The Korea Times

Superflex turns financial crisis into art

Jakob Fenger, left, and Bjornstjerne Christiansen of Superflex pose in front of “Bankrupt Banks, October 30, 2013” at Kukje Gallery Busan. Courtesy of Kukje GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooBUSAN ― Danish artist group Superflex interprets the symbolism of power and capital at the heart of the 2008 global financial crisis in "In our dreams we have a plan" at Kukje Gallery Busan.The title of the exhibit is borrowed from the lyrics of ABBA's hit song "Money Money Money," but changed "my" to "our," suggesting that the financial crisis was not an individual issue but a challenge for everyone.Superflex is an artist collective that consists of Jakob Fenger, Bjornstjerne Christiansen and Rasmus Nielsen, founded in 1993. Since they teamed up, they stopped individual activities and have only worked as a group, reflecting their belief in the power of collective creation. The trio recently brought playful three-seat swings to the inter-Korean border in May, marking their first solo exhibition in Korea. However, they have been showing their work in Korea since 2003, participating in the Gwangju

Aug 25, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Superflex turns financial crisis into art

Superflex 'swings' say 'together, we can'

Arts & Theater

'Rain Room' excites senses in downpour

London-based art collective Random International presents immersive installation “Rain Room” for the first time in Korea at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan through Jan. 27, 2020. Courtesy of MoCA BusanRandom International's immersive installation arrives in BusanBy Kwon Mee-yooBUSAN ― When you search #rainroom on photo sharing social networking service Instagram, you will find over 60,000 posts of people standing in the rain. What's surprising is that they do not get wet.This is “Rain Room,” created by Random International, where visitors take steps into a downpour of continuous rain without getting wet. "Random International: Out of Control" held at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan (MoCA Busan) brings one of the world's most Instagram-worthy art pieces to Korea for the first time.Founded in 2005, Random International, which defines itself as a collaborative studio for experimental practice within contemporary art, consists of Hannes Koch and Florian Ortkrass. They are best known for the Rain Room, which delivers their experiment on the "human conditi

Aug 25, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Architect Jun Itami takes inspiration from nature

The Podo Hotel on Jeju Island is designed by Japan-born Korean architect Jun Itami. Courtesy of Jinjin PicturesBy Kwon Mee-yooArchitect Jun Itami / Korea Times fileJun Itami (1937-2011) was a Japan-born Korean architect known for his style of blending nature and environment in design. His most notable structures include the Podo Hotel, the Water, Wind, Rock Museum and the Church of Sky on Jeju Island.Itami ― who was born in Tokyo and grew up in the seaside town of Shimizu, Shizuoka Prefecture ― might easily be mistaken as a Japanese architect, but he never gave up his Korean nationality and name. His real name was Yoo Dong-ryong and he used a Korean passport, going through alien registrations in Japan throughout his life. He lived his life on the border and never truly belonged to either Korea or Japan, resulting in his identity as a diaspora architect. In fact, his name came from being a marginal person. Itami is a name for Osaka International Airport, where he often boarded airplanes, and Jun is the Japanese name of musician Gil Ok-yoon, a close friend of Itami's."The Sea of Itami

Aug 18, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Architect Jun Itami takes inspiration from nature

Arts & Theater

'Super cool' kids wearing multiple hats in 'School of Rock'

Clockwise from top left, offstage swing Lily Burke, Dewey Finn alternate Liam Fennecken, and offstage swings Duke Cutler, Cooper Alexis and Nakita Clarke of the international tour production of the musical "School of Rock" in Seoul pose for a photo during an interview with The Korea Times at the Charlotte Theater in southern Seoul, Thursday. Courtesy of Lee Soo-jinBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Andrew Lloyd Webber musical “School of Rock” arrived in Seoul in June and it has been teaching rock to audiences here. Based on the 2003 film of the same name, the musical tells the story of struggling rock musician Dewey Finn who stumbles into the shoes of a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school and liberates his class by turning the teacher's pets into a rock band. The magic of rock is conveyed by the eccentric musician-turned-teacher and 12 young actors who rock out onstage, playing the instruments live every show. Though not seen every night, there are four multi-talented offstage swings, who understudy multiple roles to make sure the show can go on in case of emergency. Dewey Fi

Aug 11, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

'Super cool' kids wearing multiple hats in 'School of Rock'

Find your inner rock star in Andrew Lloyd Webber musical

Arts & Theater

Elly Cho defies boundaries in art

Artist Elly Cho with her works at her studio in central Seoul, Monday. Cho will present a video installation "The Eclipse: Recognized by the Sound" during Art Asia 2019 at COEX from Thursday through Sunday. Korea Times photo by Kwon Mee-yooBy Kwon Mee-yooArtist Elly Cho is a person of versatility, exploring various themes through painting, media art, performance and public art. Cho studied an undergraduate degree in painting at the Slade School of Fine Art in London and shifted to media art during her graduate course. One of her notable works include "Kinematics: a state of mind," a black-and-white video screened on the billboards of New York's Times Square in 2012 through the Times Square Art program “Midnight Moment.”"Most artists these days work with multiple mediums, but my works vary even more," Cho said at an interview with The Korea Times at her studio in central Seoul, Monday.Cho will present "The Eclipse: Recognized by the Sound" for a special exhibition during the Art Asia 2019, an art fair centering on Asian contemporary art held at COEX from Thursday through S

Aug 6, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Barbara Kruger's Korean alphabet artwork unveiled

Barbara Kruger's "Untitled (Forever)" is on view at the Amorepacific Museum of Art in central Seoul through Dec. 29. / Courtesy of APMABy Kwon Mee-yooEven for those who have not heard the name Barbara Kruger, her trademark white-on-red text bars in Futura Bold Oblique font in the pieces "Your body is a battleground" or "I shop therefore I am" might be familiar. The Amorepacific Museum of Art (APMA) in central Seoul is holding the American conceptual artist's first solo exhibition in Asia, unveiling Kruger's first-ever Korean alphabet works.Titled "Forever," the exhibit features some 44 of Kruger's works from the 1980s to her latest pieces incorporating "Hangeul," the Korean alphabet.Kruger's art is easily recognizable and the distinction comes from her background as a designer at Conde Nast Publications. While doing magazine layouts and designing book jackets, Kruger understood the importance of eye-catching design as well as readability."She was interested in visual expression since she was young and had a knack for placing text and image in a space," Kim Kyung-ran, APMA curator sai

Aug 4, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Barbara Kruger's Korean alphabet artwork unveiled

Arts & Theater

Exploring Joseon scenery through painters' eyes

Visitors have a look at "Through the Eyes of Joseon Painters: Real Scenery Landscapes of Korea" exhibition at National Museum of Korea. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooNowadays, people can easily take pictures of the landscapes they want to remember. Back in the Joseon Kingdom (1392-1910), painters captured the scenery that touched their minds through realistic landscape paintings. The National Museum of Korea (NMK) presents "Through the Eyes of Joseon Painters: Real Scenery Landscapes of Korea," featuring some 360 small and large landscape paintings from the mid- to late-Joseon era, at the museum's Special Exhibition Gallery. Bae Ki-dong, director general of NMK, said the exhibition will provide a new way to appreciate the history of Joseon through art. "This is the first comprehensive exhibition of Joseon landscape paintings including the North Korean side of Mount Geumgang in about 20 years, after the Mount Geumgang exhibit in 1999," Bae said. "We hope this exhibit can convey a message of peace to North Korea."Though South Koreans currently cannot visit the North Korean mountain that inspire

Jul 25, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Exploring Joseon scenery through painters' eyes

Arts & Theater

Mysterious Etruscan civilization unveiled

An Etruscan chariot dating back to the 7th century B.C. is on view at the National Museum of Korea. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yoo“The Etruscan language is a mystery. Yet in Caesar's day it was the everyday language of the bulk of the people in central Italy. … Yet now the language is entirely lost,” English writer D. H. Lawrence wrote in "Sketches of Etruscan Places and other Italian essays.” He was fascinated by the ancient Italian civilization after his trip to Tuscany and published the essay on Etruscans, chanting the eulogy of the almost forgotten people. "The Etruscans ― Rising to Rome," an exhibition currently underway at the Special Exhibition Gallery of the National Museum of Korea (NMK), sheds light on the obscure civilization that began around 900 B.C. during the Iron Age and lasted through 100 B.C. until it was absorbed by Rome."This is the first exhibition to introduce Etruria properly to Korea. Everyone knows Roman culture, but Etruscan is unfamiliar. However, Etruria is the essence of Mediterranean civilization, which had a primary influence on modern E

Jul 25, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Mysterious Etruscan civilization unveiled

Arts & Theater

National museum strengthens network through fellowships program

Participants of the 2019 Museum Network Fellowship Program pose for a photo in front of the 10-story Pagoda from Gyeongcheon Temple site on the first floor of the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. Courtesy of National Museum of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooThe National Museum of Korea (NMK) strives to raise the status of Korean studies globally and has been offering an international fellowship program since 2012.The 2019 Museum Network Fellowship, designed to promote the advancement of museum-related Korean studies overseas, was held from July 7 to 20. The annual program features lectures and workshops on a diverse range of themes from Buddhist art, paintings, ceramics and ancient architecture to modern and contemporary art, the archeology of Korea and conservation science as well as a field trip to southern city of Gyeongju, the capital of the ancient Silla Kingdom (57 B.C.-935 A.D.)The fellowship is open for curators overseas with a degree in Korean or Asian Studies or researchers who have published theses on Korean or Asian studies in the past five years.This year's 14

Jul 25, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

National museum strengthens network through fellowships program

Arts & Theater

Yang Hae-gue presents dynamic sculptures at new MoMA

Yang Hae-gue's "Sonic Coupe Copper ― Enclosed Unity" will be displayed at the Marron Atrium in the Museum of Modern Art's expanded campus opening on Oct. 21. Courtesy of the artistBy Kwon Mee-yooKorean artist Yang Hae-gue, also stylized as Haegue Yang, will present a series of new installations at the newly opening building of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City starting October.The world's leading contemporary art museum has been closed down for major renovations since June 15 and will reopen on Oct. 21 with Yang's multimedia installation that combines historical references and sensory experiences, commissioned by MoMA for its Marron Atrium.Glenn Lowry, David Rockefeller Director of Museum of Modern Art, who visited Korea earlier in April to promote the museum's new expansion, mentioned Yang as one of the artists worthy of notice upon the opening. "We want someone who comes to MoMA to see The Starry Night to be amazed by Haegue Yang's work when they walk out of the museum," Lowry said during his visit to Korea. Titled "Haegue Yang: Handles," the exhibition will feature

Jul 23, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Kwon Mee-yoo

Read more

Superflex turns financial crisis into art

'Rain Room' excites senses in downpour

Architect Jun Itami takes inspiration from nature

'Super cool' kids wearing multiple hats in 'School of Rock'

Elly Cho defies boundaries in art

Barbara Kruger's Korean alphabet artwork unveiled

Exploring Joseon scenery through painters' eyes

Mysterious Etruscan civilization unveiled

National museum strengthens network through fellowships program

Yang Hae-gue presents dynamic sculptures at new MoMA

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