Kim Rahn is the managing editor of The Korea Times. Since joining the company in 2003, she has covered various beats including the presidential office, Seoul city government, the Bank of Korea and the tourism industry. In 2014, she won the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) award for her coverage of the ordeals of migrant women in Korea.
A stroll through hotels’ galleries
By Kim Rahn
Hotels have exhibited works of art in lobbies or restaurants for decoration.
But these days they are more actively featuring artwork, cooperating with galleries, holding exhibitions under specific themes, and sometimes combining them with state-of-the-art technology to facilitate guests’ appreciation.
The Ritz-Carlton Seoul hosts the 2011 Seoul Art Festival from July 22 to 24.
By Kim Rahn
Under the theme “Encounter Between the Corporate and the Arts,” the festival features contemporary artists from various genres.
Seventy-two guestrooms will turn into elegant gallery spaces for 3,000 works of art. Guests can learn more about the works by accessing the artists’ blogs and websites and reading catalogues through QR (quick response) codes attached to the works. Lectures by curators and auctions of art pieces will also be held in the suites.
The event is organized by the 2011 Seoul Art Festival Committee and sponsored by Korea Yechong, the Korea Art Association and the Korea Culture and Arts Education Agency, with the assistance of the Korea Culture and Art industry Association and Art Journal.
The festival opens at 4 p.m. today and viewing starts at noon on Saturday and Sunday. The festival will be held in rooms located on the fifth to eighth floors. The admission price is 10,000 won, or 50,000 won if you want to participate in the auction. For more information, call 070-4119-0090.
The Grand Hyatt Seoul will hold the Asia Top Gallery Hotel Art Fair Seoul 2011, hosted by Asia Art Net and produced by the AHAF Committee, from Aug. 19 to 21.
The art fair offers hotel rooms as galleries providing patrons with the opportunity to see each piece of art in the context of a living environment, and offering a unique perspective which traditional galleries can’t begin to imagine.
After successful exhibitions in 2009, the hotel will again offer a variety of cultural attractions, including themed exhibitions such as special lectures with the celebrities, exhibitions by young artists and a furniture design exhibition.
More than 4,000 works of art by 400 artists from 60 countries in Asia will be on display in 84 rooms. The admission fee is 20,000 won. For more information, call the AHAF Committee at 02-741-6320.
The Millennium Seoul Hilton hosts “Walking with the Sculptures 2011” in its lower lobby through Sept. 9.
Artwork from 45 of Korea’s most renowned sculptors, including Kim Jung-hee, Shin Dal-ho, Chun Duk-jae and Kim Sang-il is on display. They present about 90 pieces of contemporary art created with various materials such as bronze, metals and a mixture of many different materials. Art curators will be present to help attendees obtain detailed information about the pieces.
The exhibition marks the third scupture exhibit at the hotel by the Korea Scuptors Forum. It is open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. without an admission fee. Purchasing the works is also possible. For more information, call 02-317-3013.
The Westin Chosun Seoul has brought numerous works of art to celebrate its recent upgrade, offering some 50 modern and contemporary art works by internationally acclaimed artists.
“Spider” by the French artist and sculptor Louise Bourgeois is exhibited on the grass garden behind the reception area of the Grand Ballroom _ a famous sculptural series found at top museums such as the Guggenheim, Tate Modern and Leeum.
Works of documentary photographer Elliott Erwitt are on display in the hotel’s business center, including “Grace Kelly,” “Marilyn Monroe,” “Greek” and “Florence.” The sauna reception desk also displays “Triptych 1981” by English painter Francis Bacon.
The hotel also presents pieces by Korean modern artists, including “Meari Series” by Kim Hwan-ki, “LOTUS” by Hong Soo-yeon, and “Windy Day” by Yoon Myung-no in the lobby and conference rooms. The French restaurant Ninth Gate Grille offers “Color Box” by photographer Koo Bohn-chang, as well as Pierre Alechinsky’s “Sans Reponse” and Frank Stella’s “Untitled.”
The Seoul Palace Hotel has collaborated with photographer Kim Joong-man and placed photos specially taken for the hotel in each guest room.
The project had the theme “Paris” in order to bring the atmosphere of Seorae Village, a French community adjacent to the hotel. Kim worked in France and captured exclusive works for the hotel, for the first time in Korea.
His works are on display in rooms on the sixth to eighth floors, executive rooms on the ninth to 11th floor and in club lounges. For more information, call 02-532-5000.
The Imperial Palace Hotel’s Gallery 4 Walls, a regular exhibition place, hosts an exhibit titled “Become We” through July 30.
Various genres of art by four female artists will be on display, presenting unique perspectives and the delicate sensibility of the woman artists.
Gallery 4 Walls, located in the lobby, hosts different exhibitions throughout the year. For more inforamtion, call 02-545-8571.
The Plaza Hotel displays traditional Korean craft made by human cultural properties, with the items changing regularly.
It currently exhibits fans crafted by fan master Bang Hwa-seon, intangible cultural asset No. 10 of North Jeolla Province, under the theme “The Legend of Fans.” Replicas of the craftwork can be purchased at the gift shop. For more information, call 02-310-7539.