Gwangju Biennale seeks to invite NK artists

The Gwangju Biennale on Tuesday said it has recently received the Ministry of Unification’s approval to contact three North Korean artists. The messages have been sent to invite them to a North Korean art exhibition to be held in September at the biennale, it said. “Gwangju Biennale made a request to the Unification Ministry in June and received the approval in early July to contact the individual artists from North Korea,” the Gwangju Biennale’s officials said.The Biennale will proceed to take

July 24, 2018

Minhwa, unsung paintings waiting for reassessment

Embracing a childlike perspective and naive expression in their work, artists like Paul Klee and Chang Uc-chin explored a then-undiscovered area of art.Minhwa paintings have similarities characteristic of the aforementioned artists. Instead of being restrained by artistic and cultural orthodoxies, late Joseon-era minhwa -- or folk paintings -- show forms of expression that are rough yet free and innocent.Two minhwa exhibitions are currently running in Seoul: “Flower Paintings from the Joseon Dyn

July 19, 2018

[Video] When French luxury brand meets Korean traditional beauty

French crystal maker Baccarat held an exhibition in Seoul from July 13-18 in collaboration with South Korean creative director Kan Ho-sup, featuring the blend of Eastern and Western beauty.Under the theme “the beauty created by combining Baccarat and a scroll dress,” the exhibition presented a collection of Baccarat’s crystal pieces and director Kan’s artworks. The scroll dresses are parts of Kan’s signature artworks, which has gained a worldwide reputation among the fashion industry. The dresse

July 18, 2018

Fulfill your nostalgia for the past with Technicolor motion pictures

Movie buffs will soon have a rare chance to watch old films in Technicolor on proper widescreen.Starting Wednesday, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul will hold “The History of Visual Magic in Technology Pt. 2: Technicolor,” featuring 12 films produced in Technicolor from the 1930s to the 1950s.“Gentlemen Prefer Blondes” (Twentieth Century Fox Film Corp.)Technicolor is one of the earliest film coloring systems developed by the American company Technicolor Motion Picture

July 17, 2018

Exhibition gauges changes in human life brought by ever-developing technology

Produced on the occasion of the 1993 Venice Biennale, Paik Nam-June’s “The Rehabilitation of Genghis-Khan” is one of the artist’s pseudo-robot sculptures that foresaw the coming of an age. Riding a bike instead of a horse while wearing a diving helmet and carrying TVs on his back, the Kahn of the 20th century suggested a new paradigm of exchanges between human lives and multimedia technologies and data. Paik Nam-June’s “The Rehabilitation of Genghis-Khan” (Nam June Paik Art Center)Nam June Paik

July 15, 2018

What is behind the ideological curtain?

Against a backdrop of numerous layers of Songaksan sits the city of Kaesong in North Hwanghae Province, North Korea. Kaesong industrial complex lies not far away from the city. The sun has already set but it still casts dim light above the mountains, and the city looks calm. Such is the evening scene that artist Yoo Soo has captured through his lens. Yoo Soo’s “GIC at Night seen from Dora Observatory in April 2018” (Cultural Station Seoul 284)Although it has gone through political turmoil, the c

July 12, 2018

[Weekender] The sneakers revolution

Carrie Bradshaw from “Sex and the City” and her collection of Manolo Blahnik stilettos were indisputably fashion icons of the 2000s. The pointy, faintly high heels symbolized feminine glamor and were an expression of self-confidence and sexuality. But in the fashion year of 2018, something unthinkable for Carrie is happening. Women are ditching heels and formal black shoes that have ruled the world since the Baroque period of the 17-18th centuries. Instead, they are turning to sneakers that fash

July 12, 2018

[Weekender] Beat them with the ugly chic

The latest craze for sneakers has helped luxury designer brands think out of the shoebox. Marking a departure from conventional beauty and balance, designer brands have been introducing some experimental designs for sneakers and flat shoes. But the competition for the coolest style has turned into an effort to make shoes as ugly as possible.From Balenciaga’s Triple S Trainers, Gucci’s Rhyton to Louis Vuitton’s Archlight, sneakers from those luxury brands are all part of the trend for “ugly shoes

July 12, 2018

Tips on extending lifespan of sunglasses

Sunglasses, a summer accessory that protects our eyes from intense ultraviolet rays, have a limited lifespan. The good news is, with due care, this could be extended.As the surface of sunglasses is heated or scratched, the lens’ ability to block UV rays weaken. The worst thing to do to a pair of sunglasses is leave them inside a car on a hot summer day.If unsure of how well your sunglasses protect the eyes, visit the closest optical store for a check-up. Optical stores have gears to measure a su

July 11, 2018

Paintings bring back memories of countless past encounters

With dark-and-bright contrasts throughout, young local painter Jwa Hae-sun’s portraits of ordinary people remind us of our own memories of numerous overlooked encounters. Her portraits of unknown people have the power to evoke questions on the otherness of the others and the solitude that we feel among a crowd of unknowns. Jwa’s solo exhibition “The Most Ordinary Stories,” which opened Thursday at Arario Gallery Samcheong branch, comprises of works that capture everyday scenes and people that an

July 5, 2018

SeMA's first floor filled with voices of the voiceless

Voices of the oppressed and marginalized from around the world fill the Seoul Museum of Art in downtown Seoul. A cacophony of sounds from different video and installation works startle the visitors entering the building. The dissonant mixture of sounds is a choir of the voiceless, who speak through works of art. The ongoing exhibition, “Voiceless: Return of the Foreclosed,“ has on display some 30 works by seven artists from home and abroad, featuring various social problems that surround us but

July 1, 2018

Art therapy puts troubled teens on right path

An art therapy program organized by Sookmyung Women’s University in Seoul and the Seoul Western District Prosecutors’ Office is helping wayward teens get back on track. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Friday marked the seventh run of the project, Imagination and the Future, which is designed to give young people who have run afoul of the law a chance to open up and reconnect with their innate artistic abilities. A two-day exhibition showcasing works of the program’s participants also kicked off

June 29, 2018

‘Summer Love’: SongEun ArtSpace to present years of effort supporting young artists

SongEun ArtSpace is holding a group exhibition to feature young local artists the institution has supported over the recent three years. SongEun ArtSpace’s “Summer Love: SongEun ArtCube Group Exhibition” is the second such exhibition, following the first in 2015. The 2015 “Summer Love” exhibition was held to celebrate its fifth anniversary and highlight young local artists SongEun ArtCube had supported.Lee Chung-hyung’s installation work “A Wall that Resembles the Shape of a Sculpture” (SongEun

June 28, 2018

Art exhibition looks at Korean artists’ ties with US arts

In 1957, Seoul National University held an art exchange with the University of Minnesota, marking the nation’s first international art exchange with the US. On the occasion of the 60th anniversary of the event, SNU’s art museum is holding an exhibition that highlights works of Korean artists whose careers have unfolded in the US. Titled “Oscillation: Between Korea and the United States,” the exhibition features eight artists of different generations from the 1950s to 2000s, tracing how Korean ar

June 25, 2018

[Weekender] When ‘pungsu jiri’ meets home interior design

Although “pungsu jiri,” a Korean version of Chinese feng shui that concerns correlation between life-force energy and its surroundings, is often regarded as superstitious, the idea is often reflected in the interior design of many Korean residences.The practice of integrating this intricate art of geomancy with housing, at the macro level, is usually done by building one’s home on an auspicious site to bring peace and luck. But it doesn’t always have to be complicated, as there are simple ways t

June 22, 2018

Artday to hold June auction

Herald Artday, a subsidiary of Herald Corp., is holding an online auction from June 23-28, presenting works by contemporary Korean artists. The auction will feature artworks by renowned artists, including Chun Hyuck-lim, Lee Ung-no, Lee Bae and Sa Suk-won. Kim Tschang-yeul’s 1997 work “Recurrence” /Herald ArtdayThe collection also includes one artwork from Kim Tschang-yeul’s “Recurrence” series, in which sparkling droplets emerge against a background of Chinese characters. Kim is widely known he

June 21, 2018

[Photo News] Models strut down central Seoul to mark ‘carless street day’

Models took to the streets of Sejong-daero in Gwanghwamun to celebrate Seoul’s “carless street day” on Sunday. The main avenue of Sejong-no in central Seoul became the runway for models to showcase two separate fashion shows -- one at 2:30 p.m. and another at 4 p.m. -- under the theme of “Fantasy Seoul.”According to a fashion show official, the theme seeks to highlight the beauty of Korean fashion and its rising prominence in the global fashion industry. Photos by Yonhap Written by Catherine Chu

June 17, 2018

Amorepacific’s new headquarters building aims to become gateway to central Seoul

Amorepacific’s newly built headquarters will play a key role in the redevelopment of Yongsan, central Seoul.Yongsan has been undergoing significant changes in the past few years, particularly after the announcement that the US military will be relocating out of Yongsan Garrison, which is to be transformed into a park in the future. Since then, the area has been seeing its old low-rise buildings being replaced by high-rise buildings. Amorepacific‘s new headquarters is located in Yongsan, Seoul ne

June 17, 2018

[Weekender] Retro is back, again

After years of interior design trends dominated by white walls and industrial features, a more homely retro style is emerging as a new interior style in Korea. Retro-themed cafes and restaurants are springing up in Seoul’s stylish neighborhoods, including Ikseon-dong, Mangwon-dong and Seongsu-dong. As the retro-themed shops become known as so-called “Instagram-worthy” spots, customers flock to the areas to take pictures and feel the trendy atmosphere.The interior of coffee shop Jahn (Park Ju-you

June 15, 2018

[Weekender] Lights, the quickest way to transform a room

Light is what surrounds us and fills the space we are in. Yet we seldom pay attention to its importance or the effect it casts on the things it touches. In interior design, lights are coordinated not only to brighten up the space, but also to direct people’s gaze and to illuminate or shadow objects. For Kwon Ho-jung, a 29-year-old office worker in Seoul, multiple lightings go beyond the role of illuminating her living space. Kwon’s is one of the increasing one-person households in urban Korea. A

June 15, 2018