weekender: Women Artists' Biennale in Incheon (July 28, 2009)

Spotlight on Women Artists at Incheon Biennale

The billboard is part of New York-based artist Lee Chang-jin's "Comfort Women Wanted" mixed media installation at Incheon Art Platform, as part of the Incheon Women Artists' Biennale. / Courtesy of the artist By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Incheon is already known for its international airport, its seaport, Chinatown and the Pentaport rock festival, but the port city also wants to become a contemporary art and cultural hub of Korea. For the entire month of August, Incheon is the site for a unique contemporary art biennale that shines the spotlight on women artists. Nearly 300 artists from 40 countries are participating in the second Incheon Women Artists' Biennale (IWAB), which opens Saturday. It is only timely and relevant to have a contemporary art biennale focusing on women artists. The international art world has always been criticized for being sexist and male-dominated, and Korea is no exception. Yang Eun-hee, commissioner of the Main Exhibition at the biennale, said there is a big disparity between the number of male and female artists shown in art institutions and museums in Korea. ``In the Korean art world, the museums' major collections have less than 20 percent, or even 10 percent, of artworks by female artists,'' Yang told The Korea Times. ``I also did some research at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Gwacheon. For their new acquisitions in 2007, only 11 percent were women artists. It's very low.'' Even major contemporary art biennales around the world are traditionally seen as male-dominated events. This is one of the reasons that spurred the creation of the Incheon Women Artists Biennale. ``Other biennales in the world tend to be led by male artists. Our uniqueness is we focus on women artists and their works. It's a challenge for us. We want to overcome the male dominated art world, and that's one of the reasons why we created the biennale,'' said Kwon Kyung-ae, president of the biennale organizing committee. While the IWAB also invites male artists to participate, the biennale is focused on promoting women artists' works and acting as a bridge between the local and international art communities. The biennale's roots can be traced to the Incheon Women Artists Association, which held annual exhibitions for its members since the 1980s. The first biennale opened in 2004, and its success led to its first-ever international version in 2007. It was established ``out of the belief that femininity could be a catalyst for communication between different genders which would bring about a more accelerated parity in an equally-beneficial society.'' Main Exhibitions Since it is fairly new compared to the biennales in Gwangju and Busan, organizers admitted their budget is significantly smaller. ``Our budget is only 10 percent of the Gwangju Biennale's budget. We're definitely comparable to those biennales in terms of ideas, but not with the budget,'' Yang said. This year's biennale is divided into three sections, each dealing with various issues confronting the art world, particularly women artists, today. The Main Exhibition and Participation Exhibition both feature only women artists, although the latter only includes Korean artists. With the theme ``So Close Yet So Far Away,'' the Main Exhibition explores women artists' ``understanding and perception of space, where they reside, struggle and strive to realize their dreams.'' The Main Exhibition features works by 101 artists from 26 countries, including feminist artists Judy Chicago and Faith Ringgold. Chicago will be showing drawings of her controversial ``Dinner Party'' installation, which featured place settings for famous historical and mythical women like Sappho and Virginia Woolf. ``Somehow the biennale needs to be connected to the global audience and other feminist artists in the world. I think the goal of feminism is still being reached. … I would call this biennale as the first cooperative effort to build a sustainable institution in terms of women's art. To sustain this community in Korea, you need to build a network with the other areas,'' Yang said. 21st Century for Women Women will lead the future. The title of the Tuning Exhibition says it all ``The 21st Century, The Feminine Century, and the Century of Diversity and Hope.'' Han Heng-gil, chairman of the operating committee of the exhibition, says the project envisions the 21st century as ``feminine, diverse and free of any political, racial or sexual oppression.'' ``We are living in a time when there is no need to talk about improvement of women's status or equality. We are already there. Back in '60s and '70s, women perhaps struggled to gain independence and political and social power. During the past 40 years, that has shifted and Hillary Clinton came close to the U.S. presidency. The question now is not whether or not women's status has to be improved but the question is now that you are empowered, what are you going to do,'' Han told The Korea Times. Both male and female artists will tackle these questions through their art. There are paintings, installations, multimedia pieces, animation, catalogs, text, films, performances and discussions, as well as ceramics and calligraphy, which are both often overlooked by the contemporary art scene. Various performances will be staged on opening day, such as the hilarious critical satire by an all-female band of artists called DISBAND (1-5 p.m.) and Hong-kai Wang's ``Accept Me for What I Am If You Want Me'' (10-11 a.m.). While it may seem counterproductive to invite male artists to a women artists' biennale, organizers believe that bringing together artists of both gender will produce a vibrant artistic dialogue. New York-based artist Ma Jong-il, who created a huge bamboo installation at the Incheon Art Platform, says there should be no distinction between male and female artists. ``When we had a press meeting in New York, one of the artists said, `there are no female or male artists here.' Basically I don't care. Males and females, when they concentrate on developing their own way, eventually there is going to be harmony,'' he said. Diverse Art on Display The biennale art works will not just be seen at the main venue Incheon Art Platform, but also at historical landmarks like Incheon Korean-Chinese Cultural Center, Freedom Park, Incheon Weather Station, Incheon City Historical Data Office, Jemulpo Club, Incheon Educational and Cultural Center for Students, and the Paradise and Harbor Park Hotels. ``We are putting art in the public realm. We wanted to bring art to the daily life of people. As you know, Korean people don't care much about art, especially contemporary art. So if they don't come, you should go out to them and engage them,'' Han said. One of the attention-grabbing works is New York-based artist Lee Chang-jin's indoor and outdoor mixed media installation ``Comfort Women Wanted.'' It references the thousands of young women forced into sex slavery by the Japanese Imperial Army during World War II. One billboard shows a photograph of a young Taiwanese comfort woman at the comfort station by a Japanese soldier, surrounded with gold leaf, usually used in honoring saints. It is flanked by two billboards showing just a silhouette of an old woman standing inside her house. ``Korea is where the `comfort women' movement started, and this Biennale is the perfect site to present an artwork which acknowledges these outspoken and courageous women survivors. By creating international awareness of these women and their place in history I hope we can prevent this kind of unspeakable crime against humanity ever happening again anywhere,'' Lee said. Kim Eun-hyung, who is also based in New York, made a large-scale wall drawing ``Storyteller'' inside the Incheon Art Platform building. He gathered images from his everyday life, memories and pop culture to show how simple but bizarre life is. Kim said his works delve into questions of personal identity, which can be expanded to male and female identity. ``The women artists' biennale is not only about feminism. I think for our part, we can show some harmony between man and woman. I want this to transcend sexuality, but be something that relates to human beings,'' Kim said. Japanese artist ON Megumi Akiyoshi painted a colorful cloud of flowers on the glass facade of a building at the Incheon Art Platform. Aside from her painting, she will also wear a brightly colored costume for her ``ON Flower Gallery'' performance on Saturday. Akiyoshi said she was intrigued when she first read about the IWAB, even though she's not crazy about the feminist movement. ``But I believe in yin and yang. Yin is female, yang is male. The relationship is always moving and changing. Like in Japan, right now only males can be emperors, but a long time ago, there was female emperor. So when I heard about this women's biennale, I thought yes, it is changing. I'm not trying to be more powerful than males, but it is just a natural movement. I'm very happy there's a women's biennale confidently talking about it, and I'm a part of it,'' she said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr Information To get to Incheon Art Platform, get off Incheon Station Subway Line 1. Cross the street, and you'll see signs for Jung-gu District Office. Walk for 5 minutes, and you'll find the Incheon Art Platform, located opposite the Jungbu Police Station. One day pass is 7,000 won for adults, 5,000 won for students (13-18 years old) and 2,000 won for children (4-12 years old). The biennale is open everyday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Daily docent tours are held at 11 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Visit www.iwabiennale.org (Korean, English).

music stories in July 2009

Oasis, Weezer, Fall Out Boy Rock Out at Jisan Valley

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Two rock festivals battled it out in Korea over the weekend, but for most rock fans, it was no contest. Jisan Valley Rock Festival, featuring performances by Oasis, Weezer, Starsailor, Fall Out Boy, Basement Jaxx, Patti Smith plus top Korean musicians like Crying Nut, Lee Han-chul and Run Run Runaways and Kim Chang-wan Band, attracted over 52,000 fans over the three-day festival at Icheon, Gyeonggi Province. Billed as a ``green'' and eco-friendly rock festival, Jisan's grass lawns, cool weather and scenic view of the surrounding mountains were a nice change from the Pentaport Incheon Rock Festival. ``The idea of bringing nature into the music festival with the best line-up in Korea proved to be very successful. People were happy to tread on the lawn barefoot compared to the muddy, stony site at Pentaport. The weather was fantastic,'' Seo Shin, an Oasis fan, said. The festival kicked off Friday, but things heated up when American rockers Jimmy Eat World hit the Big Top Stage. Fall Out Boy soon followed, performing hits like ``I Don't Care,'' ``Thnks for Th Mmrs,'' and ``America's Suitehearts'' during their one-hour set. ``We should have come to Korea a long time ago,'' bassist Pete Wentz told the crowd. Korean punk rockers Crying Nut kept the crowd's energy high, while British rock group Starsailor had everyone over at the Green Stage enthralled with their music. But the most eagerly anticipated act on Friday was Weezer and they did not disappoint. Weezer started their set with ``Undone ― The Sweater Song,'' and frontman Rivers Cuomo surprised everyone when he played a bright red guitar with the ``Go Reds'' logo. He even asked the crowd to do the ``Daehan Minguk'' chant. ``We're so happy to finally be here. After so many years, we're finally in Korea. We hope to come here many more times,'' Cuomo said. He further endeared himself to the fans by speaking several Korean phrases and sentences. Weezer played some brand new songs from their upcoming album, like ``I'm Your Daddy,'' ``Can't Stop Partying'' and ``The Girl Got Hot.'' For their encore, they played a medley of pop songs like Katy Perry's ``I Kissed a Girl,'' and Lady Gaga's ``Poker Face,'' before finishing off with ``Buddy Holly.'' Saturday started with Lee Han-chul and Run Run Runaways performing at the Big Top Stage. Lee, a veteran musician who recently came back from a trip to Cuba, showed off Latin influences in his music. Korean punk band Johnny Royal entertained audiences with their instructions on how to have more fun. New Zealand band Human Instinct presented a bluesy brand rock'n'roll, followed by Korean modern rock bands Deli Spice and Kim Chang-wan band. The 55-year-old Kim, a founding member of the legendary rock band Sanulrim, performed his old hits that had everyone up and dancing. Windy City, a Korean reggae rock band, gave audiences a feel of what true Rastafari is about through their exciting yet soulful music. The Saturday's highlight was, however, undoubtedly the headliner Basement Jaxx. The 90 minutes of electric dance music drove the audiences wild, especially with Basement Jaxx' last song ``Bingo Bango.'' On Sunday, the crowd swelled in numbers, causing long lines at the restrooms and food stalls. Some fans complained they had to line up for an hour to buy food. Jang Ki-ha and the Faces, a cult band from Hongdae that blends kitsch with clever lyrics, and Japanese band Asian Kung-fu Generation managed to entertain the audience with their hits. Patti Smith & Her Band made their first appearance in Korea and showed why Smith is called the ``Godmother of Punk.'' Performing songs like ``Because the Night'' and ``People Have the Power,'' Smith raised her guitar and said: ``This is the only weapon we need.'' The final night's headliner Oasis burst on stage with frontman Liam Gallagher's typical rock'n'roll attitude by throwing away tambourines and shouting swearwords. While he did not care to remember the name of the rock festival he was in, Gallagher did remember to thank Korean fans who were at their gig in Seoul last April. Oasis performed old and new songs, such as ``The Shock of the Lightning'' and ``I'm Outta Time.'' After their electrifying encore, the Jisan Valley Rock Festival ended with a lavish fireworks display. While Oasis didn't say much during the concert, it was obvious the enthusiastic Korean fans left a big impression. On Monday, Liam Gallagher posted a message on Twitter: ``Korea, just wanna say you were absolutely (expletive) amazing, I love your country, my kinda people. Live forever.'' cathy@koreatimes.co.kr`

Limp Bizkit, Nine Inch Nails, Keane to Perform at ETPFEST

Limp Bizkit will perform at Eerie Taiji People Festival 2009 next month in Seoul By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American rock band Limp Bizkit will headline the ETPFEST (Eerie Taiji People Festival) 2009 rock festival organized by Korean rock star Seo Tai-ji next month. Limp Bizkit will perform alongside British group Keane and American rocker Nine Inch Nails on Aug. 15 at the Main Stadium, Jamsil Sports Complex, southern Seoul. But Yonhap News quoted Seo's company as saying that the rock star has not yet decided whether to perform this year. Limp Bizkit has recently reunited for a comeback tour and are working on a new album ``The Unquestionable Truth (Part 2).'' The band ― made up of vocalist Fred Durst, bassist Sam Rivers, drummer John Otto, DJ Lethal and guitarist Wes Borland ― has sold 60 million albums around the world. Keane is known for its piano rock sound. Their albums ``Hopes and Fears'' and ``Under the Iron Sea'' have garnered critical praise and sold millions of records around the world. Nine Inch Nails is a one-man band led by singer, songwriter, producer and instrumentalist Trent Reznor. Reznor has recently indicated that Nine Inch Nails may be on its last run of shows this year. At last month's Bonnaroo Music and Art Festival in Manchester, Tenn., he said it was the last show he would do as Nine Inch Nails in the United States. Seo's ETPFEST is one of the biggest summer rock festivals in Seoul. Last year's ETPFEST featured performances by Seo, Marilyn Manson, Death Cab for Cutie, Dragon Ash, Epik High and Clazziquai Project Tickets for the whole day event are 198,000 won, although they are being sold at a discounted price through Aug. 10 on ticket.interpark.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Lady Gaga to Hit Seoul Next Week

Lady Gaga will give a showcase at Club Answer, Cheongdam-dong, June 17. / Courtesy of Universal Music By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Best known for her hit songs ``Just Dance'' and ``Poker Face,'' Lady Gaga will arrive in Seoul, June 16, and stage a show at Club Answer, Cheongdam-dong, June 17. The much-anticipated show will also feature rising K-pop singer A.J. as the opening act and DJ Koo. Tickets to the show are only by invitation. Lady Gaga will also have a press conference to promote her first album ``The Fame,'' which is all about today's celebrity and fame-obsessed world. The pop star made her debut last year, with catchy dance songs like ``Just Dance'' and ``Poker Face'' that shot up the Billboard charts in the United States and charts around the world. ``Just Dance'' was nominated for Best Dance Recording at the Grammy Awards. Her subsequent singles ``Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)'' and ``Love Game'' also climbed up the top ten of the Billboard charts. The music video for ``Love Game'' was directed by Joseph Kahn, who also directed videos for Britney Spears, Mariah Carey, and The Pussycat Dolls. Lady Gaga also caught everyone's attention with her fashion-forward and sometimes, over-the-top style. She handles her own creative production team called Haus of Gaga. With her long blonde hair, oversized sunglasses, huge hair ribbon, and outrageously sexy costumes, Lady Gaga's trademark look has spawned wannabes everywhere. Born Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, Lady Gaga grew up in Manhattan, New York and studied at a private Catholic school and later attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts. By age 20, she started writing songs for The Pussycat Dolls and Akon, who suggested she make an album. Lady Gaga got her stage name after producer Rob Fusari started calling her ``Gaga,'' taken from Queen's song ``Radio Gaga,'' while she was recording her album. With her sudden rise to fame, Lady Gaga is experiencing ``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 interview with The Korea Times last March. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Pop Group Pussycat Dolls Sizzle in Seoul

The Pussycat Dolls thrilled the crowd with their sexy but powerful dance moves and catchy songs during their first concert at the Olpark Soccer Stadium, Olympic Park, southern Seoul. / Courtesy of CP Entertainment By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The Pussycat Dolls lived up to the hype of being the ``sexiest girl group in the world'' during their ``Doll Domination'' concert in Seoul, Saturday night. Deafening screams greeted The Pussycat Dolls when they finally made their entrance at the Olpark Soccer Stadium, Olympic Park. Wearing glittery skimpy outfits that showed off their tanned and toned bodies, the Dolls rocked the stage with ``Taking Over the World'' and ``Beep.'' Fans appeared to quickly forgive the Dolls for the nearly 30-minute gap between the main concert and the opening acts, K-pop group After School and Son Dambi. ``For the first time ever in history, The Pussycat Dolls are in Seoul,'' lead singer Nicole Scherzinger said. Throughout the concert, the Dolls showed their trademark sexy but powerful dance moves and seemingly endless energy. Fans were jumping, screaming and dancing to the Dolls' hit songs like ``I Don't Need a Man,'' ``Buttons,'' and ``Wait a Minute.'' However, only four members of the Dolls performed at the concert and Melody Thornton was only on stage for a few numbers since she injured her knee. Another member, Jessica Sutta, did not make it to Seoul. ``We missed Jessica tonight, but Melanie's beautiful voice and spirit are still here. We'll try to make this the most magical, epic performance in Korea. Let's do it together,'' Scherzinger said. Scherzinger dominated the stage with her charismatic presence and strong voice, performing two solo numbers, including ``Halo.'' Ashley Roberts and Kimberly Wyatt performed a sultry burlesque dance number, while Thornton sang. The Dolls was originally a burlesque dance troupe formed in 1995 by choreographer Robin Antin in Los Angeles. While Scherzinger, Roberts and Wyatt gave energetic performances during the show, there were times when the stage felt bare because of the lack of backup dancers and effects. The Dolls also invited two lucky female fans on stage for a dance battle, and asked the audience to decide which one gave a better performance of ``Bottle Pop.'' ``Thanks for rocking out with us tonight. Thanks to all the fans. Without you, we won't be up here fulfilling our dreams and doing what we love… Saranghaeyo (We love you),'' Scherzinger told the crowd, before the Dolls ended the one-hour concert with ``Stickwitu.'' They had barely exited the stage, when the crowd started clamoring for an encore. The Dolls came back out to perform their hit song ``Don't Cha,'' and ``Jai Ho (You are my destiny),'' before finally finishing with ``When I grow up.'' cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Maxwell `BLACKsummers' Night' (SonyBMG) After disappearing from the spotlight over the last few years, Grammy nominated R&B singer Maxwell returns to the music scene with a new album, ``BLACKsummers' Night.'' It's a worthy follow-up to his highly-acclaimed 2001 album, ``Now.'' Maxwell doesn't go for the trendy electronic R&B that's been clogging the airwaves, instead he offers classic, soulful tunes with a live-band sound. His silky smooth vocals will no doubt make women swoon. The album is filled with gems such as ``Pretty Wings,'' ``Bad Habits,'' ``Love You'' and ``Fistful of Tears.'' ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia Katy Perry `One of the Boys' (Warner Korea) Katy Perry got everyone's attention with ``I Kissed a Girl,'' the first single from her album "One of the Boys," not just for its catchy beat but for the controversial lyrics coming from the daughter of a preacher. The song perched atop the Billboard charts for seven weeks last year. The singer-songwriter infused a lot of energy in pop-punk songs like ``Ur So Gay'' and ``Hot n Cold.'' Perry worked with producers like Glen Ballard and Dr. Luke, who previously worked with Alanis Morisette and Avril Lavigne, respectively. It's no wonder why Perry's songs are fueled by the same girl-power, punk-rock-chick vibe. The deluxe edition includes new, remix versions and music videos of Perry's hit songs. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia Passion Pit `Manners' (SonyBMG) Passion Pit makes a splashy debut with ``Manners,'' an album of electronica-influenced rock tunes. Lead singer Michael Angelakos has a distinctive falsetto voice that will stick in your head, especially in charming songs like ``Sleepyhead'' and ``Make Light.'' Passion Pit's album is brimming with energy and catchy beats. Songs like ``Little Secrets'' and ``Folds in Your Hands'' will have you itching to hit the dance floor. Their songs may have that `80s electro-pop flavor, but it comes with a very modern twist. ―Cathy Rose A. Garcia

inger Lenka Brings Pop Music to Pentaport

Australian singer Lenka will perform at the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival, Sunday. / Courtesy of organizers By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Indie rock groups will dominate the Incheon Pentaport Rock Festival this weekend, but up-and-coming Australian singer Lenka will bring her brand of fun pop music to lighten things up. Lenka has been attracting attention for her debut album ``The Show,'' and perky, cheerful songs that have been featured on U.S. shows like ``Ugly Betty,'' ``90210'' and ``Grey's Anatomy.'' In an email interview with The Korea Times, Lenka said she loved having her songs appear on her favorite television shows. ``I love it! Especially `Ugly Betty' because I'm a huge fan. Having been an actress, I really get a kick out of my music being used to enhance the emotions of a scene,'' she said. The pretty 30-year old singer used to be an actress in TV and film back in Australia, and was also the host of a children's morning program Cheez TV. She was also a member of electronic-rock band Decoder Ring, appearing on two of their albums. ``I was an actress all through school and for a few years afterwards, and I loved it, but I had an urge to do something where I had more creative control. I tried visual art and then realized that singing was the perfect career where the entire project was in my creative control. And I still get to perform so it's kind of like acting,'' she said. In 2007, Lenka packed her bags in Sydney and moved to Los Angeles to start a music career. Last year, she released her debut album, filled with optimistic and fun pop songs and thoughtful ballads. Lenka, who writes her own lyrics, says the songs deal with her own personal experiences and ``feelings of trying to figure life out.'' ``Usually I write (songs) when I'm a bad mood of some kind, sad or angry or confused. Also observing my friends and what they're going through can be inspiring. Sometimes it's just quite simply a melody that won't leave me alone and I have to get it out,'' Lenka said. One of the most popular songs off her album is ``The Show,'' co-written with American singer-songwriter Jason Reeves. ``It was really fun writing with Jason. We'd never met, so we were trying to get to know each other while we wrote that song, and we both happened to be in this mood where we felt our lives were crazy and out of control. So we came up with the metaphor that life is like a show. The whole song was written in an hour and a half! My quickest ever,'' she said. The quirky music video for ``The Show,'' which shows Lenka flying around, also helped bring her to the spotlight. ``The concept was written by the director, Moh Azima, and we worked on it together too. It's supposed to be the `invisible hand of fate.' I just loved that interpretation of the song. I was really excited about doing the harness work because I love flying and acrobatic stuff. But, it was actually quite challenging and painful hanging in that harness for 3 days,'' she revealed. Lenka is excited about performing for the first time in Korea at Pentaport on Sunday. ``We really try to bring to life the energy of the album. It's probably more energetic at times actually! I also get into decorating the stage like a kids' play. We have fun with it,'' she said. Other acts at the Pentaport, which runs from Friday through Sunday, include Deftones, Galaxy Express, NoBrain, Cocore and Sogyumo Acacia Band. Tickets are 50,000 won for a one-day pass, 70,000 won for a two-day pass and 90,000 won for a three-day pass. For English and Japanese booking, call (02) 783-0114. Visit http://ticket.interpark.com or www.pentaportrock.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Jonas Brothers `Lines Vines and Trying Times' (Universal Korea) Jonas Brothers are trying extra hard to prove that they're not just another cute boy band. Their third album shows the boys doing their best attempt at a more mature sound, without alienating their core teen audience. Songs like ``World War III'' and ``Paranoid'' do offer something edgier than their usual sweet pop songs. Nick Jonas sings with rumored girlfriend and teen queen Miley Cyrus on the ballad ``Before the Storm.'' Joe Jonas takes a swipe at ex-girlfriend Taylor Swift, singing ``I'm done with superstars,'' on the 80s sounding ``Much Better.'' Overall, it's a decent album that teen fans will buy, but the boys will have to do better to attract adult listeners. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Moby `Wait for Me' (Warner Music) Moby's latest album is a literally ``do-it-yourself'' effort. He collaborated with his friends (mostly unknown), recorded it at home and even drew the album artwork himself. ``In making this record, I wanted to focus on making something that I loved, without really being concerned about how it might be received by the marketplace,'' he said, on his Web site. Moby creates an album filled with chill-out electronic music. It's more melodic and melancholic than his previous efforts. ``Wait for Me'' shows that Moby is not afraid of experimenting, and continues to evolve as a musician. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Weezer Prepares Surprise for Fans American rockers Weezer will perform for the first time in Korea at Jisan Valley Rock Festival, Icheon, Friday. / Courtesy of Yellow Entertainment By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter For American rock band Weezer's first ever performance in Korea at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival this Friday, frontman Rivers Cuomo is preparing something special for Korean fans. In an telephone interview with The Korea Times, Cuomo revealed that he's been to Korea twice but never had a chance to play here. ``I'm super-excited to play in Korea for the first time. I love Korea. I have so many Korean friends but I've never had a chance to perform there. So this is just going to be great. I'm having a special guitar made, with Korean colors and imagery on the guitar. It's a special guitar just for this show. And I want to sing a song in Korean, too. I was trying to find it online but I only know the melody. Maybe it should be a surprise,'' he said. Cuomo, vocalist and guitarist, along with drummer Patrick Wilson, bassist Scott Shriner and guitarist Brian Bell, will be headlining the Jisan Valley Rock Festival in Icheon, Friday evening. Weezer was formed in 1992 in Los Angeles, and they released their self-titled album in 1994. Since then, the band has released six albums that have sold more than 8 million in the United States alone. Their hits include ``Buddy Holly,'' ``Undone (The Sweater Song),'' ``Island in the Sun,'' ``Pork and Beans'' and ``Say It Ain't So.'' It's been nearly 17 years since the band was formed, and Cuomo says Weezer has continued to play the music they love, even if it is not considered very mainstream. ``We want to be just happy with our music. I think it has a very useful sound to it. Our style hasn't changed that much since we were kids. We're still doing the same thing, playing electric guitars and drums. We're not trying to be like heavy metal or macho or anything. I think we'd rather be witty and cool,'' he said. Weezer has remained popular not just in the United States, but also overseas. Cuomo thinks the band's fun, feel-good songs translate well around the world. ``Weezer is all about uplifting and sing-along melodies that make you feel good no matter what language you speak or understand, so maybe the Weezer songs are easy to like for people in Korea even if they don't understand all the lyrics right away. I think they are good karaoke songs,'' he said. Cuomo, who graduated from Harvard University at the age of 35 in 2006, has always cultivated Weezer's geek rock image through cool songs and memorable music videos. Who can forget the Spike Jonze-directed music video for ``Buddy Holly'' showing the band performing in Arnold's Drive-In from the popular `70s sitcom ``Happy Days''? The video won several MTV Video Music Awards, including Breakthrough Video. Weezer has continued to work with Jonze (``Being John Malkovich'') on music videos including ``Island in the Sun.'' Cuomo says Jonze is a genius who comes up with the ideas for the videos, although ``he is just possessed when he is directing on the set.'' ``For example on the video for `Island in the Sun,' we're on the set with these dangerous animals. I was supposed to be playing with a bear and it's supposed to be extremely dangerous and could kill me if it wanted to at any moment. But Spike kept on saying, 'get in its face and play with it.' But the animal trainer was right behind Spike and he was saying, `no, don't get in its face!' He's just a mad man and just really goes for it,'' Cuomo laughed. Weezer is currently finishing its yet-untitled seventh studio album. The band is planning on performing some of the new songs in Korea. ``We're really taking our time and have written some incredible songs. We've worked with some great producers here in America. I just think it's a fantastic album. These songs are so good I can't wait for people to hear them,'' he said. Tickets for the Jisan Valley Rock Festival are available on ticket.auction.co.kr (1566-1369) or ticket.yes24.com (1544-6399). A three-day pass is 165,000 won, for two days 132,000 won, and one day 88,000 won. Visit www.valleyrockfestival.com or call (02) 3444-9969. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr Album Reviews Incubus `Monuments & Melodies' (SonyBMG) Alternative rock band Incubus' greatest hits are compiled in their newest release ``Monuments & Melodies.'' It's been 10 years since Incubus made a mark with their breakout album ``Make Yourself.'' Since then, they have chalked up hits like ``Drive,'' ``Pardon Me,'' ``Megalomaniac'' and ``Wish You Were Here,'' which are all included in the album. A second disc features rare tracks, unreleased songs, and alternate versions such as ``Neither of Us Can See,'' ``Pantomime'' and a cover of Prince's ``Let's Go Crazy.'' And if you're wondering about the cool album artwork, it's by frontman Brandon Boyd. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Gossip `Music for Men' (SonyBMG) American punk rock group Gossip shot to fame with the hit song ``Standing in the Way of Control.'' Gossip has just released ``Music for Me,'' which surprisingly doesn't quite go the same punk rock route. This time, the band comes up with songs that combine punk and disco music that would play better to the dance clubs than the moshpit. ``Heavy Cross'' is a strong first single, although it is quite similar to their hit song. There's a heavy electronic disco influence in tracks like ``Men In Love,'' ``Pop Goes the World'' and ``Four Letter Word.'' As much as Gossip keeps it fresh, listening to the songs make you miss their old hardcore punk riffs. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia Escala Electrifies With New Album British electronic string quartet Escala has just released its debut album. / Courtesy of SonyBMG By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The popular talent show ``Britain's Got Talent'' has discovered its share of musical sensations like Paul Potts, Andrew Johnston, Connie Talbot, and most recently, Susan Boyle. The all-female electronic string quartet Escala is proving to be no exception. Composed of cellist Tasya Hodges, violinist Izzy Johnston, violist Chantal Leverton and violinist Victoria Lyon, the group found fame when they reached the finale of ``Britain's Got Talent" last year. In an e-mail interview with The Korea Times, Hodges talked about Escala's experience joining the hit TV show and recording their first album. The four girls met when they worked in the string section of the orchestra on tour with band McFly in 2005. Prior to that, Leverton and Lyon were in a junior orchestra together, and Leverton also worked with Johnston in a group named Wild. ``We were all originally musicians, and the community is small, so we knew each other for a long time. … The four of us got together as a band to play at parties and weddings. We've been together for four years,'' Hodges said. Escala performed at an after-party for British show ``X-Factor,'' which is also produced by the same people behind ``Britain's Got Talent.'' ``A producer came over and asked us if we ever thought about being on the show. We talked about it and decided to be on the show. The whole thing was an amazing experience. We had great fun, and the people we met were really nice,'' Hodges said. Escala got rave reviews from the panel of judges, including Simon Cowell, for their electrifying performances of ``Palladio'' and ``Live and Let Die.'' It could not be denied that the girls had talent, but their beautiful and glamorous looks also helped. Despite not winning the show, Escala's talent did not go unnoticed and the group signed a record deal with Sony BMG last year. The group worked with producer Trevor Horn on their self-titled debut album, which was released last May. ``It was an amazing privilege to work with Trevor Horn. He was really detailed about his work, it once took him three weeks to get the drums right. We didn't know what to expect at first, but he was a good person. We recorded until one or two in the morning, and started recording at 10 in the morning the next day,'' Hodges said. Escala also collaborated with former Guns N' Roses guitarist Slash on a cover version of Led Zeppelin's ``Kashmir.'' The girls never got to meet Slash since they recorded it separately, but Hodges is still happy to have worked with him. ``I have two brothers, and to them, I became the world's coolest sister, because I worked with Slash,'' she said. Amid their newfound fame and hectic work schedule, the friendship between the four girls remains strong. Hodges said they are all very opinionated, but they don't fight. ``We each have opinions about music and we can't always have the same opinion. But among all the groups I've been in, there was never a group like this. All four of us deserve a place in the group. If we bicker about something, which is rare, it's because we're tired, we're on the road, and sometimes we have a 21-hour day. But arguments are rare in this group,'' she said. Escala is in the middle of promotions for their first album, and hope to perform around the world, including Korea. ``I can't wait to tour all over the world,'' Hodges said. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr Fall Out Boy Excited to Perform in Korea Fall Out Boy gets ready to rock at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival, Icheon, June 24. / Courtesy of Yellow Entertainment By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter American rock band Fall Out Boy is gearing up for their first performance in Korea at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival, Icheon, June 24. Pete Wentz, Fall Out Boy's bassist and lyricist, appeared apologetic to their fans in Korea for taking such a long time to perform here. ``I got a lot of emails (from Korean fans) asking us when we're going to get there. We're really excited about our first performance in Korea. We're looking forward to go and see our fans this summer,'' Wentz said in a phone interview with The Korea Times. Wentz will be joined at the Jisan Valley Rock Festival by the rest of Fall Out Boy: vocalist and composer Patrick Stump, guitarist Joe Trohman and drummer Andy Hurley. Wentz and Trohman formed a band in Wilmette, Ill. in 2001, later joined by Stump. In one of their early shows, the band asked the audience for name suggestions. One fan shouted ``Fallout Boy,'' referring to the sidekick to Radioactive Man on ``The Simpsons,'' and the name stuck. Little did the band members know how much success they would achieve in less than a decade. From their breakout album ``From Under the Cork Tree'' in 2005 to their latest hit ``Folie a Deux,'' the Grammy-nominated band has sold millions of records around the world. Wentz still doesn't know how all the success happened. ``I would've never imagined this when we started. We tried it out in the United States, and we ended up all around the world. To be honest, there's no secret. If I had one, probably I wouldn't tell anybody… But, there's no secret. It just happened,'' he said. Fall Out Boy's sound has always been described as pop-punk or emo-punk, but they stand out from the crowd with their witty and relevant lyrics. Wentz explains Fall Out Boy's fun sound and lyrics come naturally. ``It's secret. I don't know how we come up with the idea or the words. It's a kind of essence. It's just spit out. Patrick just goes through it and takes the parts from relevant parts. There are a lot of parts I don't know. The truth is if you know what you're doing it's going to be fresh and fun. You don't even have to try,'' he said. The late pop superstar Michael Jackson has always been a big influence on Fall Out Boy's music. A year ago, they even released a punk rock cover of Jackson's classic ``Beat It,'' featuring singer-guitarist John Mayer. ``We did a cover of `Beat It' a long time ago. Actually, I don't think the cover is better than the original. We were just paying tribute to Michael Jackson. It's really sad that Michael Jackson left this world,'' Wentz said. Aside from Fall Out Boy, Jisan Valley Rock Festival will also have big names like Oasis, Weezer, Jimmy Eat World, Asian Kung-fu Generation, Patti Smith, Priscilla Ahn and dozens of Korean bands during the three-day event. It will be held at Jisan Forest Resort, Icheon, July 24-26. Tickets are available on ticket.auction.co.kr (1566-1369) or ticket.yes24.com (1544-6399). The three-day pass is 165,000 won, two-day pass is 132,000 won, and one-day pass is 88,000 won. Visit www.valleyrockfestival.com. For bookings in English, call Yellow Entertainment at (02) 3444-9969. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Jarasum Gears Up fo Jazz in Fall

Chico & the Gypsies / Courtesy of Jarasum International Jazz festival By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter It's the middle of summer, but preparations are already underway for this fall's 6th Jarasum International Jazz Festival. The popular jazz festival runs from Oct. 15-18 on Jara Island, Gyeonggi Province. Korea's premier international jazz festival offers an initial line-up of well-known names in jazz from all over the world. The list includes Grammy Award-winning jazz singer Dee Dee Bridgewater, Israeli bassist Avishai Cohen, Italian trumpet player Enrico Rava, French accordionist Richard Galliano, Portuguese singer Maria Joao and band Chico & the Gypsies. Bridgewater is described as a ``consummate entertainer'' having won two Grammy Awards and a Tony Award. She is also the host of a syndicated radio show, and a United Nations Ambassador for the Food and Agriculture Organization. Rava is one of the most well known Italian jazz musicians, having played with some of the best musicians around the world, and released numerous albums. Cohen, a bassist, composer, and singer, is known for combining Middle Eastern, European, and African-American musical styles in his music. Chico & the Gypsies are led by Chico Bouchikhi, one of the original members of the famous flamenco band Gipsy Kings. The rest of the festival's line-up features well-known jazz performers such as drummers Terri Lyne Carrington and Dennis Chambers; pianists Yaron Herman and Jan Lundgren; saxophonists Chris Potter and Dave Liebman; guitarist Scott Henderson and bassist Jeff Berlin. For the 2009 festival, the slogan is ``Back to the Island.'' It hopes to bring back the essence of the original jazz festival, which was started on Jara Island in 2004. Visitors greatly appreciated listening to the cool sounds of jazz while surrounded by nature at the festival. Since 2004 the festival has grown, attracting over 450,000 visitors and more than 1,000 performers in the last five years. The festival even expanded to various jazz bars and clubs in Gapyeong City. Tickets to this year's jazz festival are in high demand, especially since organizers offered ``early bird'' passes at discounted prices. The first batch of early bird tickets, which were 20 percent off the original price, was sold out immediately last month. Another 200 three-day passes will be sold at a discounted rate of 45,000 won from 2 p.m. July 8 to midnight July 10. Visit http://www.lotte.com (1577-2365) or ticket.interpark.com (1544-1555). From July 13 to Oct. 11, multi-day passes will be sold in limited quantities. Three-day passes are 50,000 won, two-day passes are 40,000 won, and one-day pass is 25,000 won. Tickets will be sold at the festival site for 30,000 won for one day. Visit www.jarasumjazz.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Album Reviews

Dave Matthews Band `Big Whiskey & the GrooGrux King' (Warner Korea) With their first album since 2005, Dave Matthews Band is once again at the top of its game. The album is dedicated to the band's late saxophonist LeRoi Moore, whose nickname inspired the whimsical title. Dave Matthews Band always seems to have a crazy, wild energy and funky sounds, and this album is no different. They take it to the next level with tunes like ``Shake Me Like a Monkey" and ``Funny the Way It Is." ``If this is the last album that I make, it's the only album I hope people will listen to," said frontman Dave Matthews. And he's right, ``GrooGrux" is a gem. -Cathy Rose A. Garcia

art stories in July 2009

Fernando Botero Brings Latin American Flavor

Picnic / Courtesy of National Museum of Contemporary Art Deoksu Palace By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Looking at Colombian artist Fernando Botero's paintings and sculptures, it's easy to conclude that his subjects tend to be overweight. However, Botero, who was in Seoul for the opening of his exhibition at the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Deoksu Palace, insists he does not ``paint fat people." His style of creating plump figures arises from the importance he gives to volume, inspired by the style of Italian masters like Botticelli and Rubens. ``My stylistic goal lies in expanding scale. By doing so, I can increase the space to allow for use of more color and I can better convey the sensuality, richness and voluptuousness of form that I wish to express," he said. But more important than the rotund forms is his use of bright colors and themes depicting the richness and diversity of Latin American life. ``My paintings show the diversity of life. All of these themes are universal, and I hope Koreans can relate to this," Botero said. Born 1932 in Medellin, Botero gained fame for his distinctive and vivid artworks portraying Latin American life, and is widely considered one of the living masters of modern art. On display inside the museum are 89 paintings from Botero's personal collection. Three large bronze sculptures, ``Cat," ``Seated Woman," and ``Reclining Woman" can be found around the Deoksu Palace grounds. Divided into seven sections, the exhibition shows the diversity and depth of Botero's works throughout the decades, from still lifes to his latest ``Circus" series. Botero has been doing still lifes since the 1950s. The exhibition includes paintings of fruit, flowers, and musical instruments. One of the most striking is the ``Flowers (Triptych),'' a series of three large paintings in yellow, blue, and red. Botero's works usually have these three dominant colors, which are also the colors of the Colombian flag. Famous paintings by masters like Rubens, Velasquez, Cezanne, and Picasso are given a Botero-esque twist. Botero reinterpreted famous pieces like Goya's ``Duchess of Osuna,'' Rubens' ``Peter Rubens and Isabella Brandt,'' and Velasquez' ``Infanta Margarita Teresa of Spain in White Dress.'' His works depicting Latin American people, culture and everyday life are dripping with affection and warmth. Many of the paintings are based on Botero's memories of growing up in Colombia, hence the scenes of families at home, dancing, bull fighting, and streets and landscapes with Spanish colonial era structures. In Latin America, including Colombia, Catholicism is the dominant religion. Religious figures are present in Botero's paintings, such as ``Sleeping Cardinal,'' and ``The Seminary.'' Botero's ``Circus'' series is fairly new ― he started painting them in early 2000. He painted gaudy circus performers and animals with a satirical edge. ``Seated Clown'' depicts a clown with no makeup on, sitting pensively while waiting to perform. ``Having set out in search of forms that exist solidly in a changing world, Botero has the ultimate goal of moving beyond the dimension of giving simple pleasure to the viewer and into changing that viewer's understanding,'' said Liu Jienne, curator of the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Admission is 10,000 won for adults to 4,000 won for children. The museum is closed on Mondays. To get there, get off at City Hall station, line 1 or 2, exit 1 or 2. Call (02) 368-1414 or visit http://botero.moca.go.kr. To complement the Botero exhibition, a series of lectures on Latin American art, literature and music will be held at 6:30 p.m., July 16, 23 and 30 and Aug. 6, 13 and 20 at Heungkuk Life Insurance building, Gwanghwamun. Latin American films such as ``Motorcycle Diaries," ``Buena Vista Social Club," ``City of God," and ``Pan's Labyrinth" will be screened at Cine Cube, Aug. 6-12. Visit www.cineart.co.kr. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Actress Koo Hye-sun Reveals Artistic Side

By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Fans may still remember her as the feisty and cute Jan-di who captured the heart of F4 leader Jun-pyo in the hit drama ``Boys Over Flowers.'' But there's more to Koo Hye-sun than just acting. The 24-year-old Koo has not only released a novel ``Tango'' last April, but is also showing her artistic talent in a solo exhibition at Gallery La Mer, Insa-dong. With a sweet smile, Koo shyly admitted she greatly admires Italian master Leonardo Da Vinci. ``Some might laugh, but my role model is Leonardo Da Vinci. One of my favorite teachers gave me a book `Think Like Da Vinci.' I was influenced by it. Reading the book made me realize that even if we're not geniuses and have our shortcomings, we can still accomplish a lot in our lives. This gave me more confidence,'' she said in a press conference at the gallery last week. The exhibition features around 40 of Koo's illustrations. Some of the works may be familiar for readers of Koo's first novel ``Tango,'' about a young woman's bittersweet love. It is also the title of a song by Ryuichi Sakamoto, which inspired Koo's writing. Koo said she draws every day for one or two hours in her studio at home. Aside from illustrations for her novel, Koo has also done artwork for singer Gummy's fourth album. ``I want to share my works with everyone. I hope everyone can come and see my exhibition,'' she said. Koo does show a talent for drawing, but to have a solo exhibition of her works may seem premature. The repetitive swirls of blue ink on white canvas can get old fast, especially when the entire room is filled with similar works. Koo's small, delicate ink illustrations show a great attention to miniscule details. Aside from drawing and writing, Koo said she is also writing a script for a full-length film. She has written and directed a short film ``The Cheerful Caretaker,'' which was included in the Busan Asian Short Film Festival. At the exhibition opening, heartthrob actors Lee Min-ho and Kim Jun, her co-stars from ``Boys Over Flowers,'' met Koo to show their support. Proceeds from the exhibition will be donated to the WITH campaign. The exhibition runs through July 7. Visit www.gallerylamer.com. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Kimchi Meets Vegemite in Exhibit

sculptor Choi Jin-ho and Australian artist Robert Liddicoat / Korea Times Photos by Cathy Rose A. Garcia By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter ``Kimchi Meets Vegemite'' may sound like an unusual title for an art exhibition. Featuring works by Australian artist Robert Liddicoat and Korean artist Choi Jin-ho, the exhibition combines the distinct styles of each artist's home country. While everyone in Korea knows what kimchi is, vegemite may be unfamiliar to those who have never been to Australia. ``Vegemite is this distinctively Australian paste. It's like a paste you put on to bread. It's salty and tastes a bit like strong soy paste… So Jin-ho came up with the name (of the exhibition). It's very Korean and very Australian. Their works are completely different styles, two different mediums, two different cultures, and yet they kind of work together,'' explained Mary Jane Liddicoat, Robert's daughter and Choi's wife. Somehow the quirky title works for the exhibition, featuring colorful Australian landscapes alongside stone sculptures of the imaginary creature ``haechi,'' at Samtoh Gallery, Daehangno. ``His paintings also work well with Jin-ho's interpretation of modern contemporary Korean sculptures. He's been doing the `haechi' since 2002 or 2003, even before Seoul City decided to make it its symbol,'' Mary Jane said. Liddicoat, who started painting when he was 10, has always been fascinated with color. ``I've grown up in this wonderful period of history of art in the 21st century where there are so many different styles. The thing that has persisted in my work is color. I've explored it in all its forms, realism, impressionism, post-impressionism and abstraction. I've explored color in those different forms,'' he told The Korea Times at Samtoh Gallery last week. Based in Australia, Liddicoat and his wife started coming to Korea in 2001 to visit his daughter and grandchildren. Since then he's been here almost 13 times. His trips to Korea have had a profound impact in his work. ``First it was the marketplace, there's nothing in Australia like that. The fruits and vegetable stores, the colorful hanbok and even the colorful clothes of the ajummas. Another is the autumn forests, which change from yellow to red to orange to purple. It's an extraordinary blast of color that I've never experienced before. We don't get that in Australia. It just blew me away,'' he said. The vivid colors of Korean landscapes and dynamic market scenes have inspired Liddicoat's paintings which have been featured in previous exhibitions in Seoul. However, this current exhibition is mostly Australian landscapes and the geometric abstract paintings. The colorful abstract paintings were inspired by the tiles and mosaics Liddicoat saw while traveling to Jordan and Syria. ``I developed these paintings in 1989 or 1990, when I was visiting Mary Jane there. They were inspired by the Middle Eastern architecture, tiles and mosaics inside. I only discovered these paintings again last year, and I sent photos of it to Mary Jane, and she liked it, Interestingly enough, Mary Jane said that many Korean viewers thought these abstract works were influenced by the Korean `bojagi' or traditional wrapping cloth,'' he said. The exhibition runs through July 8. To go to Samtoh Gallery, get off at Hyehwa station, line 4, exit 2. Turn right at the KFC, and turn right at the first corner. Visit www.isamtoh.com or call (02) 3675-3737. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Meet Miffy at Hangaram Design Museum

Miffy, the beloved Dutch cartoon rabbit, will meet Korean fans through the “Miffy at the Museum” exhibition at the Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul Arts Center. Shown here is “Miffy Mondrian” (1997). / Courtesy of Hangaram Design Museum By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Miffy, the iconic little rabbit from the Netherlands, gets closer to Korean fans through the ``Miffy at the Museum'' exhibition at the Hangaram Design Museum, Seoul Art Center. Created by famed Dutch artist and illustrator Dick Bruna in 1955, Miffy has delighted generations of children throughout the decades. Miffy is originally known by her Dutch name "Nijntje," based on how a toddler pronounces the word for little rabbit, ``konijntje.'' Bruna has authored 30 Miffy books in addition to almost 100 books for other characters. His books have been translated into 40 different languages, and have sold 80 million copies worldwide. Miffy is beloved in the Netherlands, and in Bruna's hometown of Utrecht, there is even a Nijntje Little Square, named after the character. Bruna had hoped to visit Korea for this rare exhibition, but could not make it due to his age (he turns 82 years old next month) and the long travel time from the Netherlands. The Seoul exhibition begins with a brief introduction of Bruna and how he created Miffy. As the story goes, in 1955, Bruna and his family were on vacation in Egmond aan Zee, when he started telling stories about a little rabbit who lived in a garden to his one-year-old son. That rabbit became the inspiration for Miffy. Bruna used a minimalist style in creating Miffy, using only a few lines and sticking to six basic colors: red, blue, yellow, brown, gray, and black. Visitors can see the evolution from the original sketch of a toy-like character to the adorable Miffy we all know and love. Also on display are Bruna's works as a graphic designer and illustrator for his father's publishing company, A.W. Bruna and Zoon. These postcards, book covers, posters, and other materials were originally part of the ``2000X Dick'' exhibition, which was shown in Netherlands. These works are being shown for the first time in Asia. Miffy (2002) Another section shows original pencil sketches and prints of Miffy that provide insight into how Bruna brings his initial ideas to paper. Even now at 81, Bruna reportedly continues to work six days a week Miffy is not just a book character, but a popular design for toys, stationery and other items sold around the world. Organizers asked Korean artists and designers to incorporate the character in their artworks and designs for the ``Miffy the Artist'' section. The stylish Miffy lamps would be a cool item to light up anyone's home, while the wall mural is definitely an eye-catching work. ``Miffy 100 Plus 100'' features white molded Miffy dolls as designed by artists, designers, brands and celebrities. Here you can find Miffy in a traditional Korean hanbok and a Bruna-inspired Miffy made of Swarovski Crystallized Elements. One doll is even modeled after weightlifter and Olympic gold medallist Jang Mi-ran. In ``Miffy Play,'' kids will have fun playing with the interactive multimedia works. Two walls are filled with Miffy books, along with computer screens showing animated shows. For ``Happy Birthday Miffy,'' children can hold up cake- or gift-shaped pillows in front of a camera, and watch themselves on a big screen as Miffy and other characters pop up. There's also a puppet show featuring Miffy and friends for children to watch and learn. Children can also learn to draw the cute character. The exhibition is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed on July 27. Tickets are 15,000 won. Visit www.miffyartist.com or www.sac.or.kr. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Mock Museum at Gallery Sogool

A poster for the ``Museum of National Arts Foundation (MoNAF) Exhibition'' by Australian artists Josh Daniel and Brad Betts at Gallery Sogool. / Courtesy of the artists. By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter The Museum of National Arts Foundation (MoNAF) is holding its first major exhibition of ``comprehensive art.'' If you haven't heard of the MoNAF, don't feel bad. It's not actually a ``new major art institution in Seoul,'' as touted on its poster, which features a marble sculpture and a blurry photograph of a mysterious man. The MoNAF poster looks authentic enough, and that's exactly the point. The MoNAF is a ``mock museum,'' the brainchild of two young Australian artists, Josh Daniel and Brad Betts. In an interview with The Korea Times last week, Daniel and Betts discussed how they came up with the idea for the imaginary art museum. Their upcoming exhibition opens July 24 and will run through July 30 at Gallery Sogool in Changjeon-dong, Mapo. As young artists who, at least for now, can only dream of their works being displayed at major art institutions, Daniel and Betts wanted to explore their ideas about art museums. ``Major art institutions, they prescribe to people what great art is. We're looking at how they actually get that kind of credibility… We also think society has made everything into a commodity. Culture is a commodity in our society as well, and that's why every exhibition has a significant merchandise component. I guess our exhibition is, in a way, like putting into display all the things of an art gallery that aren't actually art,'' Betts said. The MoNAF will have all the facilities associated with a real museum, including a ticket booth, lobby, education center, gift shop, and art collections. It even has a special exhibition, ``Deceased Estate," with pieces from fictional MoNAF founder Hieronymus Blouchard's private collection. The artists said they wanted the exhibition to have a humorous tone, with everything in the installation ``looking and feeling as if it is intended to be taken seriously.'' Betts and Daniel, who currently reside in Seoul, didn't want to give away too many details on how exactly they will transform a small gallery like Gallery Sogool into a mini-museum. They would only say it is ``very mysterious and exciting.'' For the artists, it's all about putting the humor back into art. Even the name MoNAF is a word play. ``We made up the words to match the acronym NAF. In British or Australian English, `naf' describes something that's bit lame, but that's required a lot of work. Like if you mention a love scene from `Transformers 2,' that could be described as `naf','' Betts said. The idea behind creating the MoNAF project came from the artists' questions about the importance of having artworks displayed in major institutions and museums. ``When these art institutions take the art in, its almost like the art becomes dead, and they're no longer part of the living, breathing art scene. The act of the museum taking it transforms the art into something else,'' Betts said. Daniel hopes the exhibition will make people rethink their ideas about going to museums. ``We thought about art museums and the kind of the experience they create for people when they're seeing art and how it ends up becoming a distraction to the art itself. The experience of going to the gallery has become more important than the art… We wanted people to think differently about it,'' he said. To get to Gallery Sogool, get off Sangsu station, line 6, exit 2. Walk straight ahead for 400 meters, and after the pedestrian overpass, climb the stairs ahead. The gallery is on your left. Visit www.sogool.in. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr

Focus on Ethical Fashion at Gyeonggi Museum

A sample of British designer Mark Liu's "zero waste fashion." / Courtesy of Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Can fashion be ethical? This is the question posed by the new fashion-meets-art exhibition ``Fashion Ethics: Wear Good'' at Gyeonggi Museum of Modern Art in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province. While fashion has always been associated with extravagance and luxury, the exhibition explores a new paradigm shift towards ``ethical fashion.'' Ethical fashion has been gaining ground in Europe. London Fashion Week's "Estethica" section promotes the best in British eco-sustainable, fair trade and ethical styles while alternative fashion fair "White in Milan" has created a new eco-fashion space called SloWhite. As ethical fashion slowly gains momentum in Korea, the exhibition provides a peek into how Korean and foreign designers are adopting the new principles. Most of the styles make use of materials that are recycled, eco-friendly, organic, or obtained through fair trade. But up-and-coming British designer Mark Liu goes a step further, creating designs with the concept of ``zero waste.'' In an interview with The Korea Times, Liu noted how 15 percent of the fabric used to make a garment is wasted from pattern cutting and sewing. For inspiration, he looked towards traditional Eastern designs such as the Japanese kimono and the Indian sari, which make use of the entire fabric in its design. ``I tried to hybridize these Eastern designs with Western ones. I wanted to create something brand-new, a new way of thinking in Western design where you design a piece of clothing to deliberately waste zero fabric,'' he said. Using a single piece of fabric, Liu uses what he describes as a ``jigsaw puzzle pattern,'' wherein all the pieces are put together in the final garment. He showed off several pretty black dresses with petal pattern designs. Even the material he uses is ``reclaimed,'' meaning it has been discarded and given away by textile companies. Liu currently only creates these designs by commission, but he may be doing a ``zero waste'' collection in India soon. ``It is still going to be a high fashion collection. But after that, there's nothing stopping us from making jeans or T-shirts commercially,'' he said. Fair Trade Designs From afar, you might think the chic metallic tote bags are nothing special. But upon closer scrutiny, you will find that they are made of hundreds of pieces of aluminum can tabs. These are part of Paris-based Brazilian designer Ana Paula Freitas' ``fair trade'' collection of trendy handbags, clutches and accessories. Freitas said the bags and accessories are all handmade by workers at a Brazilian women's labor cooperative. Consumers are not just buying the product, but are also helping to improve the lives of the workers. ``I developed a new, more fashionable collection with the cooperative. We work together. A lot of work goes into this because each tab is incorporated one by one. To make a tote bag like this, it takes 3 days and uses 1,000 tabs,'' Freitas said in an interview with The Korea times. Other designers and artists have found ingenious and practical ways of incorporating the principles of ethical fashion. The London-based design team of Orsola de Castro and Fillippo Ricci uses consumer-waste fabrics, swatches and production off-cuts to create high-end women's wear for their brand ``From Somewhere.'' Hong Sung-wan's men's wear collection uses only fair trade cotton fabric from Nepal, Bangladesh and India. Lee Kyumbie designed women's footwear using recycled packaging and banners, such as a fun pair of boots covered in a ramyeon-packaging design. Hong Kong's Movana Chen has been creating clothes by knitting shredded strips of glossy magazine paper since 2004. ``For this exhibition here, I used Korean magazines. The inspiration comes from the media and how the media gives us messages. It tells us what to buy, what to wear. But it also focuses on two-way communication. We don't understand the meaning of the (Korean) text, but you can see the colors, and it's another way of communicating with a different culture,'' Chen said. While ethical fashion is gaining ground mostly in Europe and United States, hopes are high that ethical fashion will spread throughout the world, including Asia. ``In Europe, people are very open to these kinds of things, like recycling and fair trade. In 2000, there was not so much of it but now it is everywhere,'' Freitas said. The ``Fashion Ethics: Wear Good'' exhibition runs through Oct. 4. Visit www.gmoma.org or call (031) 481-7007~9. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr Artist Fills Canvas with Chairs, Memories Jae J. Rhee is holding her first solo show at Art & Museum Gallery. / Courtesy of the artist By Cathy Rose A. Garcia Staff Reporter Chairs hold a special meaning for artist Jae J. Rhee. Tiny chairs made of toothpicks fill the canvas of her artworks, currently on display at her solo show ``Missing You'' at the Art & Museum Gallery, Yeoksam, Gangnam. ``The chair is a symbol of the place I can return to, like home. It's like I can always come back to the chair. It has a special meaning for me. When I was away from my then-boyfriend for six months, and he sent me a picture of the two empty chairs we used to sit in at his garden. It was very touching for me,'' she told The Korea Times over coffee in Chungmuro, Tuesday. In her artwork, the chairs represent the artist's memories of heartbreak and loss. Rhee admitted those painful memories influenced the choice of toothpicks to create the chairs. ``I tried various materials to make the chairs, like chopsticks, but toothpicks are perfect. The toothpick has a sharpened tip. It reflects the pain in my heart. At the gallery opening, one of the staff touched the work, and got hurt from touching the toothpick. There was blood. It's the painful touch that I wanted to express,'' she said. This is one of the "Missing You" works by Jae J. Rhee displayed at her solo show. / Courtesy of the artist The Art & Museum Gallery praised Rhee's work as showing her passionate and heartfelt view of life. ``Like present-day Korea, she displays her complex spirit through her art: the modern commercial design values, the new energy of the ascent of women in a global world, and kinship ties to her family, friends and culture,'' the gallery said in a statement. Rhee is an accomplished graphic designer who has worked in the U.S., U.K. and Mexico, but a few years ago she returned to Korea and decided to indulge in her real passion: art. Her art is obviously very personal. She tries to convey stories about her life and love on canvas. She even uses old handwritten letters from family, friends, and lovers as the background for the toothpick chairs. Even the title of the exhibition ``Missing You,'' reflects her feelings and how much she misses her family and friends. ``Everyone asks me, who is you. Everyone has someone they miss like your brother or father. I was away from Korea for a long time, and I missed my family, friends and boyfriend,'' Rhee said. Creating art was a form of catharsis for Rhee. She has been sorting over her past experiences especially the loss of two close loved ones over a 48-hour period. Starting work on an empty white canvas, Rhee revealed, was like going to confession before a priest. ``I was happy to put aside my past sins and create my artwork. For a long time I felt very guilty about their deaths, but during the opening of the exhibition, I could feel my guilt melting away,'' she said. The exhibition runs through Aug. 6 at Art & Museum Gallery, 1st floor Rubina Building, Yeoksam-dong, Gangnam. Call (02) 561-6613. cathy@koreatimes.co.kr