Arario Gallery, located in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. The five-story building features 32,027 square feet of exhibition space. / Courtesy of Arario Gallery |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
A handful of Korean contemporary artists are slowly attracting attention on the global art scene, but there's a lack of superstar Korean artists who can rival the name recognition of some of their Japanese and Chinese counterparts.
But all this could change in just a few years time with the help of Arario Gallery founder, businessman and artist Kim Chang-il. One of his dreams is to discover Korean artists who will take the global art scene by storm.
 ``Young British Artists (YBAs) like Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin were responsible for opening new fields in contemporary art in England. Will Korea ever have those 10 or 15 artists like Hirst and Emin who opened the doors for new art? It's very important. I don't think Korea has that right now… The role of Arario is to find that artist who can make a name for himself globally, instead of doing just OK nationally. We should support them to make better and better art,'' Kim told The Korea Times, at his office in Arario Gallery in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province.
Arario Gallery is one of the biggest art galleries in Korea, with its main branch in Cheonan, plus branches in Seoul, Beijing and New York.
The 58-year-old made his fortune with a transport company and department store in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province. He also became famous for his almost extravagant spending on art, even stirring controversy in Korea's art circles after buying Hirst's ``Hymn'' for $1.6 million in 2002, at a time when few Koreans even knew who Hirst was. But now, he's considered one of the most influential people in the art world.
Kim began collecting art in 1978, and opened a gallery on the fifth floor of his department store in Cheonan in 1989, but it was closed in 1999. He decided a bigger space was needed, so in 2002 he inaugurated Arario Gallery, a five-storey building with 32,027 square feet of exhibition space, located next to the department store.
Now celebrating its 20th anniversary, Arario Gallery has amassed a significant collection of works by renowned artists, including Marc Quinn's ``Self" made of his own blood, and Hirst's ``Hymn" which can be found in a glass box outside the gallery.
``When I bought Hymn, everyone told me I was crazy and stupid. It was a hard time for me. But it was also the point when my business started making profits, so I wanted to give something back to the citizens of Cheonan… I feel closer to Cheonan, which has helped me,'' Kim said.
Looking back at how he started Arario Gallery and his art collection, Kim noted Korean people did not have any interest in collecting or investing in art.
``Nobody was interested in investing in art before. At first I wanted to make a museum, but I realized in modern art the role of a gallery is more important than a museum. The role of the gallery is to search for artists, support them, work with them and create history together,'' he said.
Arario Gallery is also known for taking young artists into its fold with its artist residency program. Artists under Arario include Lee Dong-wook, Lee Hyung-koo, Osang Gwon and Jeon Joon-ho as well as Chinese artists Wang Guangyi, Fang Lijin and Yang Shaobin. Kim believes that by helping these artists nurture their talent, they can become great.
He further explained the relationship between the artist and art system using the analogy of four tires on a vehicle. Each wheel represents the artist, dealer, gallery and collector, which work with each other to move the vehicle forward.
With his galleries in New York and Beijing, Kim hopes to create a platform to introduce Asian artists to an international audience.
``I traveled all over the world in those years, and I felt art in Asia needed stronger support … Bringing Asian art to the West is very important. That's why we opened a gallery in New York and Beijing, so there's more interaction with the international market… Cheonan, Seoul, New York and Beijing are all important elements in creating a stable platform. Step by step, we are working to reach our goal. New York is difficult, but if we can't succeed there, then there's no future for Arario,'' he said.
Art & Business
Art and business are the only two things that Kim says he knows about. He majored in business in college, and made a successful company, but art was also a passion.
After buying and selling art for years, Kim realized he also wanted to become an artist and began working under the name Ci Kim. In his 10 years as an artist, Kim held five solo shows, including one at the Union Project in London and ``To Make a Rainbow'' this year at Arario Gallery.
Kim, who counts Marcel Duchamp as one of his influences, has a unique view of what art is. While walking around his studio, he pointed to an artwork with the number 0416 upside down.
. ``I was walking my dogs in the morning in Jeju. Outside the studio, I noticed the number 0416 on the pavement. On my way back, I looked at the numbers from the opposite side, and it looked like 9140… For me, that is art," he said.
Kim has quite a jovial personality, as he walked The Korea Times through his studio. His experimental nature is revealed with various pieces of artwork, such as a giant heart-shaped Guy Lian chocolate box, a tomato-splattered self-portrait, a painting with old Korea Times newspapers and a portrait of U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama.
Asked if he wanted to be known as a businessman, art collector or artist, without hesitation Kim replied, ``An artist.''
As an artist, Kim admitted he is still learning and experimenting with different works. ``I'm still a baby. I'm trying and trying… The fact that I'm doing art right now seems strange since I wasn't making art from a young age. I just started making art. I'm curious where it will take me in the future. Knowing that, I can't sit still. I have to keep on working," he said.
One would think Kim would be able to enjoy his successful business and art collection, but he still has more dreams he wants to fulfill, such as building a museum some day. ``I think I have a dream virus," he laughed.
Still, Kim is surprised at how much he has already achieved in his life so far.
``Sometimes, I wake up and realize I'm right in the middle of the mountain (representing success) and I'm surprised. I've never studied abroad, my business isn't based in Seoul and it's not a global corporation. So how can someone like me be already in the middle of the mountain? When I look back, there are steps I took, all these failures and experiences, they all became the stairs to climb up,'' he said.
``But I can still see more stairs to climb in the future.''
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
| Paradigm Art Acts a Bridge for NY, Seoul |
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Art consulting company Paradigm Art organizes private art events, such as the one in the photo, as well as gallery visits and tours in Seoul and New York. / Courtesy of Paradigm Art |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
New York-based businesswoman Christina Kang is using art to bridge the gap between Seoul and New York.
 Through her company Paradigm Art, Kang introduces contemporary Korean art to American clients and international contemporary art to Korean clients.
But unlike others in the business, Paradigm Art is mainly focused on educating people about art and not just selling it.
``A lot of people need an education in order to train your eye, to appreciate and to buy art. For example, I can say `this is one of the best contemporary art works' and you may not agree with me on why this is one of the best contemporary art works," Kang told The Korea Times in an interview last week. "But once you get to know what it is about, meet the artist, you can personalize the experience and it becomes yours. It's easier and better for me to sell art, which falls into the art consulting category."
Kang has been in the business for 10 years. In 1999, she founded Paradigm Art (www.paradigmart.com) in New York with the vision ``to raise the awareness of visual culture in society internationally." Her company's unique proposition attracted media attention, including features on CNN and PBS.
The company organizes gallery tours, studio visits, private cultural events, lectures and artist talks, so people can learn more about art in-depth. Her clients include the Asia Society, Lehman Brothers, Hyundai, Singapore Art Museum, Brown University and Harvard Business School.
``I want people to know that not only expensive art is good. Price is not relevant to good art," Kang said. "That's why I'm geared towards education. I'm a profit company, but I'm working as a non-profit to educate people. I'm looking at the long term. I want my clients to stay as my clients forever."
With her Korean background and European and American education, Kang is more than capable of acting as the link between the U.S. and Korean art worlds. At 16, she left Korea to attend the International High School in Geneva, Switzerland. She fancied becoming an artist, so she majored in textile design at the Rhode Island School of Design.
``I wasn't so confident about being an artist because it is such a lonely and long journey. But I figured I'm pretty good with people so I was pondering and searching myself. I discovered I'm good at promoting art and making connections with people. So I went to New York University for my masters in art administration," she said.
``It's pretty much like being an art agent. You find a talented artist, you find collectors and you match them. I'm sort of an art matchmaker. It's a funny expression, but that's basically what it is. I've been doing it for 10 years now."
Kang also sees herself as a ``cultural ambassador" for both Seoul and New York, having curated exhibitions featuring artists from both cities.
Paradigm Art offers a VIP program which introduces the New York art scene to Korean businessmen, and Korean culture to American businessmen. Kang is particularly keen on giving American clients a taste of what Korean culture is really about.
``You could say I'm a cultural matchmaker, cultural ambassador and cultural lobbyist … Culture is another leading item in the 21st century. Korea is also one of the cultural leaders in Asia. We have beautiful art and culture, but it's just undiscovered. I feel so privileged to give my time to show Korea to my clients," she said.
Paradigm Art is also stepping up its efforts to attract Korean women and students. For single Korean women, Paradigm Art offers the ``Art in the City" program, referencing the popular HBO series ``Sex in the City."
``These golden misses like to travel and want to have a fun experience in New York. It's not just about art, but also fashion and lifestyle," she said.
The NY Biz Program gives students and young professionals a chance to experience the art scene, as well as meeting professionals working in galleries and museums in New York.
Kang, who is the only Korean woman in the art consulting business in New York, does not seem to run out of enthusiasm when talking about her company.
``I'm right in the middle ... My company is very unique and forward looking. And I get to meet very interesting, culturally open-minded people … I love my job," she says with a smile.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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| Creation Center Opens Doors to Artists |
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A view of the recently opened Gyeonggi Creation Center, located in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province / Courtesy of Gyeonggi Creation Center |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Local and international artists will now have a new place to find inspiration, do research and create fresh artwork, with the recent opening of the Gyeonggi Creation Center (GCC), located in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province.
The center offers an art residency program to support creative work and research by local and foreign artists.
 ``GCC acts as a platform to gather artists from all over the world for international exchange, to share a nomadic spirit, and to collectively engage and cultivate creative synergy among artists of various genres as an experimental and progressive contemporary art center,'' the organizers said, in a statement.
A total of 24 artists, 16 Korean and eight foreign, have been invited to participate in the center's pilot art residency program. The artists will reside in the center for three months through December.
``Foreign artists and a few Korean artists will create works based on local issues, or participate in local collaboration programs together with residents. They will partake in field investigations, seminars and workshops to construct basic ideas and to prepare proposals based on research. Artists of the selected proposal will be invited again to GCC to realize the project in 2010,'' organizers said.
The Korean artists are Jeong So-youn, Shin Mee-kyung, Lee Seul-gi, Park Jee-eun, Yee Soo-kyung, Debbie Han, Park June-bum, Lee Hyung-koo, Ham Kyung-ah, Rhee Jaye, Yoo Hyun-mi, Sasa[44], Yi Sang-jun, Kim Seung-young, Min Joung-ki and Kim Eul.
Participating foreign artists are Francisco Valdes from Chile, Luchezar Boyadjiev from Bulgaria, Brendan Fernandes from Canada, Kael Greco and Dan Kwong from the United States, Beate Engl from Germany, Dave Southwood from South Africa and Wael Shawky from Egypt.
The GCC is an affiliated organization of the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art, which makes for an unusual collaboration between an art residency program and museum.
Fittingly, the center last week hosted the 2009 Res Artis Conference on the theme ``The 21st Century Art Residency and New Institutional Collaborations.'' It was organized by Res Artis, a global network of artist residencies.
``The theme is about collaboration. This is a unique situation where the creation center is being developed in conjunction with the Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art. … This meeting looks at efforts of collaboration between the institutions like residencies and museums, which may not be a natural fit,'' Caro told The Korea Times, in an interview last week.
In light of the global economic downturn, there is an even greater need to explore the possibilities for collaboration between artist residencies, museums and other institutions. Unlike in the U.S. where most programs are privately funded, programs in Korea are being financially supported by government institutions.
``In Seoul, I understand there is a new exciting initiative where some 15 new centers are coming up. It is an incredible endeavor and one that the world will be watching closely. I don't know of another city planning a project of this scale,'' Caro said.
For any new art residency program, such as the one at GCC, to be successful, Caro said it would have to strike a balance at addressing different audiences _ the artists, the funders and the community. But most importantly, Caro said ``there will be success if you have a visionary leader, who can understand those relationships and be creative in addressing all of them.''
Currently, there are only eight art residencies in Korea out of the 363 members of Res Artis, but Caro hopes there will be more in the future.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
| Arario Gallery Celebrates 20 Years |
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Arario Gallery's Kim Chang-il stands in front of Sigmar Polke's "The Fastest Gun in the West" at Arario Gallery, Cheonan. / Courtesy of Arario Gallery |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Arario Gallery is holding an exhibition featuring works by top international artists, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Damien Hirst, Marc Quinn, Neo Rauch, Sigmar Polke and Tracey Emin.
``Arario's Finest: 20th year Anniversary Exhibition" is being held simultaneously at Arario Gallery in Cheonan, South Chungcheong Province, and in Seoul, through January.
Arario Gallery owner Kim Chang-il decided to show off some prized pieces from his extensive art collection for the special anniversary exhibition. In a meeting with reporters at the gallery Friday, Kim recalled how he started his collection, which includes some famous works by Young British Artists (YBAs) and Young German Artists.
 Kim admitted he was ``lucky" to have acquired works by some artists, who have now become famous. ``When I bought some of the works, the artists weren't that famous yet. They were the reason I became famous. Because I bought them during their early years, and then they became famous," he said.
It's not just luck but his astute sense of quality art that has earned him a reputation as one of the top collectors in the world. He has always been included in the list of most powerful and influential figures in the global art world by art magazines such as Germany's Monopol, London's Art Review and New York's Art News.
A significant work in Kim's collection is German artist Sigmar Polke's ``The Fastest Gun in the West" (2002). Polke is known to be picky when it comes to selling his works to collectors. But after Kim visited Polke in his studio in Germany, the artist decided the mixed-media piece should be sold to him.
Another famous artwork is Quinn's ``Self" (2001), a mold of the artist's head with eight pints of his blood (the average amount of blood in a human body). This is the third one made by Quinn, who pledged to produce one every five years since he originally created ``Self" in 1991.
At Arario Gallery, Quinn's bloody sculpture is displayed in a special refrigerated box, set at minus 18 degrees to prevent it from melting, in a small darkened room. Quinn said he made ``Self" out of a desire ``to push portraiture to an extreme, a representation which not only has the form of the sitter, but is actually made from the sitter's flesh."
The exhibition also features large works ``Der Votrager" and ``Wasser" by Rauch, whose works are characterized by ``surrealist elements combined with Socialist Realism." Again, Kim showed foresight, having acquired Rauch's works years before the artist gained global prominence.
One of Rauch's works, a rainbow-colored racetrack painting ``Etappe," grabbed headlines after Hollywood star Brad Pitt bought it for a reported $960,000 at Art Basel in June.
Aside from "Self" and "The Fastest Gun in the West," the Cheonan gallery also features 20 works, including Antony Gormley's `cast iron body frames `Reflection," Haring's prints and original paintings, as well as other pieces by Sophie Calle and Ki Ki Smith. Meanwhile, the gallery in Seoul features 15 works including Warhol's ``Ethel Scull," and Emin's ``Life Without You Never."
Arario Gallery opened on the fifth floor of a department store in Cheonan in 1989 and re-opened in 2002 as a separate building with 32,000 square feet of exhibition space, making it one of the biggest in Korea. Kim is widely credited with leading the YBA craze in Korea, after having acquired high-profile pieces such as ``Hymn" by Hirst.
Outside the gallery in Cheonan, the Arario Small City park features sculptures by Hirst, Haring, Wang Guangyi and Robert Indiana, as well as Kim's own.
Kim said he plans on putting more works by Asian artists in the park next year
The Cheonan exhibition runs through Jan. 24, and tickets are 3,000 won for adults and 2,000 won for students. The Seoul exhibition runs through Jan. 10 and admission is free. Visit www.arariogallery.co.kr.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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| Martin Creed Turns on Lights at Art Sonje |
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“Work No. 180: Largo, larghetto, adagio, andante, moderato, allegro, presto, prestissimo” is one of the works by Martin Creed at Art Sonje Center.
/ Courtesy the artist and Hauser & Wirt |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
When Scottish artist Martin Creed won the Turner Prize in 2001 for his installation ``Work No. 227: The lights going on and off," many were perplexed at how something as simple as an empty room with lights switching on and off could be considered fine art.
Creed has always confounded people with his minimalist art that often makes use of everyday objects. His first solo show in Seoul, on-going at the Art Sonje Center, Sokeuk-dong, offers a selection of his works throughout the years, including sculptures, drawings, audio and film, which are guaranteed to draw mixed reactions.
``His art brings maximum thinking through minimum work and draws worldwide attention with its properties contrary to overstating aspects of the visual culture of our times," the exhibition introduction stated.
Upon entering the hall, visitors are greeted by a stack of wooden beams (``Work No. 396"), while various sounds echo in the background. The lights turn on and off at 30 second intervals in ``Work No. 127: The Lights Going On and Off", while heavy black curtains open and close in ``Work No. 990".
```The Lights Going On and Off' shows a balanced state between affirmation and negation, something and nothing, through the repetition of the lights periodically going on and off," organizers said.
There are stacks of cardboard boxes (``Work No. 870") and black bean bags (``Work No. 796"), and a row of potted cacti arranged by height (``Work No. 960"). The monotone clicking sound that visitors hear is created by eight metronomes in ``Work No. 180: Largo, larghetto, adagio, andante, moderato, allegro, presto, prestissimo."
``Made up of common things we frequently meet in our daily lives, his work is made particularly outstanding by its composition. In his work, repetitive daily life becomes one with art. His art is conceptually draconian in a sense; and simultaneously impressive and simple. Often extremely humorous, the effect of his work depends exclusively on its viewers," organizers said.
Creed has numbered his works since 1987, and their titles are always descriptive. For instance ``Work No. 183: A sheet of paper torn up" features neatly ripped pieces of paper in a glass box, while ``Work No. 126: A sheet of paper crumpled into a ball" is a beautifully crumpled paper ball.
He also uses neon in his works, such as in ``Work No. 890: DON'T WORRY," which shows neon signs that read ― `DON'T' and `WORRY' ― in the corner of a room. ``It emphasizes each meaning through a dramatic effect. In this work, carrying a banal phrase, his daily reality and work intention stand out," organizers said.
The video installation ``Work No. 837," also known as the ``sick video," may not be for those with weak stomachs. Four monitors show people throwing up, quite vividly, inside a white space.
Creed has expanded his work to include performances. For the opening show, he presented ``Work No. 673" featuring a conductor and 18 orchestra members lined up according to the size of their musical instruments. In succession, they played the lowest to the highest note.
Creed was born in Wakefield, U.K., grew up in Glasgow, Scotland, and now lives in London. He studied at the Slade School of Fine Art at University College London from 1986 to 1990.
The exhibition runs through Feb. 12. Opening hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed on Mondays. Admission is 3,000 won for adults and 1,500 won for students. Visit www.artsonje.org/asc/ or call (02) 733-8945.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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| Seoul Art Collective Presents 'Ism' |
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“Apple Tree” by Kim Chang-han
/ Courtesy of Seoul Art Collective | By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Seoul Art Collective, a group of foreign artists living in Korea, is holding a new exhibition this month. The ``Ism'' (pronounced ``iz-uhm'') exhibition opens Nov. 28 and runs through Dec. 13 at Siuter Art Space, Gugi-dong.
Zach Eichelberger, an artist who also curated the exhibition, said the show gathers works of artists with vastly different styles and subjects and celebrates their diversity.
``The title `Ism' came from looking at everyone's work and seeing that we're connected mainly by the art that has come before us. `Ism' is a suffix attached to most of the art movements in history. Most of the artists draw a certain kind of inspiration from the elements of art history. I think in those terms, we don't exactly know where we are right now in the present state of art. So it kind of celebrates that dystopia and lack of coherence today. It's like here we are, we're moving on and we're going to ride the wave,'' Eichelberger told The Korea Times.
Participating artists include Courtney Lyn Zach, James Topple, Kim Chang-han, Laine Alexander, Matt Flanagan, Park Jin-seoung, Ryan McLay, Shaun Stamp and Eichelberger.
``We have photographs and digitally manipulated images by McLay, drawings by Topple, acrylic paintings by Kim, photographs by Alexander, and quite a lot (of different works) in between,'' he said.
“Violent Ghost” by Zach Eichelberger at the “Ism” exhibition, which will run from Nov. 28 to Dec. 13 at Siuter Art Space, Gugi-dong, Seoul.
/ Courtesy of Seoul Art Collective | The Seoul Art Collective's aims are to allow the exchange of ideas among artists, and to organize exhibitions of members' works. Eichelberger took over the Seoul Art Collective in August after some members left Korea to move back to their home countries. One of the challenges of the collective is to keep it going, since most foreigners are living in Korea temporarily.
``One of my goals for next year is to kind of regroup and sort things out organizationally. I'd like to establish a core group of the Seoul Art Collective and have people kind of work independently and with each other to promote shows and do various projects that will incorporate some meetings and I hope to do a little more social activities like visiting studios and galleries,'' Eichelberger said.
At the same time, Eichelberger is holding a solo show ``Fiction,'' featuring paintings and collage prints, at Myungdong Gallery, from Saturday through Nov. 29.
``I'm trying to broaden and expand collage prints. I do them small-scale, then I photograph and print them. A lot of the exhibition has to do with something that is not real. These are removed from authentic experience. The actual artwork is the printed version of the original. In that way, I find something thematically interesting. The show is called `Fiction' and a lot of it came from the idea that our perception of reality is from secondary information,'' the American artist said.
Originally from Dallas, Texas, Eichelberger has been living in Korea for the last six years. His art is characterized by surrealistic elements as seen in collage prints such as ``Violent Ghost'' and paintings like ``Do You Feel Like a Movie?'
To go to Eichelberger's exhibition at Myungdong Gallery, get out of Myeongdong Station, Line 4, Exit 9, walk straight and turn right at the first corner. Then turn right, and the gallery is on the fourth floor of the second building on your left. Admission is free at both exhibitions.
To go to the ``Ism'' exhibition at Siuter Art Space, get off at Gyeongbokgung Station, Line 3, Exit 3, and walk to the bus stop. Take bus 7022 or 0212, and get off at Gugi-dong bus stop. Walk 20 meters, and the gallery is on your right.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr
| Exhibition Brings Korean, Int’l Artists Together |
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Mike Stewart’s “Do Not Question” is part of the “Cultures Connect” exhibition at Jay Gallery and Na Gallery. / Courtesy of artist |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
 Korea is fast becoming a multicultural society, and what better way to bring people from diverse cultural backgrounds together than with art?
Eighteen Korean and international artists are coming together for a group exhibition, ``Cultures Connect,'' which opens Dec. 2 at Jay Gallery and Na Gallery, near Insa-dong.
Richard J. Beaumont, British artist and curator, said there's a growing interest in multiculturalism in Korea, and this exhibition hopes to put a positive spin on the issue.
``I know the kinds of problems that arise when people from different cultures start banging against each other. The roots of that are fear, ignorance and lack of understanding. … In working and interacting with each other, we can try to understand each other and each other's culture through art,'' Beaumont told The Korea Times last week.
The idea for the exhibition came out of discussions between the owners of Jay Gallery and Na Gallery, who both wanted to have more shows featuring international artists.
Beaumont invited some artists he knew in Korea and put the word out in the international art community. ``I wanted to be as inclusive as possible. I didn't want to judge people's works. If people were enthusiastic, wanted to participate and had some experience as working artists, they were part of the group,'' he said.
The participating artists are originally from Korea, the U.K., the U.S., the Philippines, Canada, Brunei and South America, but are all currently based in Korea. Despite differences in backgrounds, the artists share a common interest in ``communicating with the world through their art in a spirit of multicultural cooperation.''
``We have people speaking in different languages from different backgrounds. Art is very effective in breaking barriers down. Even though people are from different cultures, we are involved in the same things. We are motivated by the same emotions, hopes and dreams. Those are the things that bind us as human beings and those are the things that artists deal with in their works,'' Beaumont said.
The exhibition promises to present diverse artworks, including paintings, prints, videos, installation works and photography.
Seo Hwa-suk, a Korean artist who studied and exhibited her works in Paris, is showing a striking photograph of a group of white-faced people holding a sheet of glass in front of them.
``They are full of makeup, and they lose their personality. People become anonymous. They push the glass, and their faces change. … Normally, people hide their real emotions. If they put on makeup, they can express it more easily,'' Seo said.
American artist Genn Toffey, who has been living here for eight years, has been creating a series called ``Great Women of the Past.'' She fills her paintings with three layers: first, the human figure, followed by candy wrappers and then text.
Korean artist Jang Oui-loung uses everyday materials in her installations, such as the black plastic bag with the words ``I Love You'' written on it. ``You know Korean trot songs are almost always about love; people say `love' too much. But the value is very low. So I related it to the plastic bag, which is also so cheap. The value of love is so cheap and light now,'' she said.
Beaumont hopes ``Cultures Connect'' will only be the start of a series of exhibitions that will bridge the cultural gap, as well as foster understanding and harmony among people living in Korea.
``We are working together to build understanding and also inspiring each other to create new forms of art. … We have to wait and see what happens. This is just one exhibition. We're trying to look beyond that and see what other events will be there in the future,'' he said.
An opening reception will be held on the evening of Dec. 2, and will run for two weeks through Dec. 15. Jay Gallery and Na Gallery are located in the first floor basement of the SK Hub building next to Jongno Police Station, outside Anguk station Line 3 Exit 5 or 6. Call Jay Gallery (02) 2666-4450 or Na Gallery (02) 2732-8846.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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| Center Gives Awards to Honor Paik’s Legacy |
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The four winners of the first ever Nam June Paik Art Center Prize, from left, Robert Adrian X, Ahn Eun-me, Ceal Floyer and Lee Seung-taek, talk to reporters at the Nam June Paik Art Center, Yongin, Gyeonggi Provice, Thursday. / Korea Times Photo by Cathy Rose A. Garcia |
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
To honor the legacy of video art pioneer Paik Nam June, the inaugural Nam June Paik Art Center Prize was given to artists Ahn Eun-me, Lee Seung-taek, Ceal Floyer and Robert Adrian X.
A special exhibition featuring the artists' selected works opened Saturday at the NJP Art Center, Giheung, Yongin, Gyeonggi Province.
``When we were thinking about doing the Nam June Paik Art Prize, it became pretty clear, we wanted to stay in the tradition of Paik and his ideas. But we also wanted to have artists who worked on the edge, and an oeuvre that was extremely risky at the time,'' said Tobias Berger, chief curator, at a press conference at the NJP Center, Thursday.
The prize reflects Paik's contributions to contemporary art and recognizes artists for ``embracing visions of technology, questioning unidirectional communication flows and emphasizing the role of multiple levels of audience participation through practices that bridge together numerous areas, from dance to performance to art.''
Unlike other awards that give one top prize, the NJP Art Center Prizes were awarded to two Korean and two international artists. ``We thought selecting one winner would be against Paik's spirit, so we selected four people who we think are very important. All of them are equal as artists, no hierarchy,'' Berger said.
The 77-year-old Lee was recognized for his ``innovative and diverse practice that questioned established political, social and artists' values, while pushing the boundaries of art and culture.''
Adrian X, a 74-year-old Vienna-based artist, is known for his pioneering work in telecommunications and a global electronic network that preceded the Internet. On display is ``Surveillance'' (1984), a two monitor installation showing two versions of a trip through Vienna, one recorded by a camera inside a van and another from the traffic surveillance center.
Floyer, a British artist currently based in Berlin, creates minimalist multimedia pieces that ``play on the interaction between perception and expectation.'' For instance, ``Drill'' consists of a power drill lying on the floor while plugged into two holes in the wall. ``Dancing Flames'' is a video showing two flames that seem to flicker to the beat of electronic music, but there is no connection between the video and the music.
Ahn is an artist and outstanding choreographer known for combining traditional Korean elements with contemporary aesthetics. Her ``Chronicle of a Beautiful Dancer'' (2009) features herself wearing elaborate gowns, while surrounded by elements inspired by Paik's works like old TVs and goldfishes.
For the opening ceremony Saturday, Ahn held an outdoor performance titled ``Paik Nam June Rhapsody.'' Wearing a white gown, Ahn was suspended in the air along with 24 pianos, with the help of cranes. It was an appropriate fitting tribute to Paik, who created groundbreaking performances and video art.
The Nam June Paik Art Center Prize exhibition runs through Feb. 28. Visit www.njpartcenter.kr or e-mail info@njpartcenter.kr.
cathy@koreatimes.co.kr |
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