[봄을 닮은 전시들] Flower fests beckon start of spring

2009.4.1

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Nothing hints at the start of spring like blossoming flowers.

In tune with the many flower festivals starting this week that will color the nation pink, white and yellow, a number of flower-themed exhibitions are expected to add to the spring flavor.

In Yeouido, the island soon to be covered in cherry blossoms, 63 Sky Art, the world's highest art museum, is offering the exhibition "In the Flower Garden."

About 50 flower-themed paintings, interactive installations and actual flower works by 40 Korean and foreign artists like Kim Whanki and Andy Warhol are on display.

The exhibition is divided into four parts. While the first division, "Beauty Garden," shows relatively ordinary flower paintings, the second and third, "Fantastic Garden" and "Re-creation Garden," exhibit abstract and reinterpreted paintings, plus installations featuring flowers.

Among the exhibits, Lee Lee-nam's eight-fold screen looks like a traditional Korean screen but is actually fully digitalized. Flowers bloom and fade while the weather changes according to each screen. Most astonishingly, butterflies and birds passing through the folded screens as if those were a single object.

The final part, "Play Garden" is the most unique.

"We have lots of children visitors who like to touch and participate in the artwork. So this time, we've prepared a special section with many interactive installations," said Woo Ji-kyung, curator of the exhibition.

Try to catch the bird projected on the screen in Seo Hyo-jung's "Bluebird in the Cage." The bird swiftly slips through your fingers. The surrounding flowers also react to the viewers' voices and movements.

Mioon, an artist group, made an interactive video installation which visualizes real-time stock transactions and price fluctuations in four countries -- Korea, the United States, Japan and China -- into tree-like images.

More flower-themed exhibitions can be found at the so-called "Insa-dong Street" in central Seoul, which covers not only Insa-dong, but Gwanhun-dong and Gyunji-dong. Many quality art galleries are crowded in that area.

Topohaus, an art gallery in Gwanhun-dong, will offer Kim Jung-soo's solo exhibition "Blessing" starting April 8. Kim, known as "the azalea artist," has for many years been hosting an exhibition around this time of the year, when the azaleas are in full bloom.

"The azalea is the most Korean flower, which signifies the love for our mothers," stated Kim at the press conference last week.

"Korea only got to live this much thanks to our mothers' devotion. In the olden days when our mothers went off to the mountains to dig up the spring greens, they enjoyed their only luxury of seeing the vast field of azaleas, playing with them and eating them. Even then, the mothers never forgot to bless their families with the azalea petals," he said.

Though it is such a meaningful subject, not many artists succeed in painting the flower because it is extraordinarily difficult to express the exact colors. It was not easy for Kim either. At the exhibition, viewers will be able to see the results of Kim's 20-year-effort in azalea paintings.

Just around the corner from Topohaus, Dongsanbang gallery in Gyunji-dong is showcasing Oh Yong-kil's flower paintings.

Currently an art professor at Ewha Women's University, Oh is one of the most renowned oriental painters in Korea. This is his 16th solo exhibition.

Using Chinese black ink and oriental painting techniques, the artist delightfully created spring scenery typically seen in Korea in the olden days. The images are not real, but recreated versions of Oh's memory.

"Flowers are always good to paint, but sometimes the surroundings change. I painted the flowers on the spots where I wished they still were," Oh said.

"I enjoy painting spring flowers because I like spring when nature wriggles itself out. I hope the viewers can also feel the spring's freshness through my paintings."

"In the Flower Garden" runs through Nov. 15 at 63 Sky Art in Yeouido, southwestern Seoul. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, 11,000 won for adolescents and 10,000 won for children. For details, call (02) 789-5663 or visit www.63.co.kr

"Blessing" runs from April 8-21 at Topohaus in Gwanhun-dong, central Seoul. For details, call (02) 734-7555 or visit www.topohaus.com

Oh Yong-kil's solo exhibition runs through April 7 at Dongsanbang gallery in Gyunji-dong, central Seoul. For details, call (02) 733-5877.

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)

[63스카이아트] An exhibition in the clouds

2008.12.10

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Can you imagine wandering through an art gallery so high up that its windows show clouds outside?

This is possible at 63 Sky Art in Yeouido, southwestern Seoul, the world's highest museum. Its exhibition, "Wander on the Sky," started last week.

Located on the 60th floor of the 63 building, a major landmark in the capital city, 63 Sky Art took the title of world's highest museum away from Tokyo's Mori Art Museum, which is on the 53rd floor, when it opened last year.

The 60th floor - 264 meters above sea level - is where the observation deck, a popular spot for tourists, used to be. No need to worry, though; visitors may still enjoy the remarkable view of Seoul through the gigantic windows and coin-operated binoculars.

"Many visitors commented that the observation deck offered literally nothing to see but the outside view. So we thought some art would give the visitors something more to enjoy," said museum vice-president Yoo Deok-jong at a press conference last Friday.

"About 2 million people visit the 63 building every year. It is the clearly the landmark of Seoul by height, and with this art museum, we hope it could also become a cultural landmark," he added.

To promote its debut, the exhibition displays 63 pieces of sky-themed art. More than 30 well-known artists, including Lee U Fan, Zou Wei, Andy Warhol and Paik Nam-june have their paintings, sculptures, photos, videos and installations presented. The exposition is divided into three parts: "Sky of dream and fantasy," "Sky of freedom and infinity," and "Sky of love and innocence of a child."

In the first section, Kwon Ki-soo, a painter famous for his "donguri" character, drew a smiling donguri in "Flying." He also showcases his new work "Layers" for the first time.

Kwon O-chul's astrophotographs make viewers doubt their eyes. Falling stars stand still behind a glowing tree and millions of stars embroider the purple sky.

Paik's video art "Neptune" is notable in the second section, but since it is placed on the first basement floor it would be better for viewing before going up to the museum.

In the third division, "Moon Explore Robot," a painting of Andy Warhol, and the witty sculptures of Kim So-yeon and Lee Kyu-min add to the fun.

While there, make sure you visit the restroom, which was decorated with flower stickers by artist Park Ki-sung.

This museum's greatest charm, though, is that viewers are able to take glances of the Seoul view between art pieces.

"Visit once more at night time. With the Han river flowing by, the night view is breathtaking," said Kwon A-reum, the curator. The museum is open until midnight everyday.

The current exhibition runs through March 15. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, 11,000 won for adolescents and 10,000 won for children. For more information, call (02) 789-5663 or visit www.63.co.kr

By Park Min-young

(claire@heraldm.com)