music stories in August 2009

Album Reviews

Depapepe `Do!' (SonyBMG) Japanese acoustic guitar duo Depapepe has just come out with new album ``Do!'' This marks the fifth anniversary of their debut album's release. Composed of Takuya Miura and Yoshinari Takuoka, Depapepe gained popularity for their catchy guitar riffs and entertaining melodies. Depapepe's album includes bright and cheerful tunes like ``PaPaPa,'' ``FAKE,'' ``High Rock!'' and ``Sailing.'' There is something special about Depapepe's music, because it never fails to leave you in a good mood. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia The Dead Weather `Horehound' (SonyBMG) As if he's not busy enough with The White Stripes and The Raconteurs, Jack White has formed an alternative rock super group with The Kills' Alison Mosshart, Queens of the Stone Age's Dean Fertita and The Raconteurs' Jack Lawrence. White once again shows his many talents, this time, taking on drumming duties. With a line-up like that, it was expected that The Dead Weather's debut album ``Horehound!'' would rock. While they don't quite live up to the high expectations, the album still has a couple of decent rock tracks. They thrill with songs `` I Cut Like a Bu?alo,'' ``Hang You From the Heavens,'' and a cover of Bob Dylan's ``New Pony. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Queen, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Pink Floyd `Baby EQ Series' (Universal Music) The Baby EQ series is back again. Pop and rock classics from Queen, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder and Pink Floyd have been turned into baby-friendly tunes. These electronically modified pop songs adhere to the Tomatis Method, wherein auditory stimulation is used to help develop the baby's mind. Moms and Dads won't get bored listening to the almost jewel-box sounding versions of the Stones' ``Satisfaction,'' Queen's ``Bohemian Rhapsody'' and ``We are the Champions,'' Pink Floyd's ``Another Brick in the Wall,'' and Wonder's ``Isn't She Lovely.'' -Cathy Rose A. Garcia

DJs From Tokyo to Party in Seoul

Tokyo-based DJ Sonpub will play at The Hive, Itaewon, Aug. 29. / Courtesy of artist By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Partygoers will get a taste of the raw and exciting underground Tokyo party scene in Seoul this weekend. Tokyo-based DJs will be partying at The Hive, Itaewon, Aug. 29. The ``Tokyo Underground'' party will feature producer/DJs like Sonpub from Phoenix Players, Sol Rom from 663A and Keyth Death from Kazenohito. The party will feature the hottest mixes of techno, breakbeat, dancehall, reggae and fidget music. Sonpub, who started as a producer and became a DJ, is looking forward to making the club goers dance all night to his music. ``I want people in Korea to feel a power to dance from my DJ-ing,'' Sonpub told The Korea Times, in an e-mail interview. Sonpub plays different genres of music, like techno, electronic, house, hip-hop, rock and pop music. He says his music has been influenced by a wide range of artists from the Beatles and Eric Clapton to Guns N' Roses and Oasis to Jay-Z and Timbaland. On his Web site (www.sonpub.com), he recently offered a free download of his remix of the late pop superstar Michael Jackson's ``Beat It.'' ``I really like the song, and Michael Jackson influenced me a lot,'' he said. Asked to describe the Tokyo scene, he says people know music very well, and a lot of foreign artists come to perform. ``The level (of Tokyo's club music) has been higher than before, but I think they need more originality. I want to see more real artists,'' Sonpub said. Sonpub is also looking forward to performing in other ``hot and fresh'' cities like Hong Kong, Macau and Taipei. Partygoers can also enjoy Keyth Death's music at the party. His music has been described as a mix of electro, ghetto house, disco, hip house, rockin' house and drum n' bass. His MySpace page says: ``Keyth Death loves to spin for people who love to dance." Tickets are 20,000 won, including two free drinks and free entry to the ``Brekkie and beatz'' after party. To get there, get off at Itaewon Station, subway line 6, exit 3. Turn right before the fire station and go straight and turn left at the second street. The Hive is located at the corner. Email: the.hive.korea@gmail.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Band Brings New Orleans Jazz to Seoul

The Preservation Hall Jazz Band will perform at the LG Art Center, Sept. 1. / Courtesy of Shannon Brinkman By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter New Orleans has always been known for its vibrant, soulful jazz music scene. Korean fans will soon have a chance to enjoy an exciting jazz party with a venerable music institution from New Orleans, the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, at the LG Art Center, Sept. 1. The band is named after Preservation Hall, which was founded in 1961 by Allan and Sandra Jaffe in the city's French Quarter. At the time, the building housed an art gallery owned by Larry Borenstein, who began holding jam sessions for his close musician friends. The sessions included Jaffe, who was then a young tuba player, and eventually Preservation Hall was born. The venue still stands, and welcomes ``people of all ages interested in having one of the last pure music experiences left on the earth." It also continues with its decades-long standing policy of ``no drinks" and "no air conditioner." The Preservation Hall Jazz Band, featuring New Orleans musicians, began touring in 1963 and has helped carry on and promote the tradition of New Orleans jazz. Throughout the years, the band's members may have changed but their joyous, soulful musical tradition continues. Its previous band leaders include brothers Willie and Percy Humphrey, husband and wife Billie and De De Pierce, pianist Sweet Emma Barrett, and Wendell and John Brunious. The band continues to perform around the world with the mission of promoting New Orleans jazz. It has been described as a ``living, breathing tradition that has not only preserved New Orleans music, but allowed it to thrive, even in calamitous times." ``After Hurricane Katrina in 2005, it became a more precious opportunity to see the band's live stage, as the flood destroyed the whole city of New Orleans and ruined the life of jazz musicians," the band said, on its Web site. The band received the 2006 National Medal of Arts from the National Endowment for the Arts, considered the highest level of recognition by the federal government. All of the band members were born and raised in New Orleans. The current line up includes trumpeter Mark Braud, clarinet and saxophone player Charlie Gabriel, reed player Clint Maedgen, drummer Joseph Lastie, Jr., trombonist Freddie Lonzo, bassist Walter Payton, and pianist Rickie Monie. For listeners to get acquainted with their music, SonyBMG has just released ``The Essential Preservation Hall Jazz Band'' album. The two-disc set features 24 recordings from 1977 to the present. Songs include ``When the Saints Go Marchin' In,'' ```Georgia on my Mind,'' ``Petite Fleur,'' and ``St. Louis Blues.'' Tickets to the concert range from 30,000 won to 70,000 won. Call (02) 2005-0114 or email arts2005@lgart.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Various Artists `Fairy on the Ice: The Pop Album' (Universal Music) Ice-skating princess Kim Yu-na is on the cover of this compilation album, but she doesn't sing on any of the tracks. Kim just picked her favorite pop and Broadway tunes ― some of which were used in her performances ― for this two-disc set. The first disc includes fun-filled songs from Rihanna, Black Eyed Peas, Lady Gaga, Ne-Yo and The Pussycat Dolls. The second disc is packed with Broadway tunes from ``Phantom of the Opera," ``Miss Saigon" and ``Mamma Mia." Die-hard fans will also enjoy the cute photographs of the skating star in the photobook that accompanies the album. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia SpongeBob & The Hi-Seas `SpongeBob's Greatest Hits' (SonyBMG) ``Who lives in a pineapple under the sea?" If you know the answer to this question, then this album is for you. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the hit Nickelodeon cartoon, this album collected the hit songs featured on SpongeBob Squarepants throughout the years. Both the young and the young-at-heart will enjoy the fun and funny songs such as ``The Bubble Song," the `60s sounding ``Ripped Pants" (inspired by the Beach Boys) and ``Idiot Friends." Bonus tracks include Cee-Lo Green's version of the theme song, Pink's ``We Got Scurvy" and the Christmas song ``Don't Be a Jerk (It's Christmas)." ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia Various Artists `Rhythms del Mundo Classics' (Universal Music) ``Rhythms del Mundo Classics" features today's hottest artist remakes of classic rock songs infused with Latin beats of Rhythms del Mundo. For example, The Killers do the Eagles' ``Hotel California," Keane sings Queen's ``Under Pressure," while Jack Johnson sings John Lennon's ``Imagine." Buying the album will help support the environmental nonprofit organization Artists Project Earth. The group, which works with musicians and artists, helps create awareness and raise funds for climate change projects and disaster relief efforts around the world. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Singer Surprised by Korean Fans’ Enthusiasm

Jazz musician Wouter Hamel will perform Aug. 30 and Sept. 6 at Waterside Stage, Olympic Park in Seoul. / Courtesy of Private Curve By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Before hitting the stage at the Seoul Jazz Festival last May, Dutch jazz singer Wouter Hamel was already aware that Korean fans would be enthusiastic. Nevertheless, he was still shocked at just how enthusiastic the Korean fans were during the concert, which he considers one of his most memorable so far. ``My band and I were very much blown away by the audience in Seoul. We did expect a great crowd, since we had spent a couple of days of promoting before our big show, and all the fans we had met were so enthusiastic. But multiply that by 2,800 and that's what we got,'' he told The Korea Times in an e-mail interview. With his good looks and dreamy voice singing romantic tunes, it's easy to see why Hamel has captured the hearts of many female Korean fans. Fans rushed to the front to get a closer look at Hamel during the performance at the Grand Theater of the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, something rarely seen at jazz concerts. The same enthusiasm is expected when Hamel returns to Seoul for two concerts, Aug. 30 and Sept. 6, at the Waterside Stage, Olympic Park. ``We've changed some songs a little around the North Sea Jazz Festival in July, so maybe we'll play some new stuff. But most of all, expect me and the band to have a good time on stage with you,'' he said. Hamel's music career has blossomed since he won the Dutch Jazz Vocalist Competition in 2005. He worked with sought-after producer Benny Sings on his debut album ``Hamel,'' which received critical acclaim and commercial success not just in Netherlands but in other countries as well. He won the prestigious Dutch Silver Harp award and a Gold Disc award. ``When Sings and I started working on our first album together, everything was new and we really had to discover everything from scratch, in terms of sound, style and choice of songs,'' he said. For his second album, ``Nobody's Tune," Hamel once again worked with Sings, but this time they decided to take more risks. ``For our second collaboration we tried to broaden our musical horizon in terms of arrangement and choice of instruments with our first album as a starting point. The biggest difference to me was that `Nobody's Tune' was recorded in a proper studio. Our first album was recorded at home, so to spend time in a real studio with an amazing engineer was luxurious in comparison, to say the least," he said. The title track is a very personal tune for Hamel. He says the song's message is basically: ``Just be stubborn and go your own way, and don't pay attention to anything else." As a songwriter, Hamel finds it easier to come up with lyrics before creating the right music to go with it. ``I always try to come up with a lyric first, so I can sit down behind the piano and instantly start playing and singing. The rhythm and tempo of the lyric just leads the way to find a groove. Choosing a musical key is a big deal to me, and from there I'll try endless melodic variations and various chord progressions," he said. Hamel might be a hard worker, but he also knows how to relax. ``I've just spent a lovely holiday in the Caribbean, and haven't performed for a couple of weeks. I read a lot of books and snorkeled across coral reef! I like to shop, especially in Seoul," he said. Tickets to his concert are 88,000 won. A free glass of wine is available for ticket holders before the concert. Call (02) 563-0595 or visit www.privatecurve.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

British Rock Group Keane Constantly Evolves as a Band

British rock band Keane wave to their fans during a press conference at the COEX Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul, Friday evening. / Courtesy of Universal Music Korea By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter British rock band Keane is perhaps most famous in Korea for ``Everybody's Changing,'' which was used in a popular Korean television show. The title of the hit song, taken from their breakout album ``Hopes and Fears'' (2004), is also an accurate representation of Keane's constant evolution as a band. Keane, composed of lead singer Tom Chaplin, drummer Richard Hughes and pianist Tim Rice-Oxley, talked about their music during a press conference at the COEX Intercontinental Hotel, southern Seoul, Friday evening. Keane first made a name for themselves with their piano-driven rock tunes, but their latest album, ``Perfect Symmetry,'' shows a shift towards a more electronic sound. ``We've always been inspired by the Beatles, Radiohead and U2. In the last record, we listened to a lot of David Bowie, who is the master of evolution. He changes all the time. It's an innate part of who we are as a band. We love the idea of constantly moving forward, never feeling quite constrained by what we have done in the past. We are always excited by the possibility of the future. I guess that's why we keep changing as a band,'' Chaplin said. Rice-Oxley, who also composes Keane's music, says the band tries to create the best music they possibly can. ``The magic that goes into making a song, I don't think anyone ever knows where it comes from. Our approach is to try and talk about what we know, and things we feel passionate about and the things we see around us. I think our music is quite intelligent, if that's not too arrogant to say. We're interested in pop music as a genuine, powerful art form and we hope our songs will affect people,'' he said. The album title reflects Keane's aspiration to find ``perfect symmetry'' in their music. ``The whole point of the album is that the idea of perfect symmetry is not there. But it is something that we all aspire for all the time, particularly the dream of who you should be versus the reality of who you are,'' Hughes said. Keane was formed in Battle, East Sussex, in 1995. The band struggled for years before making it big with their debut album, ``Hopes and Fears,'' in 2004. ``We were struggling as a band for a long time, and we didn't sell a record, seven or eight years after we first started performing,'' Hughes said. Asked about their secret for success, Chaplin jokingly said, ``I won't tell you,'' but answered the question anyway: ``A number of things came together at the right time for us. I think we just had to learn our trade, learn to be better musicians, write better songs, and understand how to make records. We were completely clueless as a band. We didn't know anything about making music. We just had this desire to do it so we spent years trying to find out for ourselves. The main secret was that we were very strong-minded and we pushed ourselves,'' he said. This was Keane's first visit to Korea, and they were obviously thrilled to find they have so many fans here. Gwon Osang, the Korean sculptor who created Keane sculptures to promote the album last year, had told them about their popularity in Korea. ``We've always wanted to come here and we knew we had fans here. We met Gwon Osang, who created artwork for our record and he told us, 'you have a lot of fans in Korea, you got to get out there and play a show.' That was more inspiration for us, and here we are today,'' Chaplin said. Keane, who performed at the ETP FEST Saturday, hope to be able to come back to Seoul for a solo concert in the future. ``It's exciting to be here for the first time. If people like our performance and we're lucky enough, it would be a privilege to come back for a concert, as part of a larger tour in the region,'' Hughes said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Michael Jackson `Off The Wall: Special Edition' (SonyBMG) Following the King of Pop's death, there's been renewed interest in Michael Jackson's music. SonyBMG has released a special edition of Jackson's debut solo album featuring re-mastered versions of songs such as ``Rock With You'' and ``She's Out of My Life.'' The album also includes Jackson's original demo recordings of ``Don't Stop Til You Get Enough'' and ``Workin' Day and Night.'' It's a treat to listen to Jackson's raw talent in these stripped down versions of the hit songs. As a bonus, producer Quincy Jones and songwriter Rod Temperton provide revealing insights on the making of the album and Jackson's musical talent. The album, part of SonyBMG's Must Have series, is currently being sold at a 25 percent discount. ― Cathy Rose A. Garcia Chrisette Michele `Epiphany' (Universal Music) If you want to break up with someone, it's probably best to just hand them Grammy-winning R&B singer Chrisette Michele's second album. ``It's over,'' she sweetly croons in the opening track ``Epiphany (I'm Leaving).'' Just in case your partner doesn't get the hint, the album's songs are different riffs on the same message. Michele's warm voice is simply enchanting on mid-tempo tracks like ``Blame It On Me'' and ``On My Own.'' She sings with Ne-Yo on the ballad ``What Do You Do,'' which was also produced and written by the R&B star. ― Cathy Rose A. Garcia Royksopp `Junior' (Warner Music Korea) Norwegian electronic duo Royksopp is back with a new album ``Junior.'' Royksopp offers futuristic electronic sounds that are perfect for chilling out and just letting loose at clubs. The opening song ``Happy Up Here'' has a cheerful and playful vibe that sets the mood for album. Torbjorn Brundtland and Svein Berge have written, produced, mixed and arranged all the tracks on the album. The duo collaborated with Swedish singers like Robyn on ``The Girl and The Robot,'' and Lykke Li on ``Miss It So Much.'' ― Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Album Reviews

Daughtry `Leave This Town' (SonyBMG) American Idol finalist Chris Daughtry proves his debut album was no fluke, with his band's new album, ``Leave This Town,'' topping the Billboard charts once again. Daughtry's sophomore effort offers more of the solid rock music featured in their first album. The band collaborated with country star Vince Gill on ``Tennessee Line," and Nickleback's Chad Kroeger on ``No Surprise." The album is full of clean and very mainstream rock that should please many, but perhaps bore those who have heard it all before. ― Cathy Rose A. Garcia Various Artists `Festival Generation: Night' (Universal Music) Festival Generation (www.festivalgeneration.com) offers music festival favorites like Travis' ``Closer,'' Oasis' ``Wonderwall,'' MGMT's ``A Time to Pretend,'' The Crystal Method's ``Cherry Twist'' and Fat Boy Slim's ``Right Here, Right Now.'' The album is packaged with a simple, fun guide to music festivals around the world, including Glastonbury, Bonnaroo and Lollapalooza. There are some curious choices, like Black Eyed Peas' ``My Humps'' and James Morrison's ``Please Don't Stop the Rain,'' but overall, this CD will get you in the mood for a rock festival. ― Cathy Rose A. Garcia

Placebo Wants Fans to Wear White at Concert

British rock group Placebo will perform at Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul, Aug. 5. / Courtesy of Yellow Entertainment By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporte British modern rock band Placebo wants fans to wear white at their upcoming concert in Seoul. ``We urge all fans to wear white! There is too much black in our audiences,'' bassist Stefan Olsdal said in an email interview. Fans will hopefully heed Olsdal’s words when Placebo hits the stage at the Olympic Hall, Olympic Park, southern Seoul, Aug. 5. ``It will be our second time, and we are quite excited! It will be a rock show with some tracks from the new album and selections from previous Placebo albums. I feel much more of a sense of purpose now with the new album and line up,'' vocalist and guitarist Brian Molko said. Placebo recently released their sixth album, ``Battle For The Sun,'' which topped charts in Europe. It has been described as a new beginning for the band, which Olsdal attributed to Placebo becoming more open to exploring new sounds. ``Sonically, we wanted to make something bigger and more colorful than before. We used timeless-sounding instruments like pianos, brass instruments and strings rather than loops and electronics. Thematically, something offering a bit more hope to the listener than before,'' Olsdal said. One of the tracks, ``Kitty Litter,'' took 14 years for Olsdal and Molko to finish. ``We took part in a symphony for 101 electric guitars composed by Rhys Chatham in London. We had guitars with strange tunings, and hanging out backstage we started to jam on what eventually became `Kitty Litter.’ It’s curious how some songs take 5 minutes to write and some 14 years! That song definitely has a bit of a raw edge to it,'' Olsdal said. Working with new drummer Steve Forrest also helped bring fresh energy to the band. ``What Steve has brought is a youthful enthusiasm and a bundle of positive energy, which for me and Brian, having been in this rock-n-roll circus for a while, is quite refreshing! He's obviously going to have a slightly different style, but from the first time we saw him play, we knew he had some real talent,'' Olsdal said. Placebo was formed in 1994, and the band is still going strong. Olsdal says the secret to their longevity is ``determination, self belief and not following trends or trying to imitate others.'' Over the years, the band has released six albums and scored hit songs like ``Nancy Boy,'' ``Pure Morning'' and ``Every You Every Me.'' But Placebo says their new record is their favorite. ``I think listening to all six Placebo records there is a real thread running through all of them. I don’t think there has been a massive stylistic change over the years, but I feel now that with this record we’ve pushed our sound and made probably our most accomplished piece of work,'' Olsdal said. The group, who performed during the Pentaport Incheon Rock Festival in July 2006, has fond memories of Korea. ``We got a warm welcome on a very wet and foggy night when we played at Pentaport so thank all who were there,'' Molko said. Tickets for the show in Seoul are 88,000 won and 66,000 won. Call (02) 3444-9969 for English booking. Visit http://ticket.auction.co.kr (1566-1369) or http://ticket.yes24.com (1544-6399). cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

art stories in August 2009

Artist Djurberg Invites Viewers to Prada Transformer

Nathalie Djurberg is holding a solo exhibition ``Turn into Me'' at the Prada Transformer, Gyeonghui Palace, Seoul. / Courtesy of Prada Transformer By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter After being the venue for a fashion exhibition and a cinema program, the Prada Transformer has once again been rotated to take a new form. The rotating building, designed by Rem Koolhaas and Office for Metropolitan Architecture (OMA), is hosting an exhibition of works by rising Swedish artist Nathalie Djurberg. Djurberg was specially chosen by Fondazione Prada, the non-profit organization devoted to contemporary art founded by Miuccia Prada and Patrizio Bertelli, for the art program at the Transformer in Seoul. Only 31, Djurberg was recently honored with the Silver Lion for the best young artist at the 53rd Venice Biennale this year. With such high expectations, it's no wonder Djurberg looked nervous when talking about the ``Turn into Me'' exhibition during a press conference at the Seoul Museum of History, Thursday. ``I'm very happy but I'm also nervous, which I think I should be because if you are completely secure with what you do, then you don't need to do it. It was more challenging than I expected but that made it so much more interesting. I think that what comes out of sweat and tears and nervousness is the most important. As an artist, I think that if I don't have any challenges, there's no reason for me to work. In the end that's what makes it all worth it,'' she said. If Djurberg was challenged with turning the Transformer space into something memorable and unique, visitors will also be challenged with the enigmatic installation pieces. Upon entering the Transformer, visitors are greeted with music composed by Hans Berg to accompany Djurberg's artworks. Inside, there is a dark brown potato-like structure, a cave, and two small whales. Some of the installations have been exhibited in 2008 at the Fondazione Prada, Milan, but being displayed inside the Transformer, Djurberg's works are seen in a different light. The interiors of the Transformer have been covered in white felt, creating a warm, womb-like atmosphere. It also served as a canvas for Djurberg's large paintings of menacing figures and two sets of creepy eyes on it, which unfortunately will be destroyed once the Transformer is rotated again for the last program. Inside the potato and the cave pavilions, visitors can watch Djurberg's surrealist animated videos. She makes short animated films using stop motion technique, with darkly humorous and violent narratives featuring plastic grotesque figures Fondazione Prada artistic director Germano Celant described Djurberg as a ``troublemaker,'' but smilingly added ``in a good way'' because of the risks she takes in making difficult art. ``All the videos of Nathalie are very emotional because everyone projects themselves into it. it forces you to think what is in your inside? What is your relationship with your mother, your father or your lover? All these are inside, and we are able to get inside our own body. and we are able to open up ... You enter the Transformer, which is like a womb, and you recreate yourself,'' Celant said. Djurberg wants visitors to come up with their own interpretations of her works. The exhibition title itself ``Turn into Me'' is an invitation, Djurberg says, for people to ``enter another world of subconsicousness.'' ``It is not for people to try and understand the way I look at my own art, but what's most interesting and makes me happy is when people see it and have other interpretations. Every time I hear someone's interpretation of my work, I always feel it's right, even if it may not be what I thought of in the beginning. I think one of the most beautiful thing about art is that when we make it, we also have to let it go and allow people to see it,'' Djurberg said. The exhibition at the Prada Transformer, located beside Gyeonghui Palace, runs through Sept. 13. It is open Tuesday to Sunday 12:00 p.m. to 6 p.m. Admission is free, but online reservation is needed in advance. Visit www.pradatransformer.co.kr or call (02) 737-4772. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Discover Magic of Photography

"String Mirror" by Hong Sung-chul is part of the Magic of Photography exhibition at Museum of Photography, Seoul. / Courtesy of organizers By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Photography has come a long way from the pinhole cameras of ancient times to film and now to its digital form. The term photography was coined by Sir John Herschel in 1839, combining Greek words ``phos’’ for light and ``graphos’’ for writing. Photography, in short, was ``writing with light.’’ Photography continued to develop using glass plates and printing, but in 1884, George Eastman developed film technology. Film has been widely used in cameras, but has been challenged by the widespread use of digital cameras in recent years. With all the developments and innovations in photography, it is interesting to see how these have made an impact on artists and their works. The on-going ``Magic of Photography’’ exhibition at the Museum of Photography Seoul shows how 14 Korean artists have adapted new technological developments and used them for creating inventive and modern art works. Through the development of digital technology, artists have expressed their artistic sense and ideas in photographs more freely. Artists expanded the boundaries of photography, even incorporating painting, sculpture and installation in their works. Bae Joon-sung makes use of the lenticular technique, which creates multi-dimensional photographs. He turns two-dimensional images into three-dimensional works, as shown in ``The Costume of (the) Painter.’’ Another section sheds light on the boundaries of three-dimensional images and photography. Kang Young-min, Kwon Jung-jun, and Jang Seung-hyo reconstruct three-dimensional pictures with people and create distorted images. Jang made a distinctive photo collage, ``Mad About You,'' while Kwon built an installation, ``Fine Apple,’’' an acrylic box covered with digital print. Another section introduces computer graphic imagery, featuring works by Kim Joon, Lim Taek and Lee Joon-keun. For example, Lee creates optical illusion graphics that will hold the viewers’ attention. Kim’s digital prints are filled with naked bodies decorated with beautiful tattoos. However, Kim uses 3D computer graphics programs to create these images. Lastly, photography is combined with films and performances to make a unique work. In ``The Finale of (the) Story,’’ Jun So-jung took clever photographs of a play that she directed. A video of the play is also being shown as part of her work. Kim Joon and Bae Joong-sung will give lectures Sept. 5 at 1 p.m. at the museum. Kang Young-min and Cho Byung-wang will have their turn Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. There will also be a free magic show Sept. 5 at 4 p.m. Photo Kids, a special children’s photography program is being held Aug. 22 and 29, Sept. 12 and 26 at 10:30 a.m. The exhibition runs through Oct. 1. Opening hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m., weekdays and 11 a.m.-6:30 p.m., weekends. Tickets are 5,000 won for adults and 3,000 won for students. Visit www.photomuseum.or.kr. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Art Lovers Flock to Hotel

A pair of sculptures by Choi Sung-chul is placed at the entrance of Gallery Seojong's room during the Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair 09, Grand Hyatt Hotel, Seoul, Friday. / Korea Times Photo by Cathy Rose A. Garcia By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Most art fairs are held in large, brightly lit convention halls, where art collectors look for new pieces to buy and art lovers content themselves with admiring the works. Over the weekend, a new art fair concept was introduced in Seoul with the opening of the 2nd Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair 09 (AHAF). This was the first time for the art fair to be held here, after Tokyo last year. The 10th and 11th floors of the Grand Hyatt Hotel transformed into a veritable art marketplace, with 65 galleries from Korea, Japan, China and other Asian countries turning hotel rooms into mini-galleries. Visitors had to walk along the dimly lit corridors to go in and out of the rooms filled with art works. It sometimes got crowded in the corridors and small rooms, but somehow it was part of the charm of the event. It also proved to be a challenge for the galleries to display paintings, sculptures, prints, installations and other works in the small rooms assigned to them. A few galleries removed the beds, allowing more space for sculptures and installations. Some were creative, using every inch of the room, including closets and bathrooms, as space for art. Gallery Jinsun placed some creepy-looking monster sculptures on top of the toilet seat, while Gallery Godo displayed a sculpture by Park Young-soo inside the closet. Other galleries were more conventional, putting paintings and prints on the walls and on top of the bed's snowy white sheets. In Shanghai-based Hwas Gallery's room, Wang Xiang Ming's painting ``Pay Respect to Masters Basquiat Scribbles Forever," was placed against the bed's headboard. David Chau, Hwas Gallery director, said this was the gallery's first time participating in the hotel art fair. ``We thought it was a good idea. We heard the hotel art fair in Tokyo did very well, so we wanted to see how it would be this year. We've seen a lot of creative stuff being done to the rooms by the galleries. We're still pretty conventional," Chau told The Korea Times. There was a lot of interest in Asian artists. Works by established Asian artists still had some eye-popping price tags, but there were surprisingly affordable pieces by young and fresh talent in the region. Tokyo-based Gallery Yamaguchi brought works by 24-year-old Japanese artist Chisato Sakaue, most of which were already sold during the VIP preview. Some of the artists were at the fair to meet and talk with the visitors. At eitoeiko gallery's room, Japanese artist Masaru Aikawa explained how he duplicates CD album covers of his favorite rock groups, such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and Megadeath, on canvas. ``I love rock, punk and hardcore metal music. These are all my favorite CDs," he told The Korea Times, gesturing to the bed strewn with albums, which are accompanied by an actual CD on which he sings the songs a cappella. As expected, Korean artists were in the spotlight. There were Kim Dong-yoo's elaborate pixel paintings, Bahk Seon-ghi's charcoal sculptures, Lee Heum's eye-catching cake paintings and Lee Kyung-ho's lenticular works. The usual big name galleries ― including Arario, Kukje and Hyundai ― were missing from the list of participants, but it didn't seem to matter to the crowd at the AHAF. The special AHAF exhibitions caught the attention of visitors. Celebrity artists Naul and Minki Zio filled the rooms with their works. Zio created bed sheets silk-screened with a seascape, while Naul showed African influences in his art works. Renowned Korean artist Lee U-fan's works were displayed in a suite for the exhibition ``Communication and Relational Aesthetics," which was organized in collaboration with Shimoda Kenzi, who has collected Lee's works for 30 years. Overall, the hotel art fair concept did garner a lot of interest, but it remains to be seen whether it will be the start of a new trend in Korea. By presenting a diverse selection of Asian artists, the AHAF 09, which ended Sunday, seems to have fulfilled its goal of promoting cultural exchange among the art markets in the region. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

American Artist Stewart Shows 'The Hard Way'

One of the works by American artist Mike Stewart. / Courtesy of artis By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter In today's world, it's hard to imagine what life was like without computers, the Internet, cell phones and other technologies that make everyday life so much easier. American artist Mike Stewart has always thought about what life would be like in a world without technology. It is human nature to look for the easiest way to do things, but he wanted to explore what would happen if everyone had to go back to doing things the hard way. His original concept has evolved into a new series of prints that delve into a world in which the government forces people to do everything in a difficult way. Around 18 new prints will be displayed at Stewart's ``The Hard Way'' solo exhibition at the Sun Baba Ra Gallery, which opens Sept. 1. ``It's sort of an imaginary world where there are no convenient things, where there is no technology, or technology has been abandoned or refused. In the past, I did some installation work on that topic, showing examples of the world without technology. This new exhibition is about the government machine pushing this concept, telling people to not do things the easy way. It's sort of an upside-down fantasy world,'' he told The Korea Times over coffee last week. Stewart, who is originally from Connecticut, has been teaching English and fine art courses here since 2003. Like many expatriates, he noticed striking cultural differences when he first moved to Seoul. ``I'm from a very suburban area in the States and coming to a big city like this, right at the peak of technology, you see all these little gadgets. Then you see guys carrying pieces of furniture on their backs ― these things seem so difficult and strange. It seems like they're doing it the hard way. Why don't they do it the easy way?'' he said. But his works are not simply a commentary about Korean society, with which most foreign artists are preoccupied. Stewart admitted having gone through a phase in which he would make works about the foreigner's experience in Korea, but now he has taken on a much broader concept. His prints are inspired by a lot of North Korean, Russian and even American propaganda posters from World War I and II, and the Cold War. Stewart initially wanted to be an illustrator, but decided he liked the physical and laborious process involved in printmaking more. ``I originally started doing prints with the traditional Korean printing block style, and I thought about how it was a really difficult way of doing things. It transformed from there and now I just imagine myself in that space, looking at how difficult things can become,'' he said. Stewart carves his images on wood or linoleum, and then prints everything by hand on Korean hanji paper. ``Right now, I'm sort of in between printing presses, so I'm actually doing all the printing by hand with a wooden spoon,'' he laughed. ``I have blocks of wood in my house right now. I carve them and put the paper on top and rub the back with a wooden spoon. I think I almost burned a hole in the spoon.'' Stewart's way of hand printing his works does seem like the embodiment of doing things the hard way, but he says it's worth it. ``If I accomplished something and if I did it the hard way, then yeah, it feels good,'' he said. The exhibition runs from Sept. 1-15 at the Sun Baba Ra Gallery (located near Hankuk University of Foreign Studies, subway line 1). An opening reception will be held Sept. 5. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Art Fair Promotes Prints, Photography

“Pumpkin” by Japanese artist Yayoi Kusama will be shown by FMH Trading Limited at the Seoul International Print Photo Art Fair (SIPA 2009). / Courtesy of SIPA By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Print and photography are often overlooked in the Korean contemporary art scene. The upcoming Seoul International Print Photo Art Fair (SIPA 2009) hopes to shine the spotlight on print and photography, especially works by Korean artists. The SIPA opens Sept. 12 and will run through Sept. 16 at the Hangaram Design Museum, Hangaram Museum and V Gallery, Seoul Arts Center. Hwang Dal-seung, chairman of the Korea Print Photography Promotion Association, said this year's art fair will tackle the issue of technical replication in the print and photography genre. ``What is the meaning of the value of the arts that exist not as one pure original but as many?" he said. ``Thus what is the genre for the arts that are classified as an edition? SIPA2009, now holding its 5th event, is opening an exhibition of print and photography with the idea of reproduction or multiple editions as its superior concept. The print genre is the first medium to make technical reproduction possible and because of this, diverse images and graphic products have been represented in the market.'' Hwang hopes the SIPA 2009 will become the discussion forum for this issue by bringing together various types of artworks from all over the world. SIPA was organized to promote and develop printmaking and photography in Korea. This year's event features 43 galleries that are mostly from Korea, with a handful from Japan, France, Germany, the U.S., Italy and Singapore. It is much smaller than last year's event, which featured 63 participating galleries. Visitors will be able find works by Pablo Picasso, Roy Lichtenstein, Damien Hirst, Takashi Murakami, Yayoi Kusama and Bill Viola at the various gallery booths of the art fair. Aside from the galleries, the SIPA 2009 will also offer several special exhibitions. ``Visual Intersection.kr.nl'' features artists from this year's guest country, the Netherlands. Participating artists are Eelco Brand, Ellen Kooi, Erwin Olaf, Martine Stig, Phillip Provily, Popel and Ruud van Empel. Photographer Yoon Joo-yeong will show off his series of photographs of mothers throughout Korea in the exhibition ``The Mothers.'' Another special exhibition will be the Ex-libris exhibition, which is being hosted by SIPA for the first time. Ex-libris, which means ``from books'' in Latin, are bookplates that indicate ownership of books. The Korea Ex-libris Association and Dong Sang Bang Gallery will show a variety of bookplates from all over the world from their own collections, as well as exquisite Korean ones. For the fair's public art project, Australian artist Jayne Dyer will be showing ``The Book Project," featuring installations filled with books. She is interested in the relationship between people and books, as well as issues of translation and communication in today's globalized society. The SIPA also selected several rising Asian artists to showcase new works. Japanese photographer Nabuhiro Nakanishi was chosen for the Asia BELT Artist Project, while artists Kim So-hee and Cho Hyun-sook were picked for the BELT Artist Project for Korea. For the duration of the art fair, SIPA is also organizing a children's art program, in collaboration with German art supply maker Faber-Castell. It includes a guided tour and a special art class to be conducted in Korean and English. The art fair is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets are 10,000 won. Visit www.sippa.org (Korean and English). To get there, get off Nambu Bus Terminal Station line 3, exit 5, and go on green bus 12 or 4429. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr