japanese artists in seoul

Japanese Artists Hold Exhibits in Seoul

"Froth" by Hideaki Kawashima
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Two leading Japanese pop artists, Tadanori Yokoo and Hideaki Kawashima, are currently holding separate exhibitions in Seoul this month, offering a rare opportunity to examine the country's pop art by artists from distinctly different generations.

Y Junction

Yokoo, a leading artist in post-war pop culture in Japan, is currently holding his first solo exhibition in Seoul, ``Y Junction,'' at Arario Gallery. It features five screen prints of Yokoo's visually arresting posters from the 1960s and 15 oil paintings from his latest ``Y- Junction Series.''

Takayo Iida, independent curator, said the exhibition ``reevaluates the cultural-historical narrative shared between Korea and Japan,'' and hopes this will spark active critical discussions.

``As a leading flagman of the post-war pop culture in Japan whose influence continues onto today, Yokoo's origin of creativity and his zeitgeist formed within the timeframe of post-war Japan's diastrophism is put into context via 2009 through this exhibition,'' Iida wrote in an exhibition essay.

The 73-year-old Yokoo got his start working as a stage designer in Tokyo's theater industry, and quickly rose to become a leading figure in the underground culture. He created graphic posters that reflect turbulent times and the prevalent feelings of ``hope, desperation, and anxiety'' in the 1960s.

``The old system was beginning to tear itself down and something new was slowly coming out of it, through the process of destruction and creation, becoming one. The feeling I get nowadays is much less hopeful, just anxious. It is clouded with nihilism and despair. In the 60s through the 70s, (the) future seemed rosy. Afterwards, there was only the reality. Until we faced this reality, every single artist came together on his or her own solitude, through underground networks, connected, gathered, and produced such vibrant synergy,'' Yokoo was quoted as saying by the gallery.

Yokoo attracted international attention when his posters were shown at the group exhibition ``Words and Images'' at New York's Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in 1968. Soon, his posters were exhibited around the world, and he even designed album art for Santana's ``Lotus'' in 1974 and the Beatles' ``Star Club'' in 1977.

In the early 1980s, Yokoo began focusing on paintings. The ``Y-Junction'' series features a house, or building, in the middle of a forked road, with artificial lighting that creates an air of mystery. Some have interpreted the Y-shape of the road as a symbolic allusion to the artist.

The ``Y Junction'' exhibition runs through April 12. Visit www.arariogallery.com.

Wandering

Kawashima, a Neo-Pop artist, is holding solo exhibition ``Wandering'' at the Kukje Gallery. The title ``Wandering'' reveals the artist's philosophy about his art. He does not plan his paintings ahead of time. Instead, he uses his intuition when painting, and applies the paint directly onto the canvas.

For four months, Kawashima lived in Seoul during which he made 14 new paintings, which are being shown for the first time in the exhibition. Also included are 21 works he originally made in Japan.

``Although he is often grouped together with Neo-Pop artists such as Takashi Murakami and Yoshitomo Nara, Kawashima's work is distinct from other practitioners of that style, in that he does not appropriate iconography from popular culture. Instead, the artist has created his own personal vocabulary that includes a singular ghost-like visage with exaggerated eyes and no body,'' the gallery said, in a statement.

Kawashima's paintings feature ghostly female faces with barely discernible noses and mouths, but unusually huge eyes that seem to gaze back at the viewer. Pale shades of green, orange, pink and purple are used to express an otherworldly atmosphere in the paintings.

``In contrast to the expressiveness of the eyes, the pale face of his subject evokes the makeup worn by actors in Kabuki theater in order to mask their identity. The influence of Kawashima's mentor, Nara, is readily apparent in these works ― the air of mystery surrounding his signature characters powerfully engages the viewer,'' Kukje Gallery said.

Born in Aichi, Japan, in 1969, Kawashima studied painting at Tokyo Zokei University. He once spent two years training at Hieizen Enryakuji, a historic temple outside Kyoto, but instead of becoming a monk, he returned home to concentrate on art.

Kawashima's exhibition runs through March 29. Visit www.kukjegallery.com.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Crystal Jade

Shanghai-Style Crystal Jade Delights Seoulites

noodle soup with dried shrimp and spicy peanut sauce
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

If you're a frequent traveler around Asia, the name Crystal Jade may sound familiar. After all, it has a chain of 80 Chinese dining places, bakeries, dimsum places and even Korean ginseng chicken and barbeque restaurants in 11 Asian cities.

In Seoul, the Crystal Jade Palace Restaurant has already been serving upscale Cantonese dishes at the Grand InterContinental Hotel for a few years, but its prices lean towards the high-end.

Now, a more affordable option can be found at the Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight restaurant, which recently opened on the 5th floor of the Hyundai Department Store in Apgujeong. Expectations are high for the restaurant, especially since the Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight outlet in Hong Kong recently won the ``Michelin BIB Gourmand'' 2009 award.

As the name implies, the restaurant serves Shanghai-style dishes, including dumplings, noodle soups and vegetable and meat dishes at affordable prices.

One of the favorites is ``xiao long bao,'' or steamed soupy pork dumplings (5,000 won), which are made fresh every day. The trick to eating the soupy dumpling is to place the dumpling on a spoon. Gently tear the thin wrapper to be able to sip the hot soup inside. Then, dip the dumpling into soy sauce and enjoy the tasty meaty flavor.

We tried the red date with snow fungus drink (5,000 won). It may sound weird, but it's a refreshingly cool drink. Snow fungus is actually a thin, jelly-like white mushroom that helps keep one's skin moisturized.

For the main dish, we chose the sauteed chicken with dried chili and cashew nuts (12,000 won) and the stewed pork belly (11,000 won). The stewed pork belly was so soft that the meat practically melts in your mouth. The pork is imported from Chile because the Korean pork is not fatty enough.

As for the sauteed chicken, the meat was tender and filled with a slightly sweet but spicy flavor. The cashew nuts added a bit of crunch to the dish.

For noodle lovers, try the noodle soup with dried shrimp and spicy peanut sauce (6,000 won). The soup looks a bit red and oily at first, but the combination of the peanut and spicy sauce is addictive.

To cap off the meal, Crystal Jade has a selection of Chinese desserts such as glutinous rice dumplings in hot ginger soup and cold almond jelly. The glutinous rice dumpling with grated nut and sesame (5,000 won) was a yummy treat with its hot, sticky filling.

But the real delight is the steamed milk custard dumpling (4,000 won). It was the first time we encountered this dessert dumpling in Seoul, but it was a real delight. The thick, hot custard filling is sweet but not cloying.

Despite being crowded and busy during lunch, service at Crystal Jade was quick and efficient, as waitresses constantly refill your cups with hot tea.

Crystal Jade Shanghai Delight is open from 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Call (02) 3449-5864.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Karsh 100

Karsh Portraits on Display in Seoul

Audrey Hepburn by Yousuf KarshBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Yousuf Karsh, a master of portrait photography, is widely known for his iconic portraits of some of the most famous men and women of the 20th century, such as Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein, Mother Teresa, Ernest Hemingway, Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn.

Seventy of Karsh's portraits from the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston are currently part of the ``Karsh 100'' exhibition at the Hangaram Art Museum, Seoul Arts Center, southern Seoul. The exhibition marks the 100th anniversary of Karsh's birth, who died in 2002 at the age of 93.

Throughout his career, the Armenian-Canadian photographer took portraits of 15,312 of the most notable people around the world.

Karsh had once written about his ``fascination for the inner power of his subjects.'' His goal was ``to photograph the great in spirit, whether they be famous or humble.''

Karsh was born Dec. 23, 1908, in Mardin, a city in what is now southeastern Turkey and grew up during the Armenian Genocide. To escape the hardship, his family moved to Syria when he was 14. When he was 16, his parents sent him to live with his uncle, a photographer, in Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada.

Karsh showed a gift for photography, so he was sent to apprentice with renowned portrait photographer John Garo in Boston. After returning to Canada a few years later, he opened a studio in Ottawa, Ontario. He met Canadian Prime Minister Mackenzie King, who later introduced him to visiting dignitaries for portraits.

It was his portrait of a defiant-looking British Prime Minister Winston Churchill that brought Karsh international fame. On Dec. 30, 1941, Prime Minister King arranged for a portrait to be taken after Churchill's speech at the Canadian Parliament. Churchill was caught unaware, and refused at first.

In his book ``Faces of Our Time,'' Karsh wrote that Churchill relented but only allowed two minutes to take the photograph. ``Two niggardly minutes in which I must try to put on film a man who had already written or inspired a library of books, baffled all his biographers, filled all the world with his fame, and me, on this occasion, with dread,'' he said.

Churchill had lit a cigar, but Karsh respectfully removed it from his mouth before taking the portrait. ``At this, the Churchillian scowl deepened, the head was thrust forward belligerently, and the hand placed on the hip in an attitude of anger. I clicked the shutter. Then he relaxed. `All right,' he grunted as he assumed a more benign attitude, `you may take another one'," Karsh said.

The Karsh exhibition in Seoul is divided into three sections, ``Portraits,'' featuring his famous works of people; ``On Assignment,'' showing images of post-war Canada; and ``The Early Years,'' featuring early experimental images.

Aside from the famous portraits of Churchill, Hepburn, Kennedy, Einstein and Hemingway, there are also revealing portraits of Pablo Picasso, Dwight Eisenhower, Humphrey Bogart, Jacques Costeau, Helen Keller and Fidel Castro.

Most of the photographs are black-and-white, but Karsh also made color portraits, such as the one of Italian actress Sophia Loren.

There is a special section showing portraits of renowned Korean figures taken by Korean photographers, Lim Eung-sik, Yuk Myung-sim, Park Sang-hoon, Lim Young-kyun and Kim Dong-wook.

Lim Young-kyun had a chance to meet Karsh in New York in 1982. His portrait of Karsh is included in the exhibition.

``Karsh 100'' runs through May 8. Tickets cost 8,000 won. Visit www.karshkorea.com. A possible drawback for foreign visitors: there is little English information provided at the exhibition. To get to Seoul Arts Center, leave Nambu Bus Terminal station on subway line 3 via exit 5.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

dear U2, please come to Seoul...

U2 Still Strong After 33 Years

U2 has released its 12th album “No Line on the Horizon,” which topped charts around the world. / Courtesy of Universal Music

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Nearly 33 years after the band was formed in Dublin, U2 has racked up an impressive list of accomplishments that most rock bands can only dream of: selling more than 145 million albums, receiving 22 Grammy Awards, sold out concerts around the world and even a Nobel Peace Prize nomination for lead singer Bono.

U2 shows no signs of slowing down. Its 12th album, ``No Line on the Horizon,'' was released earlier this month and topped charts around the world. The band is preparing for its much-anticipated ``U2 360 Tour,'' which kicks off June 30.

While many of its contemporaries have fallen by the wayside due to drugs, alcohol or just plain bad music, U2 has stayed strong. The secret to the band's longevity and success? Bono says it's simply the chemistry between the members of the band, which also includes Adam Clayton, Larry Mullen Jr. and The Edge, who all met as teenagers in 1976.

``The whole is greater than the sum of the parts. People tell me that, when U2 walks out on stage, even if they don't like the band ― they've been dragged along, involuntary hairs go up on their neck and that everyone in the crowd just has this involuntary action. What they don't know is that so do we, which is quite mad. I don't understand what that is, but I think that's called chemistry and we have it between us and it's a hard thing to live without,'' Bono said in an email interview released by Universal Music.

The band still has its share of disagreements but has found a way to deal with it so it doesn't cause a breakup.

``I think that's down to the fact that we were mates before we formed the band, or at least before we became a professional outfit, and we figured out early on that, for us all to win, we had to check our individual egos in at the door when we go to work. It's much more important that the band wins than that any one comes out looking like a hero. … I feel very fortunate to be in a real band and we all know that, for it to be a U2 record, everyone's got to show up and give absolutely everything that they have to offer, because if that doesn't happen, we're not gonna get anything,'' The Edge said.

U2 is aware that its strength lies not in the individual members, but in the group itself. ``You eventually come to a point where you realize that you are enabled and empowered to do so much more collectively than you could possibly have done singularly and I think that's the promise of being in a band with great people,'' Clayton said.

U2 has been a part of history, performing at events such as Live AID, Live 8 and recently, U.S. President Barack Obama's inauguration, where it performed ``Pride (In the Name of Love).''

``We're playing a song that we wrote 23 years ago about this black reverend from Atlanta (Martin Luther King), and we're now performing it on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial where he gave his 'I have a dream' speech, and a black president is being inaugurated, and he's asked us to play. That's bonkers,'' Bono said.

It's the music that keeps the band relevant and popular, and U2 knows it. ``You know there's a roar of a U2 show. It's like a 747 taking off and people think it's for the band, but it's not. It's for the songs, and, really, it's for them, the lives they have attached to songs. … I think we are the ultimate weddings, bar mitzvahs and funerals band. Times of great joy for people, times of great despair and the odd party,'' Bono said.

Despite all the band's success, the members don't let it go to their heads. ``At the end of the day, it really is, 'How good are the tunes?' Because that's what people remember,'' Clayton said.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

oasis on april1

Tight-Lipped Gallagher Lets Music Speak for Oasis

Oasis will perform in Seoul April 1. / Courtesy of Yellow Entertainment
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Oasis returned to the music scene last year with the critically acclaimed album ``Dig Out Your Soul'' filled with pounding rock tunes ``The Shock of Lightning'' and ``Waiting for the Rapture.''

However, frontman Noel Gallagher, not necessarily known as the most loquacious interviewee, doesn't seem to like talking about the music, preferring the music to speak for itself.

When asked where Oasis gets its musical inspiration, Gallagher simply replied, ``smoking and drinking.'' Not surprising since Gallagher and his younger brother Liam, at the height of Oasis' fame, were once known as the bad boys of British rock.

Like most brothers, Noel and Liam have often had disagreements, leading to persistent rumors about Oasis splitting up. Gallagher simply brushes aside rumors, saying ``it doesn't affect (the group) at all.''

Noel has been responsible for many of Oasis' hit songs, but Liam wrote ``I'm Outta Time'' which was included in their latest album.

While acknowledging his younger brother's songwriting skills, Gallagher does not see any future songwriting collaborations with him.

``He's a good songwriter. I think he regrets not starting earlier. But we don't see each other very often. And I like writing on my own,'' he said.

Their latest album ``Dig Out Your Soul'' was praised for its aggressive sound, but Gallagher doesn't know if the band will go down that same musical direction in the future.

Asked if he sees a difference between Asian and British media, Gallagher said he noticed ``(The) Asian media seems to be more polite and philosophical, while the U.K. media is very cynical.'' Despite these stark differences, he still preferred to give one-line answers to the Korean media's ``polite'' questions.

Oasis is one of the most anticipated rock acts to hit Seoul this year. The group's first concert in Seoul in 2006 was an undeniable success, selling out thousands of seats in advance.

The Gallagher brothers, along with guitarist Gem Archer and bassist Andy Bell will hit the stage in Seoul April 1 at the Olympic Gym #1, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. Tickets are 88,000 won, 77,000 won, 66,000 won and 55,000 won. Call 1544-1555 or visit ticket.interpark.com. For English bookings, call (02) 3444-9969 or email 9ent@naver.com.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Prada Transformer to open April 25 (soooo excited)

Prada Transformer to Open April 25

Tomaso Galli, Prada group communications and external relations director, talks about the upcoming activities for the Prada Transformer, Tuesday, at Westin Chosun Hotel.By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

The Prada Transformer, a one-of-a-kind tetrahedron-shaped structure being constructed on the grounds of Gyeonghui Palace, will open next month with a fashion exhibition featuring skirts by top Italian designer Miuccia Prada.

Other upcoming events at the Prada Transformer include a film festival curated by renowned Mexican director Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu in June and a contemporary art exhibition by Prada Foundation in August.

In a press briefing Tuesday, Tomaso Galli, Prada group communications and external relations director, said the Prada Transformer will open to the public April 25 with ``Waist Down _ Skirts by Miuccia Prada.'' The fashion exhibition is an on-going project with AMO, the think tank of top architect Rem Koolhaas' Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA).

``We will show a selection of skirts in motion that have been designed by Ms. Prada from the first ever show to the present day. The difference from past shows is the location, which is unique and different, and the combination of skirts by emerging Korean fashion students,'' Galli said.

The best universities and design institutes in Seoul have been asked to select one student to present one skirt. The selected skirts will be shown during the exhibition.

At the end of May, the Prada Transformer, which is the first shape-shifting building in the world, will be ``rotated'' to create a new cinema auditorium for the film festival ``Flesh, Mind and Soul.'' Gonzalez Inarritu, who is best known for directing the Academy Award-nominated film ``Babel,'' and film critic Elvis Mitchelle, chose the films for the festival.

``What they did was select a number of amazing movies from different countries, decades and across different genres, that would deliver a very interesting and rich cinematic experience,'' Galli said.


After the film festival is completed, the Transformer building will be rotated again to create a space for contemporary art exhibition ``Beyond Control.'' Curated by Prada Foundation artistic director Germano Celant, the exhibition will feature some of the most interesting works from the foundation's collection.

Currently under construction, the Prada Transformer is a structure that will be composed of four different shapes, a hexagon, cross, rectangle and circle. Cranes will lift and rotate the structure into different facades and floor plate configurations to create a new venue for each of the cultural programs.

Amid the backdrop of the worldwide economic crisis, Galli admitted many people have asked him why Prada is still pursuing the project and why Seoul was chosen over other Asian cities.

``We're doing this because we passionately believe in what we do. Prada is not only a fashion company. Through the Prada Foundation, we have worked for 17 years in contemporary art, we have engaged in architecture and cinema, and we really wanted to bring all of this outside of Milan and bring this to Asia. We looked at most of the important cities of Asia and we decided Seoul was the perfect place for our project,'' he said.

Galli cited Koreans' deep understanding of contemporary art, culture and architecture, wide interest in fashion, and the vibrant entertainment industry, as the reasons why Seoul edged out other Asian cities.

``This innovative, multidimensional event is very much in tune with Seoul's positioning as a very modern, forward-looking, technologically advanced metropolis,'' he said.

All the exhibitions at the Prada Transformer will be open to the public free of charge. ``We're planning to excite not just the art, fashion, cinema and architecture communities, but the entire city of Seoul. Our real goal is to provide something unique, something that would make people of all backgrounds, origins and interest, think and enjoy. We want to make this open to everybody in the city and beyond Seoul,'' he said.

Because the Transformer is a temporary structure, Prada has made a commitment with the Seoul city government to restore the grounds of Gyeonghui Palace after the project is completed.

Visit www.pradatransformer.co.kr.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

interview with X Japan

X Japan Promises to Astound Fans

Popular Japanese rock band X Japan reunited for a world tour this year, with two concerts in Seoul March 21-22. / Courtesy of X Japan Production Management CommitteeBy Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

X Japan is promising to give Korean fans two amazing concerts they won't easily forget, when the Japanese rock legends hit Seoul March 21 and 22.

In an email interview with The Korea Times, X Japan frontman Yoshiki said the two Seoul concerts will have superb visual effects and different themes for each night.

``I am most concerned about telling a certain story on stage. This story must symbolize `X Japan-ness.' I must portray this in the most dynamic way as I can. For the two Korean concerts, we will have two different themes. Fans can look forward to it,'' he said.

Yoshiki admitted at first he was surprised to know that X Japan was famous in Korea, but is nonetheless grateful for Korean fans' support throughout the years.

``I want to thank the Korean fans for supporting X Japan for all this time,'' he said. ``When I was living in L.A., I had a few Korean friends. To be honest, I was very surprised when they told me that X Japan was famous in Korea. That was how I got to know about my fame. I remember many fans went to the airport to greet me on my first visit to Korea. I didn't expect to see so many fans.''

Anticipation is running high for the ``X Japan World Tour in Seoul,'' which will be staged at the Olympic Gymnasium No. 1, Olympic Park. Tickets to the Seoul concert are selling out fast. Even copies of X Japan's concert DVD were immediately sold out when it was released here last week.

A pioneer in ``visual kei'' or Japanese glam rock movement, X Japan reigned as the number one rock band in the 1990s and sold over 20 million albums throughout Asia. The band is currently composed of drummer and pianist Yoshiki, vocalist Toshi, guitarist Pata and bassist Heath. Original guitarist Hide died in 1998.

X Japan broke up in 1997, but decided to reunite in 2007. ``I was chatting with Toshi when I met him two years ago and we casually talked about reuniting in the future. Now our reunion is official for this world tour,'' he said.

The newly reunited X Japan performed at the Tokyo Dome, March last year, and in Hong Kong last January 2009. Yoshiki was taken aback by the enthusiastic and passionate reception they received from their fans.

``I was shocked and touched by our fans singing along with us and shouting `We are X' when we were on stage. I felt that this (the stage) is where I truly belong. The first concert of our world tour was Hong Kong, and it was very moving,'' Yoshiki said.

As for the band's plans for 2009, X Japan will continue its world tour in the U.S. and Europe. Yoshiki said they are also planning to release a greatest hits compilation album, which would include one or two new songs.

X Japan's musical style has not changed in the last decade. ``We are not influenced by any trend or musical changes. The music that we pursue can become a trend, so I think it's fine,'' Yoshiki said.

Tickets are priced between 66,000 won to 165,000 won. Visit ticket.interpark.com or www.xjapan.kr. Foreigners can call I-Yescom at (02) 783-0114 for ticket reservations.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

it's always funny when i'm the one being quoted by my newspaper

Mobile Operators Frustrate Foreigners

By Kim Tong-hyung
Staff Reporter

Mobile-phone operators are gathering more foreign customers here, but that doesn't mean that getting handsets has become much less frustrating for tourists and expatriates, according to users who spoke with The Korea Times.

The companies said they are trying to improve services for foreigners, providing multi-language hotlines, English Web sites and diversifying their lineup of phones offered to non-Koreans. But despite the efforts, foreign users still insist that it is difficult to get a convenient monthly billing plan here.

``I used to have a pre-paid phone, and it was very annoying because I had to take it to the shop every month or so to buy more minutes … It was always a difficult trip, as the shops don't' normally have English speaking staff and I had to go back and back for the smallest of things,'' said Brian Colman, a Seoul-based American currently signed with SK Telecom.

``Now I have a monthly service plan, but foreigners without Korean bank accounts or credit cards should just forget about it. And it's frustrating that operators are slow to provide up-to-date information on service rates or discounts,'' he said.

SK Telecom, the country's biggest wireless carrier, said it had 290,387 subscribers to its pre-paid services for foreigners last year, offered to those who stay for 90 days or less, compared to the 250,000-plus in 2007 and around 215,000 in 2006.

The company's number of foreign subscribers on post-paid plans, available to those who stay for more than 90 days and have alien registration numbers, was 81,419 in 2008, up from around 72,900 in 2007 and 47,000 in 2006.

KTF, the country's second-largest mobile operator, said it had more than 143,000 foreign subscribers at the end of 2008, up from the 136,000-plus in 2007 and 91,700 in 2006.

About 50 percent of KTF's foreign subscribers are on pre-paid contracts, company officials said.

``Korea is becoming more integrated internationally in business and tourism, which means that more people are here on short-term stays or longer assignments … the growth in multiethnic families also has played a part in the increase of foreign users,'' a KTF official said, adding that pre-paid customers accounted for nearly 90 percent of the company's foreign subscribers as recently as 2006.

With the number of foreign subscribers rising, SK Telecom and KTF said they are making greater efforts to provide better information services to non-Korean speakers.

SK Telecom has a hotline (080-252-5011) for foreign customers, with English and Japanese speaking operators, and an English language Web site, www.tworld.co.kr/foreigner.

KTF also has a hotline (02-2190-1180) with operators who speak English, Japanese and Chinese. The center gets about 50 calls per day, KTF said, with questions about rates, monthly billing plans and contract terms accounting for most of the queries, KTF said.

However, the efforts don't come close to easing the experience for foreigners, who point out that getting a mobile-phone in Korea is still a more complicated process than in other country in Asia.

Cathy Garcia, a Philippine national and Korea Times cultural reporter, needed a Korean friend as a guarantor and a desposit of 200,000 won to sign up under SK Telecom.

She's since switched to LG Telecom, which provides an easier registration process and is the smallest local mobile-telephony carrier, but the company's limited choice of handsets, as well as its inability to provide global roaming services, frustrates her.

``I had to choose from just around five handsets, when Korean users are offered cheaper and better handsets. And it would be nice if operators provided information about discounts or other basic information in English,'' she said.

``I think the process of getting mobile services is more complicated here. In Manila, foreigners can just buy pre-paid cards off the streets.''

thkim@koreatimes.co.kr

Michael Craig-Martin's Exhibition in Seoul

'Pop Art It's Not,' Michael Craig-Martin Says

Michael Craig-Martin stands in front of his work which is on exhibit at PKM Trinity Gallery, Cheongdam-dong, Seoul.

/ Korea Times Photo by Cathy Rose A. Garcia

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Pop Art might be the first thing that comes to mind when people encounter the bright, candy colors and floating chairs, buckets and sandals in the paintings of Michael Craig-Martin.

The renowned Irish conceptual artist is quick to say that it's not Pop Art. Instead of taking images from popular and consumerist culture like what Andy Warhol did with Marilyn Monroe and Campbell soup cans, Craig-Martin makes paintings of objects that people use in daily life.

``I've never thought of myself as a pop artist, but it's true that many people do… Pop Art is based in the use of images that exist as popular images in ads and photographs. It's images of images. My interest comes from objects and I make the images myself, I don't find the images,'' he said, in a press conference at PKM Trinity Gallery, Cheongdam-dong, last week.

Not that he has anything against Pop Art. In fact, Craig-Martin likes the idea of bringing art to a wider audience. This led him to focus on objects that are familiar to everyone.

``I thought who was more familiar than Marilyn Monroe? Chairs, tables, shoes, all of these objects are even more famous than Monroe. These are simple objects that have become the language of our time. I'm not interested in objects of consumerism or kitsch. These may interest other artists, but not me,'' he said.

Playful colors and black line drawings of ordinary objects are splashed across a 15-meter wall mural, as well as 20 canvas works, at the PKM Trinity Gallery for Craig-Martin's solo exhibition.

Craig-Martin focuses on the concept of the object, not the object itself. ``I deliberately made drawings that are very simple and impersonal. This is because my drawings have the same character as the object they depict. Mass produced objects have this look, that it's perfect. When I make drawings, I see how perfect, elegant, lyrical and complex they are. I am also interested in the physicality of the objects. I make an image of a chair but it's not a chair. So I try to make this painting as physical an object as it is,'' he said.

Initially, Craig-Martin used only black and white colors in his paintings. It wasn't until an exhibition in Rome in 1993 that he began experimenting with color.

``I had an exhibit in Rome in a room in an old building that wasn't built to be an art gallery. I thought I wanted to make the work to be specific to this place. So I painted the walls of the rooms in three different colors. Then I drew the images on the walls. The change it made to my work was fantastic. I have never made a work without color since that day,'' he said.

Craig-Martin acknowledges the irony that his paintings look mass produced, when in fact it entails a lot of work. First, he sketches his ideas on paper, then finalizes it on a computer. The image is then projected on a canvas, where he uses black tape to outline the image. He uses layers of color paint, without mixing or diluting it.

Craig-Martin, who has a bachelor's and master's degree in Fine Art from Yale University, is widely considered as the ``godfather'' of the ``Young British Artists.'' The YBAs were a group of rising artists that included Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas and Gary Hume, most of whom studied under Craig-Martin at the Goldsmiths College in London between 1994 and 2000.

``I never wanted students to make works that look like my work. But I did want to influence what they thought about art. I thought that the center of each artist's work is his own ability and character. Very often students have little confidence.
I tried to encourage them. … I found most interesting were students with little talent but enormous desire to be an artist. To be an artist, they had to find something inside themselves to be their art,'' he said.

To get there, get off Apgujeong Station Subway Line 3, Exit 2. PKM Trinity Gallery is located near the Galleria Luxury Hall. Visit www.pkmgallery.com or call (02) 515-9496.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

interview with Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga Burning Up Album Charts

Lady Gaga talks about her debut album "The Fame."

/ Courtesy of
Universal Music Korea

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

New pop sensation Lady Gaga is burning up the charts around the world with pumping dance tracks like ``Just Dance'' and ``Poker Face,'' and attracting lots of attention for her eclectic fashion sense.

Her debut album ``The Fame'' is all about today's celebrity-obsessed world, with songs about the paparazzi, star struck fans and instant wealth. With her sudden rise to fame, Lady Gaga has experienced ``fame'' and its pitfalls firsthand.

``I feel that people treat me differently now because I've become famous. In the past, people gave me weird looks at the clubs because I was dressed differently and acted differently from other clubbers. Now they look at me just because I'm a celebrity, but really, I'm still the same person,'' Lady Gaga said in an email interview with The Korea Times.

Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, Lady Gaga grew up in Manhattan, New York. She studied at private Catholic school Convent of the Sacred Heart with Paris and Nicky Hilton.

A few years later, she attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, where she honed her songwriting and composing skills. By the age of 20, she was writing songs for the Pussycat Dolls.

``Although writing songs for big names like the Pussycat Dolls might affect your self-esteem, I was actually able to gain a lot of confidence working with them. They had a huge influence on me as a songwriter,'' she said.

Lady Gaga soon found herself working with R&B star Akon, who initially hired her as a songwriter. While working together, he liked her songs and wanted to produce an album with her and she considers herself fortunate to have had a chance to work with him.

While recording her debut album, one of the producers, Rob Fusari, started calling her ``Gaga,'' taken from Queen's song ``Radio Gaga.'' The name stuck, and Lady Gaga was born.

The 22-year-old singer admitted she always wanted to be famous. ``I always told my friends that I wanted to become famous, but I think this needs a little explaining. I don't mean fame like being a target of gossip like Paris Hilton, but as a respectable artist,'' she said.

Her debut album has received praise for its unique blend of pop, hip-hop, glam rock and electronica, plus a dash of 70s disco. ``Just Dance'' toped the charts in the U.S. and was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the recent Grammy Awards.

One of the catchier tracks from her album is ``Paparazzi,'' with tongue-in-cheek lyrics about an insatiable hunger for attention.

``Part of me wrote the song thirsting for paparazzi's attention while a part of me is satirizing them. Also, I expressed my love for the camera and but it's also a song about love and popularity. Can a person have both at the same time, or can he only have one?'' Lady Gaga asked.

Fashion is a big part of Lady Gaga's image, and she handles her own creative production team, Haus of Gaga. ``Fashion and creativity is my middle name,'' she says.

Now that she's a rising star with a hectic schedule, she often performs one or two shows a night. Lady Gaga barely has time for fun, but she doesn't miss the club scene much.

``Even if I go to clubs now, I should always look `lady-like','' she laughed. ``The old me would have violent drunken bouts at clubs, screaming and shouting. I would literally pass out from too much drinking. In the last ten months, I only had, like, four wild nights. But I'm not sad about it.''

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

interview with Kilikanoon CEO

Kilikanoon CEO Indulges Passion for Wine, Music

Nathan Waks, managing director of Australian winery Kilikanoon, is also a professional cellist who occasionally plays with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Nathan Waks is no ordinary wine company executive. Not only is he the managing director of one of Australia's most acclaimed wineries, Kilikanoon, Waks is also a professional cellist who still occasionally plays with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra.

Waks has been lucky enough to be able to indulge in his passions for wine and music, without sacrificing either.

The Sydney native has been playing the cello since he was seven years old. He majored in the instrument at the Sydney Conservatorium, and at the age of 19, he became the youngest cellist in the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. He was director of music for the Australian Broadcasting Company in the 1990s, and has composed music for musicals and movies.

``I've been a musician all my life, but I had a love of wine. I had the opportunity nearly 10 years ago in 2000 to buy a small vineyard owned by Kevin Mitchell, who is the winemaker for Kilikanoon. I saw what great wine he was making and what good grapes he had. We bought the vineyard, and then he asked me to become partners. After that it was very easy. When you see such good wine, you want to be part of it,'' Waks told The Korea Times at the Shilla Hotel last Friday.

Waks worked together with Mitchell, whom he described as a very meticulous winemaker trained in both scientific and artistic aspects of winemaking to build up the Kilikanoon brand. Mitchell's father, Mort, has had decades of experience growing grapes in south Australia's Clare Valley, where Kilikanoon's vineyards are located.

Despite being relatively new, Kilikanoon reaped numerous awards from wine competitions in Australia and abroad, and gained high praise from the world's top wine critics. But it was in 2002, when Kilikanoon won six out of seven trophies at the Clare Valley Wine Show, that critics and consumers sat up and took notice.

``We won six out of seven trophies. It never happened before and it never happened again. In Australia, we went from being unknown to being suddenly known,'' Waks said.

Kilikanoon received another boost when influential wine critic Robert E. Parker Jr. gave good reviews for its wines. Most of them received an above or near 90 rating from Parker. ``Now we are building the brand, so the name is important. It can be a good thing to be recognized _ and a bad thing. There's a strong responsibility to deliver good quality consistently, because, once people expect it, its very bad if you don't deliver,'' he said.

Kilikanoon always strives to deliver wine with good value. Its products, which are being distributed in Korea through Doosan Wine, have been selling well. Among the best-selling in Korea are its Green's Vineyard Shiraz and Lackey Shiraz.

Waks was in Seoul last week to represent Kilikanoon at a gala dinner with Parker, where its 2004 R. Reserve was the only non-French wine served.

Despite the economic slowdown, Waks is still upbeat about the market in Korea.

``The Korean market is developing very quickly. The economic growth that happened in Korea was very broad that more people are enjoying the benefits of a good lifestyle. People here want to learn about wine. In Korea, you can see a lot of different wines from different countries, which was probably not the case a few years ago. With choice, people can experiment and learn about wine. I feel very positive with this market,'' he said.

When asked how the worldwide recession will impact the wine industry, Waks said consumers will still drink wine but perhaps look for wine with better value. ``People are trading down. They will have the same amount of wine, but look for better value. It is our job to make sure they have good value for whatever price,'' he said.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

mystic landscapes

Lee Jeong-lok Creates 'Mythic Landscapes'

``Mythic Scape 18'' by Lee Jeong-lok
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Lee Jeong-lok grew up admiring the countryside and reveling in the beauty of nature. When he became an artist, it seemed almost natural that his subjects would be the rice fields, mudflats, lake and bamboo groves around his hometown of Gwangju.

Lee's exhibition at Gallery Kong shows 13 of his works from his ``Southern Land'' and ``Mythic Scape'' series, depicting landscapes around South Jeolla Province.

With its black and gray hues, the Southern Land series offers stark, almost desolate landscapes. He worked on the series from 1997 to 1998, traveling around the countryside in South Jeolla Province and taking photographs of the rice fields.

``I wanted to find out the origin of our land (in Korea) ... Everyone usually does European-style landscapes, but I wanted to capture a genuine portrait of our land. There is one photograph in the series where you can see the land was developed, but a traditional tomb was left untouched. You can see the idea of conflict, between development and conservation,'' Lee told The Korea Times at Gallery Kong.

A few years later, Lee began a new series of color photographs called Mythic Scape. This time, he focused his attention on lush green forests and bamboo groves, as well as foggy lakeside sceneries.



Lee, who considers himself a religious person, always tries to imbue his photographs with a deep sense of spirituality.

``I tried to depict emotions and spiritual imagination in that the sceneries inspired rather than recreated the scenery itself. … Every myth talks about another world that we believe co-exists with the real world we look at and live in. The other world has a powerful presence that we cannot see. The faith in this presence is basically the theme of this series, Mythic Scape, '' he said.

Perhaps the most striking images are of the trees, where the tips of branches seem to be glowing with fairy lights. In ``Mythic Scape 13 ― Tree of Life #1,'' a barren tree glows with soft lights while surrounded by a thin fog that enhances the work's mysterious quality.

He worked on the new series for a year-and-a-half until 2007. It took him almost three months to finish each piece because of the preparation involved in properly staging the photograph. Lee said he had to wait for the right time of day and weather conditions to be able to take a shot of a foggy landscape.

In order to create ``mythical atmosphere with a sense of modernity,'' he carefully incorporated props ― such as angel wings or a round, transparent ball ― into the natural scenery.

For example, ``Mythic Scape 18 ― Forest of Spirit #3,'' shows one of the balls placed amid bamboo trees.

In the future, Lee said he is looking to expand the ``Mythic Scape'' series, developing new works on a bigger scale and with more details.

Lee graduated with a bachelor's degree in fine arts from Gwangju University and a master's degree in photo design from Hongik University. He also has a master's degree in fine art photography from Rochester Institute of Technology, N.Y. As a graduate student at Rochester, one of his works was collected by international photography museum George Eastman House.

The exhibition runs through March 15. Visit www.gallerykong.com or call (02) 738-7776.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

travis concert review

Travis Overwhelmed by Korean Fans

Travis electrified the crowd with songs like ``Closer" and ``Why does It Always Rain on Me?" during their concert at Olympic Hall, southern Seoul, Sunday. / Courtesy of Yellow Entertainment

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter

Paper airplanes flew around the packed Olympic Hall, as Scottish rock band Travis performed ``Closer" in the middle of their concert in Seoul, Sunday evening.

Frontman Fran Healy could not hide a wide grin while singing, as Korean fans threw dozens of paper planes and confetti during the song's chorus.

``That's the coolest thing that has ever happened on stage. We will never forget that ever," Healy said, adding he wanted to collect the paper airplanes to bring back home to his son.

Travis was overwhelmed by the raucous reaction of Korean fans at the concert. ``We're just totally blown away tonight. It's so amazing. You're all great. I'm very seldom at a loss of words, but I'm lost for words now. I don't know what to say. I'm touched with the paper airplanes. That was fantastic," Healy said.

Sunday's concert was only the second time Travis has performed in Korea, after last year's thrilling set at the Pentaport Rock Festival in Incheon.

Fans gathered at Olympic Hall with high expectations for the band, and they were not disappointed.

A little after 6 p.m., the lights dimmed inside the hall. Suddenly, Julie Andrews' voice floated in the air: ``Let's start at the very beginning, a very good place to start." Fans murmured along to the song from the musical ``The Sound of Music," but then the stage lights turned red, and Travis appeared on stage, playing ``Chinese Blues" from their latest album, ``Ode to J. Smith."

Travis electrified the crowd with their music, singing ``J. Smith," ``Selfish Jean," ``Writing to Reach You," ``Re-Offender" and ``Something Anything."

``I'm not sure if this is right, but `kamsahamnida'," Healy told the cheering crowd. Fans went wild when Healy stepped down from the stage to stand in the middle of the crowd for ``Falling Down."

When Travis started playing their hit songs ``Sing" and ``Turn," it seemed like everyone was singing along to the lyrics.

As the fans chanted for an encore, Healy came out to perform ``20," a song that he wrote about adolescence when he was 19. Bassist Douglas Payne took over the vocals for the song ``Ring Out the Bell."

Then, Travis rocked the stage again with a string of songs; ``All I Want to Do Is Rock," ``Slide Show" and ``Blue Flashing Light."

After a brief break, the band came out again for a second encore. This time, Healy stood at the edge of the stage with just his guitar, while the rest of the band stood behind him as he sang ``Flowers in the Window."

No Travis concert would be complete without the band playing the crowd favorite, ``Why Does It Always Rain on Me?" Healy asked everyone to jump up and down to the beat of the music at the chorus, and they obliged.

The band ended the two-hour concert, literally on a happy note, with their song ``Happy," and a promise to come back to Seoul soon. ``I don't think there's been a crowd like you before. You're a one-off. We'll be going soon, but we'll be back soon. We'll tell all our friends and other bands that they have to come here, too. See you soon," Healy said.

cathy@koreatimes.co.kr