LOS ANGELES (AP) ― “Mural,” the brilliant Jackson Pollock painting that took 20th century American art in a new direction, has re-emerged from seclusion with a stunning face-lift that’s given it a brighter look and an even more towering presence than it had before. The oil-on-canvas masterpiece that measures more than 8 feet tall and nearly 20 feet long has been under wraps at the J. Paul Getty Museum for more than a year, undergoing an extensive restoration. Painted in 1943 for wealthy art coll

March 11, 2014

There have been flashy, glamorous collaborative projects between K-pop stars and artists, but few have dealt with the fans who cheer on the stars. Artist Jung Yeon-doo examines a fan craze for Korean pop idols in his latest work “Crayon Pop Special.” The group of fans in whom Jung took interest, however, was not teenage girls, but men in their late 30s and 40s. Cheers in low male voices echo across the exhibition hall. The bass sounds come from Jung’s 30-minute video showing about 50 older male

March 11, 2014

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― Rapper Lil Boosie says serving time in a Louisiana prison on drug charges was life changing, has made him a better person and ultimately, he hopes, a better artist. “I feel like I’ve got more stories to tell,” Lil Boosie said during a press event Monday in New Orleans. “I’ve got a lot to say about my life, about what I went through in prison and about what my family went through. “I’m a much better person. I’m much stronger. I know who my real friends are and I know who ain’t.

March 11, 2014

The original production of famous Broadway musical “Cats” is having its first Korean run in six years, according to Seol & Company.“Cats,” which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011, is the second-longest-running show in Broadway history. Based on “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” by T.S. Eliot, the musical was first performed in Korea in 1994, and was a hit in 2003, 2007 and 2008. The four presentations altogether drew some 1.2 million viewers in the country. The plot of the musical revo

March 10, 2014

A riot of color greeted Oscar-winning director Jonathan Demme the first time he walked into Haitian Corner, an art gallery around the corner from his Manhattan apartment. Instantly transfixed, he left with a $250 painting by Haitian master Wilson Bigaud. The seed was planted. Demme’s appreciation for work by self-taught Haitian painters like Bigaud and Hector Hyppolite flowered into an obsession that he fed with multiple trips to the cash poor but artistically rich island nation, where he learne

March 10, 2014

Key works of Korean-born media art pioneer Nam June Paik have been included in the permanent art collection of Britain’s Tate galleries with the sponsorship of Hyundai Motor Co. The prestigious Tate Modern museum of art will hold an exhibition of Paik’s works in the latter half of the year. As part of the 11-year partnership deal with Hyundai Motor, Tate purchased nine important works by the renowned media artist, including his video and painting works and installations. The artworks spanning Pa

March 9, 2014

In a popular cartoon on the Internet, a man in his early 40s holds a floppy disk and asks a young boy, “Have you seen one of these before?” to which the boy exclaims, “Wow, you made a 3-D model of the save icon!”Poking fun at the generational gap between the youth of today and the middle-aged, the cartoon is a reminder of the inevitable differences in culture and shared memories between different generations.However, at a small bar-club in Hongdae ― decorated with shelves full of old LP records,

March 7, 2014

Nell delivers quality sounds on ‘Newton’s Apple’Nell“Newton’s Apple”(LOEN Entertainment)It seems that Nell never disappoints. Once again proving its musical finesse and sensibilities, Korea’s signature rock band Nell has returned strong with its sixth studio album, “Newton’s Apple,” equipped with original instrumentals and Kim Jong-wan’s yearning vocals.Nell has also completed its “Gravity” trilogy series with the new album featuring two CDs -- the first holding 11 new tracks and the other featu

March 7, 2014

Artist Kim In-bai is presenting faceless, abstract sculptures in his solo exhibition celebrating the reopening of Arario Gallery Seoul.Titled “Eliminate Points, Lines and Planes,” the exhibition seeks to break stereotypes of human figures. Instead of faces or heads for his human forms, the artist used geometrical forms.His latest works, shown seven years after his first exhibition at Arario in 2007, look edgier than his previous sculptures, which had round faces. They are a combination of geomet

March 6, 2014

Sol’Opera, an opera company that started in Busan eight years ago, is set to stage a series of large-scale outdoor productions next year. “We’re planning an outdoor opera festival in Busan jointly with Italy’s Arena di Verona,” Lee So-young, founder and president of the company, said in an interview with The Korea Herald. “It’s going to be a festival with three or so programs on offer ― a gala and two operas, probably.”  It has signed a co-production agreement with the Arena di Verona, the world

March 5, 2014

NEW ORLEANS (AP) ― Revelers endured winter temperatures and a chilling rain along parade routes Tuesday as New Orleans’ 2014 Carnival season neared a close. Die-hards, some in Mardi Gras costumes, braved the weather along the traditional St. Charles Avenue parade route and in the French Quarter. “We’ll drink, drink, drink until it gets drier,” said Dean Cook of New Orleans as he walked Bourbon Street dressed as a pirate with vampire fangs. “Mermaids love the water,” he said of his wife, Terrina

March 5, 2014

In a music market solidly dominated by K-pop and other local music trends, the international music scene is still looking to make its artists known in Korea. Universal Music Group, one of the world’s leading music recording companies, along with its subsidiary merchandising company Bravado, is planning to expand and incorporate its products by adding a touch of local flavor. In the past, Bravado made its first real mark in Korea when introducing its popular smartphone cases featuring the images

March 5, 2014

March looks set to be another memorable month for classical music fans in Korea, with big-name musicians such as legendary pianist Evgeny Kissin set to return. Kicking off this spring feast of music is the London Symphony Orchestra, which will perform March 10-11 at Seoul Arts Center. Although the orchestra itself is familiar to local fans ― it has performed eight times here in total, and every year since 2011 ― the upcoming concerts are still among the most anticipated of the season. Holding th

March 4, 2014

With about 90 percent of former President Chun Doo-hwan’s confiscated art collection sold, the remaining 97 artworks will come under the hammer at K Auction on March 12. K Auction is the second biggest art auction house in Korea and was commissioned by the government to sell the former leader’s seized artworks to collect his unpaid fines.  Some 600 artworks owned by Chun were confiscated by prosecutors last year as he had long refused to pay a fine imposed in 1997 for a number of crimes includin

March 3, 2014

The Korean National Ballet, which welcomed new artistic director famed ballerina Kang Sue-jin in February, is opening its 2014 season with Marius Petipa’s “La Bayadere.” It is the first ballet Kang is staging since her appointment earlier this year.The ballet company premiered Petipa’s 1877 piece last year, showcasing its own, slightly altered version specially created for the troupe by Russian choreographer Yury Grigorovich. The first run of the ballet, featuring the tragic love story of a Hind

March 2, 2014