Renowned Critic Named New Head of Arts Council
By Lee Hyo-won
Staff Reporter
Art critic Oh Kwang-su, 71, has been elected as the third chairman of Arts Council Korea (ARKO), the foundation announced Thursday. Formerly the Korean Culture and Arts Foundation, the council promotes local arts and culture.
``In the past, the foundation was marked by bureaucratic problems in gathering the opinions of its 11 council members,'' said Oh, emphasizing the need to make arts policies with more efficiency.
Oh has been heading ARKO for two months now, ever since predecessor Kim Jung-heun's term was prematurely terminated in December 2008. There have been conflicts with the labor union regarding his election, but Oh said he plans to resolve the issue ``through dialogue.''
``There have been budget problems with the escalating number of projects,'' he said. The new chairman did not provide further details about ARKO's problems or future projects, but said he will try his best to strengthen the foundation.
Oh is a renowned art critic with administration experience as the head of Whanki Museum and the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea. He also served as chief director of the Gwangju Biennale and commissioner of the Venice Biennale. His wife, Cha Ouhi, 64, is an active artist in Korea and Germany.