Korean Cultural Centre UK shows ‘Rendered Reality’

Korean Cultural Centre UK announced Wednesday that it is holding its UK Residency Report Showcase, in an exhibition titled “Rendered Reality” that features multimedia works by Min Joon-hong and Suh Shin-uk, running from Wednesday to April 18. This marks the first UK Residency Report Showcase exhibition, held with artists who have completed KCCUK’s residency program to support emerging artists. The opening reception of the exhibition held Monday at the KCCUK in London featu

March 11, 2020

Art world comes up with creative ways to survive virus

With the spread of COVID-19 continuing for more than 50 days, museums and galleries have begun to seek ways to provide cultural experiences for people who are isolating themselves at home and minimizing social activities. The National Museum of Korea, which is temporarily closed due to the spread of the new coronavirus, said Monday that it would stream its special exhibition, “10,000 Years of Design - Man, Matter, Metamorphosis” at 7 p.m. on Friday through Naver TV, at https://tv.

March 10, 2020

Leaf through MMCA’s collection from home

Many art galleries and museums here have shut down or postponed exhibitions due to the COVID-19 outbreak, and more people are in self-imposed isolation as part of social distancing to prevent the spread of the respiratory illness. But, there is still a chance to alleviate negative emotions that result from the prolonged crisis and refresh your mind: browsing works of art from the collection of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea from the comfort of your home. Established

March 5, 2020

Entertainment industry braces for spread of coronavirus

The entertainment industry is bracing for a possible spread of the novel coronavirus infection, after two people who attended Milan Fashion Week tested positive for the virus. K-pop singer Chungha went into self-quarantine after two staff members who accompanied her on the Milan trip were confirmed with COVID-19 upon returning from Italy on Feb. 24, the singer’s agency MNH Entertainment said Sunday. One of the staff on the Milan trip was confirmed with COVID-19 after reporting a fever.

March 2, 2020

[Feature] Paik Nam-june gets renewed interest at home

In early January, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced that it would hold an archival exhibition of Paik Nam-june, a Korean-born avant-garde artist and pioneer of video art. The date of the exhibition, which the museum said would be the largest of its kind, however, has yet to be set. The announcement came as Paik Nam-june, who died in 2006, has come to the spotlight recently with a retrospective exhibition embarking on a tour of renowned museums in the

March 1, 2020

Arario Gallery reaches out via online, private exhibition

Amid the COVID-19 outbreak, Arario Gallery said Friday it will unveil artworks through an online exhibition. Most art galleries in Korea have shut down temporarily due to rising virus infections across the country.  Arario Gallery, a major commercial contemporary art gallery here, will showcase more than 20 works initially planned for Art Basel Hong Kong, the biggest international art fair in Asia, which was canceled earlier this month due to the virus outbreak. The online showcase

Feb. 28, 2020

Yang Hae-gue chosen as this year‘s MMCA Hyundai Motor Series artist

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has selected Yang Hae-gue as its seventh artist for the MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, the museum announced on Wednesday. The MMCA Hyundai Motor Series, sponsored by the Hyundai Motor Company, aims to introduce the current state of Korean contemporary art. The project selects a promising artist every year who has established their own aesthetic world and provide opportunities to construct their own unique art platform.  Yang is con

Feb. 26, 2020

Seoul Fashion Week 2020 shows to be canceled

Next month’s Seoul Fashion Week is to be canceled amid a serial cancellation of events, as worries over the novel coronavirus spread escalate in Korea. “We have internally decided to cancel the 2020 fall-winter Seoul Fashion Week and will notify the concerned parties of the decision in a few days,” said an official from the Seoul Metropolitan Government in charge of the biannual fashion week. “However, we will seek ways to support and help designers in Korea by hosting

Feb. 24, 2020

KCDF to showcase works by 21 craftsmen

The “2020 Craft & Design Exhibition” is showcasing the craftworks of 21 artists and teams at the KCDF Gallery in Insa-dong, central Seoul, until the end of the year. The Korea Craft & Design Foundation chose 12 rookie artists, six veteran artists and three collectives.  The rookie artists, defined as craftsmen under the age of 40, are recognized for their innovative and experimental works. Pottery, hanji (traditional Korean paper), jewelry and fabric craftworks crea

Feb. 24, 2020

MMCA temporarily closes to prevent spread of virus

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA) announced Monday it will temporarily close its four venues in an effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, as the number of infections have spiked in the past few days. The announcement came after the government raised the virus alert level to the “highest” on Sunday. “A few days from now are a very important moment,” President Moon Jae-in said. MMCA Seoul will close starting Tuesday. The three ot

Feb. 24, 2020

Hit by COVID-19 outbreak, art sector turns to online platforms

With the coronavirus outbreak leading to cancellations of exhibitions and art fairs, galleries are opening online platforms in an effort to revive plummeting sales of artworks. Art Basel announced Friday it would launch Online Viewing Rooms, its first digital initiative offering exhibitors an opportunity to showcase artworks to its global network of patrons and buyers. “As the market continues to evolve, Art Basel has continually reviewed how new technologies can give us fresh opportun

Feb. 24, 2020

[Eye Plus] Hop aboard ‘Hotel Express 284’

The former Seoul Station building -- now Culture Station Seoul 284 -- has been transformed into a hotel complex for an exhibition. With the building symbolic of Korea’s shift to modernity, the exhibition “Hotel Express 284,” organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation, highlights the venue as a place where voyages start.  Foreigners flooded into Seoul after the opening of ports in thelate 19th century. Their need for accommodation marked the beginning of hot

Feb. 14, 2020

The Galleries Art Fair to go ahead, despite virus fears

The Galleries Art Fair, the oldest art fair in South Korea, will go ahead next week in Seoul’s Gangnam area despite worries over the spread of COVID-19. “We had thorough discussions and have agonized about whether to host the art fair amid a serial cancellation of cultural events including Art Basel Hong Kong, due to the novel coronavirus,” said Choi Woong-chull, the president of the association. “However, most of the galleries wanted to host the art fair as scheduled.

Feb. 13, 2020

Co-curated exhibition touches on feminist perspectives on art

Three young women curators were curious about how Chang Jia’s works would be interpreted in 2020 after they received the spotlight for dealing with discrimination against women in the early 2000s, when gender issues were still considered an uncomfortable topic. Stepping into the Doosan Gallery in Seoul, which is holding the exhibition “Don’t Care If You Give Me That Evil Eye,” one is overwhelmed by the wide range of media dealing with female bodies, cult films and fabr

Feb. 12, 2020

Concept Korea New York Fashion Week F/W 2020 celebrates 10th anniversary

Concept Korea NYFW Fall-Winter 2020 commemorated its 10th anniversary on Friday in New York with three Korean standout designers who received favorable responses in previous seasons showcasing their latest collections. Concept Korea, which was held at Spring Studios Gallery in New York, is part of New York Fashion Week, which runs through Wednesday. The government-sponsored fashion show aims to help promising Korean designers expand overseas by providing opportunities to promote their brands

Feb. 11, 2020

Largest Castiglioni exhibition in Asia at Seoul Arts Center

An exhibition that pays homage to Achille Castiglioni, a 20th-century Italian industrial designer, is currently running at the Seoul Arts Center. Titled “Achille Castiglioni and his Brothers,” it is the biggest of its kind in Asia. Born in 1918 in Milan, Achille Castiglioni started his career as an architect and a designer in 1944 at a studio run by his two older brothers, Livio and Pier Giacomo. After Livio’s departure, Achille and Pier Giacomo collaborated until the latter

Feb. 11, 2020

Art galleries’ worries mount as Art Basel Hong Kong fair canceled

Some art galleries here are changing their exhibition plans, as this year’s Art Basel Hong Kong, the biggest international art fair in Asia, has been canceled due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus. “Following the severe outbreak of the novel coronavirus, which has recently been declared a global health emergency by the World Health Organization, Art Basel has no option but to cancel the upcoming edition of Art Basel Hong Kong,” Art Basel announced Thursday in a press

Feb. 9, 2020

Young female artists raise gender issues through art

The TV screen at the exhibition hall shows a bird flapping its wings midflight, while through the headset connected to the TV set, one can hear a conversation in which a Korean woman from the 21st century talks about her neighbor, Yeonji's mom. The woman says Yeongi's mom, a victim of domestic violence, was sentenced to 14 years in prison for killing her husband. "... it feels like we're living in the 19th century," the woman says bitterly to the three other women, who are from Vienna

Feb. 6, 2020

Music and painting go hand in hand

Sejong Center and Seoul Arts Center, better known for their concert halls, are hosting exhibitions showcasing artists who were inspired by music and explored the connections between music and art. A multimedia exhibition featuring digital reproductions of works by Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky and the first large-scale retrospective of French painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec aim to show the ties between music and the artists’ paintings. Kandinsky at Sejong Center Kandinsky, a Russ

Feb. 5, 2020

MMCA announces this year’s four sponsored artists

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea announced Monday its four sponsored artists, who are also candidates of the Korea Artist Prize, for this year: Kim Min-ae, Lee Seul-gi, Chung Hee-sung and Jung Yoon-suk. As part of the sponsorship program, they will hold an exhibition of their new works at MMCA Seoul from Oct. 31 to March 29, 2021.  Among the four artists, the Korea Artist Prize winner will be selected in December after a jury reviews the exhibition. Kim, a Royal

Feb. 3, 2020