified Silla and Balhae rooms were expanded and Goryeo room was newly created. The Old Joseon room will be set up by Monday, completing rooms that cover the country's history from the prehistoric age to Joseon Dynasty.

What made these changes possible were donations.

As the museum reorganized the rules of honoring donators and started distributing their name plates and cards in March, the number of donated relics increased from 50 to 230, marking a 450 percent increase this year compared to the same period last year.

As a result of these efforts and help from some blockbuster exhibitions, the number of visitors to the National Museum of Korea increased 24.5 percent this year as of August compared to the same period last year, to 1.89 million people. The number of visitors to regional museums also increased about 17 percent.

Furthermore, the country's national museums are gearing up for another big leap in the near future.

"National Museum of Korea, which was an effort to show the legitimacy of the nation in the 20th century, is getting ready to stabilize itself as the symbol of the country in the 21st century. We are planning to establish a museum complex in Yongsan by 2014. It will become a Korean landmark that introduces Korean culture to the world," said Choe Kwang-shik, director of the National Museum of Korea.

Events and exhibitions

The Korean Museum Association has hosted many commemorative exhibitions and events this year at some 20 national museums throughout the country. Here are some that are underway or scheduled at the National Museum of Korea in Seoul.

A small pavilion named "Cheongjajeong," which is newly built above Geowul pond inside the museum to celebrate the centennial anniversary, will be unveiled to the public tomorrow.

The notable part about the pavilion is that Cheongja, or blue porcelain, is covered on its roof like some used to be in Goryeo Dynasty. Officials hope it will become a symbol of the museum like the glass pyramid is for the Louvre Museum in Paris.

Also tomorrow, a commemorative concert by 100 vocalists will take place at the museum at 7 p.m.

The official ceremony to celebrate the centennial anniversary of Korean Museum will take place on Monday, at Changgyeonggung. It will be in a traditional ritual form. Men of merit who contributed in the development of Korean museums will be awarded at the ceremony.

An international conference is planned on Tuesday at the National Museum of Korea. Ten museum directors from all over the world including the director of Freer Sackler Gallery in the Smithsonian Museum in New York and the director of Tokyo National Museum will discuss strategies and visions for world museums in the 21st century.

A book on the centennial history of Korean museums, meanwhile, will be published on Dec. 30.

The National Museum of Korea in Seoul is hosting a special exhibition "Yeominhaerak," which means "to share enjoyment with people," that will showcase many relics that have rarely been open to public during the last 100 years.

The highlight would be "Mongyudowondo," a painting of a paradise by Joseon dynasty artist Angyeon. It runs through Nov. 8.

Other special exhibitions, "The Life and Paintings of Jeong Seon," and "Scenes of Banquets and Ceremonies of the Joseon Period" are also underway at the museum.

The exhibition "The Life and Paintings of Jeong Seon" commemorates the 250th anniversary of the legendary Joseon Dynasty artist's death. It showcases more than 140 pieces of Jeong's work. It runs through Nov. 22.

At the exhibition "Scenes of Banquets and Ceremonies of the Joseon Period," visitors can learn how people of the Joseon Dynasty celebrated and partied. The paintings depict a wide range of events from familial parties of the commoners to royal banquets. It runs through Dec. 6.

To visit the National Museum of Korea in Seoul, get off at Ichon Station, subway line No. 4, and go to exit No. 2. Visit www.museum.go.kr for more information.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young