배고픈 아이들_ 화이트밴드 사진전 광화문 광장 옆에서.

Photos of the starved

 

The rich are increasing day by day worldwide, but so are the poor. According to the United Nations' "The Millennium Development Goals Report" in 2008, more than 100 million people will soon suffer in absolute poverty surviving each day with less than a dollar to spend on basic necessities. In step with the upcoming International Day for the Eradication of Poverty on Oct. 17, Korean NGOs' Network against Global Poverty and Seoul City are hosting the photo exhibition "The Innocent World." The network has been conducting the White Band Campaign, a worldwide movement to fight against poverty since 2005, in Korea. This exhibition is a part of it. Three Korean photographers - Seong Nam-hun, Lee Sang-yeob and Han Geum-seon - showcase 36 photos of the troubled areas around the world where children suffer from hunger, war and discrimination. The sad eyes of little boys in the photos will make you stop at the show for some moments no matter how busy you are. The photos, printed out in large size (190 cm wide and 118 cm long), are lined up along Gwanghwamun Plaza in central Seoul. The exhibition runs through Saturday. For more information, visit www.endpoverty.or.kr/photo (claire@heraldm.com) By Park Min-young

'소나무작가' 배병우 사진전 리뷰

Pine tree photographer back with solo exhibition

 

Bae Bien-u's black-and-white photos of pine tree forests are mystical. Some trees are highlighted in the middle, aloof from others yet proudly standing. The rest are smeared into the misty background like Korean ink-and-wash paintings.

Better known as "the pine tree photographer," Bae is not only one of Korea's leading photographers but is also well recognized around the world.

"I grew up near the seaside, surrounded by trees and the sea. I feel so comfortable and happy around them. When I go on a safari, I ask the driver to take me to giant trees instead of animals. Once someone even asked me if I could communicate with the trees," the 58 year-old photographer, wearing a t-shirt dotted with colorful maple tree leaves, told the press last week, laughing.

His name recognition, as well as the prices of his works, hiked up internationally after pop star Elton John bought one of the "pine tree" series for $27 million in 2005. His photos were once again under the limelight in Korea after President Lee Myung-bak gave Bae's photo books to Barack Obama at a summit this June.

Back from Spain, where he had photographed the forests and gardens of Alhambra for two years at the request of the Spanish cultural heritage administration, the photographer is holding his solo exhibition at The Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksugung, in central Seoul.

About 100 photos including the photos of the Alhambra, "oreum," or parasitic volcanoes, in Jeju-island, Changdeokgung in four different seasons and of course, his newest pine tree series are on display.

The photos show off Bae's remarkable talent of expressing picturesque lines and light. Touched by just the right amount of light and time, the colors on the photos seem to be even more realistic and vivid than seen with bare eyes.

To the surprise of many who are used to "photoshopped images" nowadays, Bae said that his photos are not modified at all. Instead, they are the "results of ceaseless waiting."

"I was quite a painter back in my schooldays. My paintings were always put up on the back of the classroom. Not much has changed for me, except that my tool has changed from a brush to a camera. You can't call one a photographer only because he has some great techniques. I am an artist, I take my time. My photographs are paintings done by light," he added.

The photographer who has been photographing pine trees for the past 25 years hinted that he might be down further in the south for the next 25 years, capturing the beautiful scenery along the south coast around Yeosu, South Jeolla Province and Jeju Island.

What about his signature pine tree photos?

"Well, right, I guess I will have to snap some pine tree photos along the way too. I know it is what many remember me for," he admitted with a chuckle.

The exhibition runs through Dec. 6 at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksugung. The museum is located inside Deoksugung, near City Hall station in Seoul (subway lines 1 and 2). For more information, visit www.moca.go.kr or call (02) 2022-6000.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

[요즘 청소년들은 이렇답니다] Exhibition focuses on Korean teens

Puberty is one of the times we hate the most while experiencing it but miss the most once it is gone.

Ilmin Museum of Art gathered some photographers to record the precious moments of today's Korean adolescents and published a book titled "The Image of Youth."

"We consider that all juvenile delinquency is the result of and also the root of all adult problems. The book holds more than 700 photos which attempt to visualize the lives of today's youth," said exhibition curator Kim Ryang-mi.

There are nine Korean photographers who participated in the making of the 600-page book. They are Kang Jae-gu, Ko Jung-nam, Kwon Woo-yol, Park Jin-young, Yang Jae-kwang, Oh Suk-kuhn, Lee Ji-yeon, Choi Eun-sik and Choi Jong-gyu.

Each photographer focused on different characteristics of Korean teenagers.

Visitors can also check out some of the photos at the museum. The museum is currently displaying selected works at the exhibition under the same title as the book.

Among the photographers exhibited, Lee Ji-yeon shows the vivid and intimate moments of teenagers. Currently a high school teacher, she was able to capture her students dozing off in the classrooms lying down on the instant beds they made by pulling some chairs together, as well as the nervous looks on her students' faces on their graduation day.

Park Jin-young placed his attention on teenagers' fandom culture. Young girls doing costume play look like they popped out of a manga. In another photo, thousands of teenagers crowd together at a concert to see their favorite star.

Kang Jae-gu did not miss the trivial things in teenagers' lives which are easily neglected as too common, like school uniform shops, scribbles on the school walls and boys on motorbikes headed for their English institutes.

Kang knew that those familiar scenes would quickly excite the now teenagers' nostalgia just as middle-aged adults treasure the memories of their schooldays in the 1970s.

"This book will be an archive for teenagers of today. It might be considered a boring job but it is essential," said Kang.

The exhibition runs through Aug. 23 at the Ilmin Museum of Art in Sejongro, central Seoul. For more information visit www.ilmin.org or call (02) 2020-2055.

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

[우리가 무슨 짓을 했는지 똑똑히 보여주는 사진들]Clear pictures of damage we have done

Have you heard about Tuvalu, the beautiful coral island nation in the Pacific Ocean?

Although it is one of the few countries not contributing to climate change, it is the one bearing the brunt. Its sea levels are continuously rising and the sea is expected to engulf the whole island within several years, leaving its 10,000 residents homeless.

They may not all be as seriously as in Tuvalu, but some serious symptoms of climate change may be spotted throughout the world.

To alert the public to the situation, the British Embassy, the Korean Cultural Centre U.K. and Daelim Contemporary Art are co-hosting the photo exhibition "Earth Alert: A Photographic Response to Climate Change."

"This exhibition couldn't be more timely. The year 2009 is pivotal for climate change. While we look at the challenge and complexity of financial events, we must also keep focused on the aim of a broad and inclusive agreement on climate change in Copenhagen in December 2009," British Ambassador Martin Uden told the press last week.

"It is essential that we come to an ambitious agreement there to prevent dangerous climate change by agreeing to national reductions in our emissions."

About 100 photos taken by 13 British and Korean photographers, including Chris De Bode and Joo Myung-duck, are on display at the exhibition.

Each photographer captured the impact of the world's climate change through their own perspective.

Among the photographers, Gerd Ludwig focuses on the damage caused to the Salton Sea in California. The British photographer captured the dreadful sight of nearly 8 million fish killed on a single hot day in August 1999. This massive fish death was due to the nutrients from agricultural runoffs that depleted the sea's oxygen.

As a veteran who has been photographing environmental issues for almost two decades, Ludwig skillfully reminds the viewers of the mankind's ability to threat its own living planet.

Robin Hammond, another British-based photographer, draws attention to the devastated inhabitants of Tuvalu.

Having no choice, some Tuvaluans are getting ready to abandon their homes and relocate to New Zealand. Hammond's capturing of children's grim faces will make viewers feel guilty.

Korean photographers Lee Sang-youp and Choi Young-jin showcase some scenes which Koreans may easily connected with.

Lee has documented the yellow dust sandstorms which affect much of East Asia during spring time. China's intensified desertification and the increase in coal powered industrial production is believed to be making the storms longer and more harmful.

The sight of the thick yellow sky above the Mao Zedong sculpture and Chinese five-star-red flag in Kashgar, China is enough to give the viewers a stuffy feeling.

Choi shows the slow destruction of the Saemangeum, an estuarine tidal flat on the coast of the Yellow Sea in Korea. A bird lies dead in his photo. Numerous plants, fish and birds are known to have perished there, not being able to adjust to the changed environment.

The exhibition runs through Aug. 23 at Daelim Contemporary Art Museum in Tongi-dong, central Seoul. The museum is closed on Mondays. Tickets are 4,000 won for adults and 2,000 won for youth. For more information, call (02) 727-0667 or visit www.daelimmuseum.org

(claire@heraldm.com)

By Park Min-young

[한 아세안 특별전] ASEAN artists capture changes in home countries

In step with the upcoming ASEAN-Korea Commemorative Summit June 1-2, the chance has finally come to check out some contemporary photography and media art of the ASEAN countries.

The ASEAN-Korea Centre is hosting "Magnetic Power: ASEAN-Korea Contemporary Photography & Media Art Exhibition" at nine different venues in Seoul. The exhibition will showcase 160 works by 30 international and Korean artists.

There have not been many exhibitions in Korea that introduced the work of ASEAN artists. In fact, this is the first exhibition to cover ASEAN media art from 10 different countries, according to Kim Yu-yeon, Artistic Director of the exhibition.

"'Magnetic power' signifies the power of the exhibited works which draws viewers towards them. Once the viewers are attracted to the works, they can better understand the different cultures that lie beneath them," Kim said at a recent press conference.

"This exhibition aims to build a deep mutual understanding of each country's everyday lives and cultures through photos and videos. It will also serve to challenge and examine preconceptions that come from different political, economical, religious and cultural backgrounds."

The exhibition is underway at Gallery Sun Contemporary, Gallery Jinsun, Lee C Gallery, Hanbyukwon Gallery, Gallery Doll, Kimhyunjoo Gallery and Gallery Sang in Samcheong-dong and Palpan-dong, central Seoul, Gallery Jungmiso near Daehangno, also in central Seoul, and Coreana Museum of Art in Apgujeong-dong, southern Seoul.

Twenty artists from ASEAN countries and 10 Korean artists are participating in the exhibition.

The ASEAN participants include Barri Sli and Sharrife Jocklin from Brunei, Lyno Vuth and Vandy Rattana from Cambodia, Ade Darmanwan and Kuswidananto a.k.a Jompet from Indonesia, Wong Hoy Cheong and Yee I-Lann from Malaysia, Nge Lay and Phyu Mon from Myanmar, Cocoy Lumbao and Poklong Anading from Philippines, Ho Tzu Nyen and Matthew Ngui from Singapore, Montri Toemsombat and Tawatchai Puntusawasdi from Thailand and Hoang Duong Cam and Tuan Andrew Nguyen from Vietnam.

Participating Korean artists are Koo Dong-hee, Jang Hey-yeun, Rhee Jaye, Kim Ok-sun, Lee Sang-hyun, Jeong So-youn, Kim Sung-soo, Noh Sun-tag, Jung Yeon-doo and Chang Yoon-seong.

The Artistic Director carefully handpicked the artists after visiting many art galleries and biennales that took place in the ASEAN countries. She looked for the artists whose works reflected their nations' identities. Korean Embassies at those countries were a big help when it came to actually contacting the artists, Kim said.

Kim said that the exhibition has a central theme that holds the venues together.

"The artworks reflect various changes that are occurring in the ASEAN countries. They imply that nothing is stagnant but everything, including people, thoughts and environment, constantly change," Kim said.

Rather, the exhibition has benefitted from the merit of having many venues - that each can present a different ambience according to the sub-themes.

"Take Hanbyukwon Gallery for example. The exhibits there mainly talk about the countries' roots. Yee I-Lann, one of the artists whose exhibits are showcased at the gallery, expressed Malaysia's memories and identities through the photo of water buffalos. "The exhibits in Gallery Doll, on the other hand, feature 'scent.' The artists depicted their wishes or perhaps the nation's hopes upon scents through photographs, like Lyno Vuth who captured the smoke rising from incense sticks in his work 'Blue Angels,'" Kim said.

Despite the artists' efforts, however, photography and media art are still unfamiliar genres, not often welcomed in ASEAN countries.

"The war has killed 80 percent of (Cambodia's) intellectuals, mostly artists. Among 15 million people in Cambodia, less than 100 are artists," said Cambodian artist Vandy Rattana.

"We don't have much support from the government now, probably because art is not so important in living. But I think art brings peace, awareness and creativity. I am proud of the situation now that young artists are slowly emerging in my country during the last five years," Rattana said.

Another artist, Barri Sli from Brunei, could not hide his excitement for participating in this exhibition.

"It is still minimal so far, but the number of photographers and media artists is growing in Brunei. Art galleries and museums are still quite limited however. This exhibition could be an opportunity for our government to see that the country has contemporary art. So in the future, we might hold a Brunei-Korea art show in Brunei," Sli said eagerly.

Established in March, this year, ASEAN-Korea Centre is an intergovernmental organization that consists of Korea and 10 ASEAN member countries - Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

It seeks to promote trade, investment and tourism and deepen mutual understanding through cultural and social exchanges among the countries.

The exhibition runs through June 6. For more information, call (02) 2287-1115 or visit www.aseankorea.org.

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[일본현대미술] Unfamiliar side of Japanese art revealed

The first things likely to come to mind from the phrase "Japanese contemporary art" are history or social issues-themed pop art, or cute characters that girls adore, like Hello Kitty. But there is much more to modern Japanese art, according to Seo Jin-seok, curator of the exhibition "Re: Membering - Next of Japan" which is running at Doosan Gallery and Alternative Space Loop in central Seoul.

It is true that we really never had much chance to see Japanese contemporary art other than pop arts represented by Takashi Murakami or Nara Yoshimoto," Seo said.

"But actually, young Japanese artists since the 1990s tend to enjoy art more personally as a private amusement rather than to consider its relevance to the society. This exhibition will be the first and most experimental exhibition to see a new side of Japanese contemporary art."

The new tendency of the Japanese art is captured in the exhibition title, "Re: Membering."

With "Re:" referring to the letters that appear on replied e-mails, the title implies that the artists, or the "members" of the show, exchange their personal memories and amusements with each other.

Twenty up and coming Japanese contemporary artists including Yoko Asakai, Kazuna Taguchi and Kaneuji Teppei display various paintings, photographs, sculptures, installations and videos at the exhibition.

It will be an interesting experience to see such diverse styles of works clustered in the same exhibition room. Half the exhibits can be found at one gallery and the rest at the other.

The exhibition runs through June 25 at Doosan Gallery in Yeonji-dong and Alternative Space Loop in Seogyo-dong, both in central Seoul. For more information, call (02) 708-5050 or visit www.doosanartcenter.com

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)