[Herald Design Forum 2018] MMCA Director Bartomeu Mari talks about future of design and museum

The boundaries of design have changed tremendously over a short span of time. Design influences every aspect of our lives, not only the realm of products but also the way people live, says Bartomeu Mari, director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. “The Herald Design Forum is very good at bringing to the stage new voices. Deyan Sudjic is one of the most brilliant critics of the design-architecture field. I am honored to share the floor with all guests and learn from the

Aug. 28, 2018

[Herald Design Forum 2018] Preserve past for better future: Princess Dana Firas of Jordan

Princess Dana Firas of Jordan will speak at the Herald Design Forum 2018, to share her ideas and experience in cultural heritage preservation and public policies concerning the issue. Princess Dana is the wife of Prince Firas bin Raad of Jordan. She is also the chairperson of Petra National Trust, a nongovernmental organization dedicated to the preservation and protection of the World Heritage Site of Petra.Under the theme of “Designing Future, Inspiring Past,” Princess Dana will reiterate the i

Aug. 28, 2018

Artday to hold August auction

Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., is holding an online auction Aug. 25-29 that will feature works by modern and contemporary artists. The auction will feature the work of renowned artists from South Korea and abroad, including Andy Warhol, Alexander Calder, Chun Hyuck-lim, Sa Suk-won and Hwang Yeom-su.  Damien Hirst’s “Isovanillin” (Herald Artday)The offerings also include “Isovanillin” by Damien Hirst, an internationally acclaimed British contemporary artist who is well known for his

Aug. 26, 2018

Korean artists imagine apocalyptic future in solo exhibition at Tate Liverpool

Korean artists Moon Kyung-won and Jeon Joon-ho will hold the “News from Nowhere” exhibition at Tate Liverpool, starting Nov. 23. The winners of the Korea Artist Prize 2012, Moon and Jeon’s exhibition will be held alongside the museum’s 30th anniversary exhibition, a retrospective of Fernand Leger.  Artists Moon Kyung-won (left) and Jeon Joon-ho (right) (Gallery Hyundai)Like Leger got his teeth into reality -- than abstract art -- after returning from the First World War, Moon and Jeon also try t

Aug. 22, 2018

[Herald Design Forum 2018] Join Herald Design Forum and 'Re-imagine' future with speakers of international renown

Herald Design Forum 2018 will take place Sept. 14-15 under the slogan “Designing Future” at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, seeking to understand how design facilitates innovations, backed by technological and scientific developments.The forum will invite internationally recognized designers, architects and CEOs to discuss how design can help us picture a better future. Dana Firas, princess of Jordan and president of the Petra National Trust, and Peter Red Dot founder and CEO are among forum’s

Aug. 22, 2018

Lee Dong-wook becomes brand campaign model for Chanel

Actor Lee Dong-wook has been selected as a brand campaign model for Chanel’s makeup products, becoming the first Korean picked for the role. Lee will model for Chanel’s new makeup line for men, Boy De Chanel, said his agency King Kong Entertainment on Tuesday.  (Boy de Chanel)A released photo showed Lee giving off charisma. Chanel was reportedly drawn to Lee’s confident and masculine image, which it deemed as well-suited to the brand. (Boy De Chanel)Boy De Chanel, Chanel’s first makeup line for

Aug. 21, 2018

Coloring eyes in pastel hues

"It’s like wearing makeup not just around the eyes, but also on the eyes,” said Kim Ji-hye, an office worker in her mid-20s, talking about colored contact lenses. Kim has been wearing colored contacts for more than 10 years. She first tried them on when she was in middle school. Like others of her age at the time, she used to wear cheap contacts and did not care much about hygiene or sanitation.“I was reckless. Now I only wear one-day colored contact lenses just on special days, to highlight my

Aug. 19, 2018

[Announcement] Herald Design Forum 2018

Technological and scientific developments are shaping every aspect of our lives. As futurist Thomas Frey noted in gauging the impact of the changes, “This new era has already begun.” Herald Design Forum 2018 will take place Sept. 14-15 under the slogan “Designing Future” at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, seeking to understand how design facilitates innovations, backed by technological and scientific developments.The forum will invite internationally recognized designers, architects and CEOs t

Aug. 16, 2018

2018 Gwangju Biennale starts taking shape

Slated to kick off on Sept. 7, 2018 Gwangju Biennale expects to complete all preparations by Sept. 4, according to the biennale foundation officials Monday.A total of 164 artists from 43 countries will have their works exhibited at venues across the whole city in the largest art festival in the country.This year’s art biennale consists of three projects, “Imagined Borders,” the “GB Commission” and the “Pavilion Project.” (Gwangju Biennale Foundation)The main project, “Imagined Borders,” comprise

Aug. 14, 2018

Colours offers customized cosmetic products using AI

New cosmetic brand Colours presents cosmetic products that are customized for each customer using artificial intelligence. Through the brand’s self-developed Skin Reading program, an individual can receive a diagnosis of one’s skin condition through a smartphone.  (Colours)The AI facial recognition technology diagnoses the person’s skin type and age. The program further analyzes the person’s eating habits, lifestyle and external environment, and predicts an expected aging process. After a thorou

Aug. 10, 2018

MMCA presents works by 2018 Korea Artist Prize candidates

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Seoul branch will launch an exhibition of the 2018 Korea Artist Prize candidates Saturday, featuring works by four candidates selected earlier this year.The Korea Artist Prize, launched in 2012, offers financial support and exhibition opportunities to promising Korean artists. The four artist candidates selected for this year’s prize are Siren Eun-young Jung, Gu Min-ja, Okin Collective and Jung Jae-ho. Upon being selected as candidates, the ar

Aug. 9, 2018

Art museums incorporate live performances to attract visitors

Museums are more than exhibition spaces for art these days, as they increasingly add various kinds of live performances to attract more visitors, as well as to offer a better museum experience. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Seoul branch, for example, is hosting ballet performances and lectures from Friday to Saturday. Members of the Korea National Ballet perform at an outdoor space at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Seoul branch (MMCA)Members from the

Aug. 8, 2018

Yun Hyong-keun retrospective at MMCA: ‘True sorrow is connected to true beauty’

Dark-colored columns and planes lie on giant linen and cotton canvases. Upon a close look, one can see the gradation of colors on the rough textures of the canvases. Late monochrome painter Yun Hyong-keun’s paintings are a result of hardships and emotions that grew out of suffering. As in Mark Rothko’s paintings, Yun’s works, too, evoke religious and mythical stirrings in the viewers. Perhaps, Yun’s paintings appear imbued with grimmer emotions. Artist Yun Hyong-keun (MMCA)The National Museum of

Aug. 7, 2018

Are you a picky snob or a kitsch-lover?

Artist and photographer Coco Capitan’s solo exhibition in Seoul comes across as rather straightforward, but still raises certain questions, perhaps because the artist crosses boundaries between art and commercialism with no reserve.Via her collaboration with Alessandro Michele, Gucci’s creative director, photographer Coco Capitan earned international recognition in the industry. Coco Capitan’s 2015 work “Hasta La Vista” (Courtesy of the artist)The Spanish-born and now London-based Capitan has br

Aug. 6, 2018

5 must-see exhibitions to stay cool in summer

As the summer weather turns sultry, exhibitions can provide a cool escape. Recent exhibitions in Seoul have been creating hype as renown and talented artists take over the local art scene.Here are five must-see exhibitions in Seoul:"Penking: Making Mistakes”Aug. 8, 2018 – Sept. 4, 2018  (WTFM)Up and coming artist Penking is set to exhibit his black comedy art at Backroom in Hannam-dong, Seoul. His work reinterprets the fable of the rabbit and the turtle, questioning if earnest hard work can stil

July 30, 2018

How much do we know of late artist? MMCA holds retrospective exhibition of Bahc Yi-so

The late artist Bahc Yi-so’s career was short-lived. He died of a heart attack in 2004 at age 47, two decades after launching his career in New York in 1984. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Gwacheon branch is holding a retrospective exhibition that highlights works of Bahc, as well as an archive of materials he left behind.“Bahc Yi-so: Memos and Memories,” the artist’s first-ever posthumous solo exhibition at the MMCA Gwacheon branch, makes extensive use of archive materials

July 30, 2018

Arario Gallery show looks at how young artists deal with surroundings

People often write journals not just to record the daily grind but to look back and understand various encounters, experiences and phenomena.Titled “Jet Lagged,” the latest exhibition at Arario Gallery’s Ryse Hotel branch is an exhibition that presents works of young artists striving to find their way in their cultural, historical and personal surroundings.Opened on July 19, “Jet Lagged” is a group exhibition featuring four Asian artists: Indonesian artist Jompet Kuswidananto, Chinese artist Zhu

July 29, 2018

[Herald Interview] Armed with boldness, rookie designers set for global fashion scene

London, Paris, New York and Milan. The “big four” fashion cities are every designer’s dream stage. But it is not easy for small, independent brands, as the runways are taken up by megabrands with years of legacy and money. Overcoming the odds, two Korean brands succeeded in making their dreams come true last season -- and they are not even from mega fashion companies. The two independent designer brands, Besfxxk and Blindness, infused with young energy and bold creativity, captivated Milan and L

July 25, 2018

Using design to improve inter-Korean ties

With the two Koreas in a peace mood, the Korea Institute of Design Promotion is considering ways to use design to support better inter-Korean ties. Eune Ju-hyun, KIDP president and CEO, revealed a plan to enhance inter-Korean cooperation -- if the right opportunity were to present itself -- at a press conference in central Seoul on Tuesday. The press conference was held to mark 90 days in office for Eune. A former Seoul National University professor specializing in user experience design, Eune i

July 25, 2018

Once blacklisted artist highlights controversial issues in solo exhibition

Artist Hong Sung-dam was on the Park Geun-hye administration’s blacklist of artists, which included a total of 9,473 names that were to be excluded from receiving state funds or support.His controversial painting “Sewol Owol” is now being shown for the first time in Seoul at Insa Art Center, as part of his solo exhibition “Sewol Owol and Candlelight,” which opened Thursday. Artist Hong Sung-dam explains a painting based on the first summit between President Moon Jae-in and North Korean leader Ki

July 24, 2018