Seoul-Berlin Connection Deepens in Art

By Seo Dong-shin

Staff Reporter

South Koreans tend to feel a bond with the people of Germany because of their common experience in national division. This affinity functions as part of a driving force behind active exchanges in the art scene as well as in the political and business fields.

Many Korean fine arts students have chosen to study in Germany since the end of the Korean War. Germany, for its part, is showing a keen interest in contemporary Korean art, more so than other European countries. Some galleries are testing the waters for the possibility of opening branches in Seoul, as Berlin-based Michael Schultz Gallery did last year.

At the Korean International Art Fair that ended Sunday, 28 German galleries took part, surpassing the number of participating galleries from Spain, this year's guest at the fair.

Ten galleries from Berlin, especially, drew attention, as they formed a separate lounge for promoting ``Art From Berlin,'' a collective presentation to show the ongoing scene in, arguably, Europe's most vibrant and biggest gallery space in the German capital.

``Since the Berlin Wall came down, we have almost 400 galleries nestled in Berlin,'' boasted Werner Tammen of Tammen Galerie, who is also chairman of the Galleries Association of Berlin. ``At major European art exhibitions, such as Venice Biennale or Documenta Kassel, you could say that a majority of the art productions, perhaps 50 percent of them, are from Berlin."

It would only be natural, considering Berlin has become a magnet for artists, thanks both to the confusion and energy the reunification has brought. The city is home to 6,000 registered artists, but the number likely will increase to 10,000 when considering those who are active but remain unregistered.

Buoyed by the city's image emerging as the center of culture and art, the government and private business sector appear determined to help boost it further. ``White Cube Berlin,'' for example, involves a project to build a temporary exhibition space for contemporary art near the site of the historic Palace of the Republic, which once served as a parliament building in East Germany. The temporary space, expected to stand for 18-24 months, will provide more opportunities to show the works of contemporary artists. Stiftung Zukunft Berlin, or Future of Berlin Foundation will shoulder the estimated cost of 950,000 euros, said Anemone Simone, manager of the Galleries Association of Berlin.

And several Korean artists may actually have a chance to display their own works in that space. ORCO, a real estate developer company that supports the project, will invite five Korean artists exclusively for the artist residency and exhibition program that will begin next year.

``It's to build a lasting relationship between Korea and Germany,'' Tammen said.

Meanwhile, an exhibition that also hinges on the common past is underway south of Seoul.