Pioneering artists of new music genre get the limelight

Sinnoi -- a Korean jazz trio that is pioneering a new music genre combining Korean folk music and jazz -- will perform their new song “Neo Simbangkok” on Jan. 29 and Jan. 30 at Arko Arts Theater in Jongno-gu, central Seoul. The trio’s performance is part of the project “Arko Selection” by the Arts Council Korea, the national art organization that supports artists and arts entities. The project aims to promote development in the music industry by selecting 21

Jan. 21, 2021

A look back at the 1988 Seoul Olympics

The Gwacheon branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, is holding an exhibition titled “Olympic Effect: Korean Architecture and Design From 1980s to 1990s.” The show reexamines the foundations of South Korea’s architecture and design culture, which grew rapidly in the 1980s and 1990s. It presents some 300 artworks, photos, documents and interview clips that shed light on the effects of the 1988 Seoul Olympics on urban development and industrial desig

Jan. 18, 2021

[Feature] When art meets technology

In a dark room, animals bloom from digitally projected flowers on a wall. When touched, the flowers scatter and disappear -- just as it would in nature when humans seek to manipulate it. The artwork -- “Animals of Flower, Symbiotic Lives II” -- was one of several at the exhibition “teamLab: LIFE” at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul that went viral after it opened last September, attracting a large number of visitors despite the ongoing pandemic. Designed by teamLab,

Jan. 18, 2021

French artist David Jamin’s portraits of human soul comfort viewers

French visual artist David Jamin is a delicate observer of people’s emotions. The artist delivers his subjects’ emotions on his canvas using a variety of vivid colors and spontaneous drawings of their gestures. His paintings suggest a portrait of someone’s soul. The artist, based in France, hosts his first museum exhibition in South Korea at the Hangaram Art Museum at the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, showcasing his 61 original paintings, including the new “Intr

Jan. 17, 2021

Kukje Gallery wins Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021

Kukje Gallery‘s newly renovated K1 building has been chosen as the winner of the Best Cultural Draw at the Wallpaper* Design Awards 2021. Design magazine Wallpaper* annually announces the winners of the awards in its February issue, publishing the list of outstanding places and products across the world from the past 12 months. The gallery’s K1 building is a multiuse arts complex featuring an expanded gallery space, cafe, restaurant, yoga studio and private gym where works by the

Jan. 13, 2021

Chang Uc-chin remembered at Hyundai Hwarang

Hyundai Hwarang (Gallery Hyundai) hosts a special exhibition in memory of South Korean artist Chang Uc-chin, whose works of modern art are loved by many Koreans for their unique warm-hearted simplicity, reflecting the artist’s own painting style. Born in 1918, the artist loved folksy subjects such as Korea’s rural scenery, family, magpies and hanok, or traditional Korean houses. Due to his pursuit of simplicity, some say his paintings look like the work of a child. But that simple

Jan. 12, 2021

BTS grabs 4th album of the year trophy at Golden Disc Awards

BTS won album of the year at the 35th Golden Disc Awards on Sunday, grabbing the trophy for the fourth consecutive year, further cementing its position as the most popular boy band in the country. The boy band won the honor for its fourth full album, “Map of the Soul:7,” which was released in February 2020. The album consists of 19 tracks that deliver stories of BTS members discovering their true selves. The video for the album’s main track, “On,” received more th

Jan. 11, 2021

Hakgojae Gallery seeks humanity in pandemic

Hakgojae Gallery kicked off the year with an exhibition looking into the meaning of humanity after the devastating COVID-19 pandemic has changed many things. The exhibition, “Hakgojae Collection, 38˚C,” takes place both offline and online. “People are focusing on their body now. They isolate themselves to protect it from the pandemic and react sensitively to symptoms. Thirty-eight degrees Celsius is widely considered a high fever for humans, which became a criteria for banni

Jan. 10, 2021

Exhibition sheds light on foreign researchers who studied Korean art

An exhibition highlighting foreign critics and historians who have explored and documented Korean art is under way at a museum in central Seoul. "Homebound Journey: Non-Korean Researchers' Study of Korean Arts" is taking place at the Kimdaljin Art Archives and Museum in the central Seoul neighborhood of Jongno. The museum has curated an archive of foreigners who have studied Korean Art from the late Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) to modern day. The 100 items on display include books, exh

Jan. 10, 2021

MMCA to host pandemic-themed exhibition, spur research on video artist Paik Nam-june

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea announced Wednesday the exhibition line-up for the year and a plan for earlier completion of restoration of Paik Nam-june’s largest artwork, “The More the Better.” Among the 23 upcoming exhibitions, “Pandemic -- Catastrophes and Cure,” which will look into how the artists are living through the pandemic and how it has affected countries and individuals’ lives, is the main highlight of the year. The

Jan. 9, 2021

Pandemic fuels fashion upcycling

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed our lives in many ways and has also made many people think about the environment, after seeing piles of throwaway face masks and plastic containers from food deliveries. With that, “upcycling” is gaining renewed attention in the fashion scene. Upcycling involves creating new items using old materials or reusing discarded products. Kim Byeol-ri, a 22-year-old college student, recently purchased a denim miniskirt and handbag made from an old pair o

Jan. 7, 2021

Contemporary art master Kim Tschang-yeul dies at age of 91

Contemporary art master Kim Tschang-yeul died Tuesday at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy of pioneering Korean abstract art. The artist’s unique “waterdrop paintings” greatly influenced both the Korean and global art scene, harmonizing Korean and Western values. Having lived through turbulent periods in Korean history, he condensed his philosophy and agony into waterdrops, which became his signature art. Kim was born in 1929 in South Pyongan Province, in today‘

Jan. 6, 2021

PKM Gallery offers glimpse of trendy home design

The pandemic year saw interest in interior design rise as people were forced to spend more time at home. Responding to such interest, PKM Gallery’s first exhibition of the year sheds light on how artworks and home furniture that transcend time and region can be harmonized at home. “Time in Space: The Life Style” held at PKM+, part of the PKM Gallery in central Seoul, showcases around 40 paintings, sculptures, ceramics and pieces of furniture. The exhibition hints at how artw

Jan. 5, 2021

'Giant moon' installed on dock on Han River

An art installation shaped like a giant moon has been constructed on a dock on the Han River, the Seoul city government said Monday. The installation, named "Dalbitnodeul," which means "Nodeul under the moonlight," is made up of two circular metal structures, each 12 meters in diameter, adjacent to Nodeul Island near the middle of the city. There is an observation deck on the second floor, with a view of the Han River and downtown Seoul, and steps inside the installation wh

Jan. 4, 2021

Rose Wylie’s first museum exhibition in Korea brings bold, bright vibe

British painter Rose Wylie has brought her bold, expressive brushwork to Korea for the country’s first museum exhibition of her work. Her large-scale paintings have a bright feel to them, often with a childlike look. The 86-year-old artist gained global fame relatively recently. Although she gave up art to raise a family after marrying in her early 20s, she resumed her studies at the age of 45, entering the Royal College of Art in London. She would have to wait even longer for widesp

Jan. 3, 2021

Art institutions push ahead with major shows in 2021

After a year of scrambling to respond to the unexpected pandemic, art institutions are bracing for 2021, a year that is expected to be another challenging one for artists, as well as museums and galleries. Better equipped to deal with the pandemic-wrought havoc after a turbulent year of on-and-off and then on-again exhibitions, major art institutions have announced their lineups for 2021, including two major biennales. The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea is holding &ld

Dec. 31, 2020

Homage or plagiarism? Solbi’s cake ignites debate

Singer and artist Kwon Ji-an, better known as Solbi, sought to stifle allegations that she had plagiarized artist Jeff Koons’ famous sculpture Play-Doh by uploading a video on Instagram of herself eating the cake at the center of the case. Kwon uploaded an almost 10-minute video on Monday that shows her opening a cake box and eating the cake in silence before ending the video with the phrase, “Just a cake, Seoul.” A previous post on Dec. 22, showing Kwon making the cake, spa

Dec. 29, 2020

Park Seo-bo biography published online in English

The English-language edition of a biography of Park Seo-bo, a contemporary artist who led the “dansaekhwa” movement of the 1970s, was recently published online as an open-access publication at www.parkseobo.life. Dansaekhwa refers to a style of Korean abstract painting that accompanies a process of repetition and meditation. The original biography, “Park Seo-bo’s Art&Life,” was written in Korean by the artist’s daughter Park Seung-sook, an art therapist,

Dec. 28, 2020

[Newsmaker] Moon Joon-yong, President Moon’s son, criticized for receiving artist relief fund

Criticism is rising over President Moon Jae-in’s son Moon Joon-yong, who was selected as a recipient of 14 million won ($12,600) in relief funding for artists who have been hit by the pandemic. The fund is operated by the Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture, under the Seoul Metropolitan Government. On Dec. 17, Moon Joon-yong’s solo exhibition kicked off at Keumsan Gallery in Seoul, reportedly with the city funding received earlier in the year. The exhibition runs until Wednesday.

Dec. 22, 2020

RM, Henry recognized for art patronage

K-pop singers RM and Henry have been named This Year’s Art Patron by the Arts Council Korea. The state-run Arts Council Korea on Monday announced six firms and four individuals selected for seven awards related to art patronage. The awards highlight supporters of the local arts scene. BTS’ RM, who donated 100 million won ($91,000) to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in September made the individual awardee list. The MMCA used the donation to publish its ou

Dec. 21, 2020