Beyond 'looking’: British artist Gary Hume invites viewers to interact with his works

In Gary Hume’s paintings, colorful tectonic plates seamlessly flow on the glimmering aluminum surface. You see yourself reflected there too. As you move around the gallery space, they seem to shimmer a little differently.Britain’s Hume has brought his visual playground to Seoul. The artist is holding a solo exhibition at Barakat Contemporary, Barakat Gallery’s modern and contemporary art venue. It is the first-ever solo exhibition in Korea for the artist, who came to

June 4, 2019

Artist paints his daily life

Korean artist Kim Ji-won’s uniquely grotesque cockscomb paintings come in different colors -- exuberant red, faded gray.Kim, best known for this cockscomb painting series, is holding a solo exhibition at PKM Gallery in Samcheong-dong, Seoul, titled “Canvas Fly.” His latest exhibition consists more than 90 paintings by Kim, including representative paintings from the series focusing on cockscomb flowers -- maendeurami in Korean -- as well as other works that depict landscapes

June 3, 2019

Art Busan has settled in after all

The eighth edition of Art Busan kicked off Thursday at the Bexco Exhibition Center in Busan, featuring some 4,000 works from 164 galleries in 17 countriesMany galleries at this year’s art fair agreed that the quality of the annual event is getting higher. “The fair underwent many changes, and it seems to have finally settled in, particularly in terms of its program,” a representative from Seoul-based Hakgojae Gallery said.This year’s edition of the country’s second-

May 31, 2019

Bauhaus bus stops at Gwangju Design Biennale 2019

The Bauhaus school’s workshop wing in the German town of Dessau is well known for its stark white volumes, gridded windows and the Bauhaus sign that runs vertically down the facade. The iconic building, conceived by the school’s founding director Walter Gropius in 1919, will be shown at the upcoming Gwangju Design Biennale 2019, which kicks off Sept. 7 for a 55-day run.  Coming to the festival is a 15-square-meter mobile version of the monumental modernist building, set on a tra

May 29, 2019

‘A network is no use if you monopolize it’

The occupation of curator is not one that most people are familiar with -- many think it’s all about organizing and planning exhibitions.  Korean curator Lee Dae-hyung is someone who pushes the boundary of what a curator can do. Having started his career as an exhibition curator, Lee has contributed to many local art fairs, has done art consulting for corporations, was the director of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2017 and is now the team leader of Hyundai Motor’

May 26, 2019

Swinging times in the DMZ

You can ride on a swing in the Demilitarized Zone along the border between the two Koreas, and it’s even a three-seater. Danish artist group Superflex’s two-swing set from their 2017 large-scale installation “One Two Three Swing!” has been installed at Dora observatory situated at the northernmost point of the DMZ, in Paju, Gyeonggi Province. Tourists and soldiers visiting Dora observatory were swinging under blue-clear sky on Tuesday. Taking pictures of them was Jak

May 22, 2019

‘The Island of the Colorblind’ looks at relationships in contemporary world

Manon de Boer’s video work “Bella, Maia and Nick” shows three teenagers playing instruments in a room with an ocean view. Without any intention to create harmony, they make different sounds with classical instruments. The camera watches the three together, though they sound dissonant combined.This work by the Dutch artist living in Brussels explores how individuals learn how to live together, said Kim Hae-ju, deputy director of the Art Sonje Center.  Artist Ursula Biemann and architect Paulo Tav

May 20, 2019

‘Craft Week’ hopes to encourage local industry

The Korea Crafts & Design Foundation is holding the nationwide festival “Craft Week 2019,” with a goal to encourage interest in local crafts. The 10-day festival, in its second edition this year, aims to allow the public to enjoy crafts in daily life. It is being held from Friday to May 26. “Craft week is about spreading craft culture that everyone can experience in daily life. The festival is being held through voluntary participation. (Through the event) we hope that craft culture can settle s

May 17, 2019

MMCA retrospective lays bare life of 88-year-old artist Park Seo-bo

Sitting in a wheelchair, artist Park Seo-bo appeared feeble, but his voice was energetic as he spoke during a press conference Thursday for his upcoming retrospective exhibition at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Seoul branch. “I am very happy to see the retrospective’s opening. This exhibition has everything of me, including the things that I wanted to hide from the world. The exhibition reveals all the steps I have taken so far. I feel naked here. But it will

May 16, 2019

Korea’s most expensive artist Kim Whan-ki’s red-dot work goes to Hong Kong

A work by Korea’s most expensive artist Kim Whan-ki will be up for auction in Hong Kong again this year. Seoul Auction, the nation’s largest auction house, will hold a sale on May 26 at Grand Hyatt Hong Kong, featuring Kim’s untitled red-dot painting.  Korea's most expensive artist Kim Whan-ki's 1971 red-dot painting is expected to see good demand at Seoul Auction's 29th Hong Kong sale on May 26.The work included in the auction house’s 29th Hong Kong sale is one he painted in 1971 while staying

May 15, 2019

Suki Seokyeong Kang continues experimenting with space at Venice Biennale

Suki Seokyung Kang’s multipart installations are neatly organized so as not to interfere with one another. The space invites people to walk, sit and stand among minimalist installations in soft colors. The Korean contemporary artist is introducing two works at the 58th Venice Biennale’s main exhibition “May You Live in Interesting Times,” curated by Ralph Rugoff. An installation view of Suki Seokyeong Kang’s “Land Sand Strand” at Arsenale (Kukje Gallery)“Land Sand Strand” and “Grandmother Tower,

May 14, 2019

[Photo News] Playing with light, shadow

PLAYING WITH LIGHT, SHADOW -- This photo shows an installation view of Chinese artist Wu Guanzhen’s solo exhibition at Seoul Arts Center, which ended Thursday. The latest exhibition in Seoul featured works created by applying lacquer to sheets of ramie, which allows the lights to pass the semi-transparent canvas, leaving shadows on the wall. (Wu Guanzhen Art Studio)

May 12, 2019

For singer Jang Sa-ik, calligraphy is ‘blissful agony’

Musician Jang Sa-ik, known for his unique interpretation of traditional Korean songs, will show his talent for “seoye” at an exhibition in Seoul. Seoye refers to Korean calligraphy, a tradition of artistic writing created with brushstrokes. Using only black ink, it conveys a sense of depth and breadth.  Jang’s seoye work (Geulc 21) Jang’s seoye work (Geulc 21) Jang’s seoye work (Geulc 21)Jang, 70, is a famous singer who incorporates the art of pansori into his music, as well as the folk and pop

May 8, 2019

‘The Security Has Been Improved’ examines surveillance

Constant surveillance has become a reality, not unlike the 1998 film “Truman Show,” in which thousands of hidden cameras track and broadcast every minute of the life of insurance salesman Truman Burbank (Jim Carrey), unbeknownst to him.The difference is we are aware of it, but there is no escape. A person living in Korea’s metropolitan area is captured by surveillance cameras every nine seconds while walking down a street. This happens on average 83.1 times a day, according to recent National Hu

May 1, 2019

Asger Jorn’s avant-garde art practices showcased at MMCA

Detournement is a method of painting in which an artist takes an existing artwork and add elements to create something new. To Danish artist Asger Jorn, a master of the method, however, detournement is also his attitude toward the political, social and cultural circumstances of postwar Europe. By actively overriding existing artworks with bold and exuberant splashes of paint, Jorn has made new creations. In a way, the artist was devaluing the established form of art but also trying to create new

April 22, 2019

Mindful relaxation at Museum San

WONJU, Gangwon Province -- Located in the high mountain valleys of Gangwon Province, Museum San offers more than just art. It also invites visitors to experience its verdant natural surroundings. A recent change to the museum may motivate more visitors to embark on the two-hour drive from central Seoul -- a new meditation hall designed by the famed Japanese architect Tadao Ando has finally opened.Ando, who also designed the 72,172-square-meter museum, was commissioned to design the new hall to m

April 18, 2019

MoMA’s expansion to allow for greater diversity

The Museum of Modern Art in New York will become a test bed for artists, curators, critics and experts looking to find the museum of the future.“My goal is to finish this project and then to see it as a platform for a whole new level of activity on the part of the museum. Building projects are not an end unto themselves. They are means of beginning a new chapter in the life of the institution,” said MoMa Director Glenn Lowry during an interview with The Korea Herald at Hyundai Card Understage in

April 17, 2019

Exhibition compares two 20th century traditional landscape masters

Korea‘s ink-and-wash paintings have faced many challenges in the 20th century, threatened by influence from Japan’s colonial rule and the influx of Western culture.Lee Sang-beom and Byeon Gwan-sik were leading artists, who sought to reinvent Korea’s traditional painting and succeed the master painters of Joseon era such as Gyeomjae, Danwon and Owon. Now they are being featured side by side at Gallery Hyundai, giving visitors an opportunity to view and compare their works. “Forest Covered in Thic

April 14, 2019

Park Kyung-ryul battles conventional way of viewing paintings

You won’t find paintings where you expect them to be at Park Kyung-ryul’s latest solo exhibition “On Evenness.” Some are on the floor, leaning against the walls. You will find them in corners, too. The paintings are surrounded by brightly colored objects that get in the way of visitors. “Visitors to art galleries or museums usually know where they will see the paintings, for instance, at the very center of a white wall. I intentionally placed my paintings at less ex

April 11, 2019

Complete edition of visual artist James Jean

From a comic book contributor to a fine art painter and sculptor, Taiwanese-American visual artist James Jean’s career has been chronicled at the Lotte Museum’s latest exhibition.Titled “Eternal Journey,” the exhibition of some 500 works by Jean includes six large-scale paintings, about 200 drawings, some 150 cover art pieces, as well as installations and sculptures.  Visual artist James Jean poses for pictures during a press conference on April 3 at Lotte Museum of Art, Seoul (Yonhap)“All of my

April 10, 2019