The Syrian War, now in its seventh year, has claimed some 500,000 lives. Of the prewar population of 22 million people, about 6.3 million people have been internally displaced, while more than 5 million have fled the country, becoming refugees. Among those who left Syria is artist Tania Al Kayyali whose works are on exhibition at Art Space DA:MDAA in Yeonnam-dong, Seoul, as part of “Syria Art Exhibition: Do Fish Ever Get Seasick?” a group show of five Syrian artists. Of the five, only one curren

Arts & Design Sept. 19, 2017

Stanley Kubrick’s 1968 film “2001: A Space Odyssey” is a sci-fi classic that seems fresh even in 2017 -- particularly as we celebrate the Cassini spacecraft’s plunge into the Saturn last week, ending its 13-year exploration of the ringed planet and its moons. The groundbreaking film has had a lasting influence on popular culture and its discussion of mankind’s place in the universe, particularly with its philosophical outlook.And any mention of the film would be incomplete without reference to t

Culture Sept. 17, 2017

It is often said that it is never a good time to start a fashion brand, but for Lee Ji-min, founder and creative director of J.Cricket, it meant that now is as good as ever.So Lee, armed with years of experience in high-end fashion retail in China as well as a creative desire, plunged once again into designing. Lee had her own fashion brand which she folded after the 9/11 attack. In 2003, together with an Italian partner, she set up a fashion consultancy business in Shanghai with major European

Arts & Design Sept. 8, 2017

For nearly 70 years, the Korea-US alliance has stood strong. More than 30,000 US military personnel are stationed in Korea to deter North Korea. The two countries have fought together on the Korean Peninsula and in Vietnam, Afghanistan and Iraq.In the decades since the Korean War ended in an armistice signed by the United Nations Command, North Korea and China, South Korea has made great economic development and achieved stable democracy. Korea is one of the best proteges of the US, it could be

Viewpoints Sept. 6, 2017

Turning an inanimate object imbued with symbolism into an animate being embodying the said symbolism, artist Krzysztof Wodiczko brings private narratives to public spaces.“My Wish,” commissioned by the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and on display at the museum’s Seoul branch in Sogyeok-dong as part of the artist’s first major retrospective in Asia, tells the stories of 13 marginalized people in Korean society. Heard in the dark and silent exhibition hall of the museum thr

Arts & Design Aug. 29, 2017

Homer may have waxed poetic about “sailing over the dark-wine sea” of the Aegean, but the sea in recent years has become a scene of great human suffering and tragedy.“Gridded Currents,” a group exhibition curated by Kim Hyun-jin which closes Sunday at Kukje Gallery, washes away long-held romantic notions of the sea. In its place is a sea that is highly politicized, a recurring narrative throughout the exhibition. It is a sea that is divided into grids to be conquered, a sea of imperialist ambiti

Arts & Design Aug. 17, 2017

Bringing people together with music is maestro Chung Myung-whun’s lifetime calling, a calling he has answered this time with One Korea Orchestra, formed specifically for two concerts marking the first anniversary of Lotte Concert Hall on Friday and Saturday.Maestro Chung Myung-whun rehearses with One Korea at Lotte Concert Hall, Seoul, Wednesday. (Park Hyun-koo/The Korea Herald)Chung conceived the idea for One Korea Orchestra in 2013 with the goal of musicians from both South and North Korea per

Performance Aug. 17, 2017