[Herald Interview] Korean-American folk singer talks about growth

Songwriter Priscilla Ahn says new album written during period of reflectionFolk singer-songwriter Priscilla Ahn has stayed busy since she debuted in 2008 with album “A Good Day” under EMI’s jazz music label Blue Note Records.Often compared with jazz vocalist Norah Jones, who also debuted with the Blue Note Records, Ahn’s beautiful but not-too-pretty tone, unique lyrics and simple acoustic guitar w

June 1, 2011

How much longer can photographic film hold on?

Rochester, New York (AP) ― At Image City Photography Gallery, Gary Thompson delights in pointing out qualities of light, contrast and clarity in one of his best-selling prints ― a winter-sunset view of Yosemite National Park’s El Capitan peak shot with a hefty Pentax film camera he bought in 1999 for $1,700.His wife, Phyllis, a latecomer to fine-art photography after they retired from teaching in

May 31, 2011

Delicate skills meet impromptu thoughts

Artist Ham Jin returns after six years with darker and more profound micro worldThe dark gray alien-like clods hanging from the ceiling and sticking on walls at PKM Gallery in Hwa-dong, central Seoul, are not lumps of dust, hair or eraser shavings.Look at them carefully ― really carefully ― and you can see tiny worlds made of polymer clay. With enough imagination, you may be able to spot some huma

May 31, 2011

Daesung under police investigation on vehicular incident

Police booked Big Bang member Daesung without detention Tuesday morning after he hit two people with his car on a bridge in Seoul. The vehicle, driven by the 22-year-old pop singer, hit a motorcyclist who was lying on the road and a taxi driver who had left his vehicle to check on the rider on Yanghwa bridge located in southwestern Seoul, at around 1:30 a.m.The motorbike driver was pronounced dead

May 31, 2011

Music like ‘interpretive dance’ for rock pianist Ben Folds

U.S. singer-songwriter to hold first Korea gig next weekFor singer-songwriter aspirants in Korea, his upcoming show should be a must-see. Ben Folds, an American rock pianist and singer-songwriter who has influenced musicians including John Mayer, Josh Groban and Rufus Wainwright, is coming to town next week to hold his first-ever concert in Korea.The 44-year-old said he writes music spontaneously.

May 30, 2011

HIGHLIGHTS

Exhibitions“Isabelle Huppert: Woman of Many Faces”: The photo exhibition shows the lesser known sides of Isabelle Huppert, France’s star actress. It features more than 110 portrait photos of the actress taken by around 70 photographers including Henri Cartier Bresson, Robert Doisneau, Chun Kyung-woo and filmmaker Ronald Chammah, Huppert’s husband. The touring show was held in seven cities includin

May 27, 2011

[Eye-like] Albums

Tristan Prettyman“Twentythree,” “Hello”Warner Music KoreaSan Diego-based singer-songwriter Tristan Prettyman’s first and second studio albums “Twentythree” (2005) and “Hello” (2008) have been belatedly released in Korea. Probably best known as fiancé of Jason Mraz, the 29-year-old’s music style is pretty much like that of her partner, in that her songs are mostly based on the sounds of the acousti

May 27, 2011

Former SG Wannabe member found dead in his home

 　Chae Dong-ha, 30, former member of the Korean pop trio SG Wannabe, was found dead in his home Friday morning, his agency said. 　Chae had hanged himself in his house in Eunpyeong-gu. Chae’s manager said Chae could not be reached the night before, and he was found dead the following morning when the manager arrived at his house. Police believe Chae committed suicide on the night of May 26. 　Chae’s

May 27, 2011

‘Korea still a question mark to me’

Nobel laureate Le Clezio tells of his affection for ‘unique’ KoreaFor the Nobel laureate Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clezio, traveling is an essential part of his job, which provides insights and inspiration for his work. He picks South Korea as one of his favorite places. “Korea still remains a question mark to me,” he says sitting in an office in Gwanghwamun, central Seoul. Le Clezio, 71, who won the

May 26, 2011

U.K. artists bring intimate perfomance to mime

U.K. performers Stoke Newington International Airport have arrived to perform their experimental Live Art Speed Date concept at the Chuncheon International Mime Festival this weekend. Involving a series of four-minute one-on-one performances, or “dates,” the show that has been tried and tested from London to Tokyo will explore and celebrate the intimate exchange between artist and audience. Highli

May 26, 2011

UNESCO to list Korean records as ‘Memory of the World’

Two South Korean historical records are to be granted “Memory of the World” status by UNESCO. Documents on the pro-democracy uprising in Gwangju on May 18, 1980, and Ilseongrok, a diary-style chronicle of late Joseon Dynasty’s kings’ daily lives, will be listed on the Memory of the World Register, according to the Cultural Heritage Administration and the Korean National Commission for UNESCO on Tu

May 25, 2011

Opera festival to stage two original Korean operas

The Korea Opera Festival’s focus in 2011 is to well present two original Korean operas produced by local opera companies, as the production skills of Korean opera companies have made great progress in recent years, the organizers of the festival said Tuesday.With five opera companies participating in the event, the Second Korea Opera Festival will kick off on June 23 and run through July 24 at the

May 24, 2011

Fendi show back on with fur included

FENDI’s fashion show is to go ahead on the Han River next month, following the Seoul Metropolitan Government’s threats to cancel the event for including fur items. The Italian fashion house and Flossom, the Han River Floating Island managing company, announced Monday that they will host the FENDI Fall/Winter 2011 fashion show on June 2 on Floating Island, a man-made islet featuring cultural venues

May 24, 2011

Korean-sponsored MoMA internship trains curators

NEW YORK ― There are many Korean businesses sponsoring artists and musicians as a tool of corporate social responsibility to promote Korean culture. Hyundai Card’s sponsorship, however, is quite different in terms of duration of the sponsorship and impact on the Korean people’s lifestyle, company officials said.As part of CSR, the credit card company built a partnership with the Museum of Modern A

May 23, 2011

Presenting American art

Contemporary collection of Whitney Museum of American Art to be showcased in Seoul in JuneAndy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Jeff Koons… These names sound familiar now, but there was a time when American art was considered insignificant. Up until several decades ago, U.S. artists mostly relied on realistic paintings inspired by European art, and were overshadowed by the originals. After World War II,

May 23, 2011