The Korea Times

Venice Biennale empowers women, diversity

The view of Korean Pavilion, themed "History Has Failed Us, But No Matter," at the Venice Biennale 2019 / Courtesy of Arts Council KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooThe 58th International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia 2019 opened last week focusing on embracing voices of minorities.This year's Venice Biennale is helmed by American curator Ralph Rugoff, and Rugoff presenting the theme "May You Live in Interesting Times."Rugoff only invited living artists to the main exhibition, held at Arsenale and Giardini, to best reflect how artists of today are reacting to and experimenting in the fast-paced, complex times. Overall, 42 out of 79 artists taking part in the main exhibition are women. This is the first time in the event's 142 year history that more than half of the participating artists are women.This year, all Koreans at the Venice Biennale are women. The Korean Pavilion is curated by Kim Hyun-jin and three participating artists Jung Eun-young, also known as siren eun young jung, Jane Jin Kaisen and Nam Hwa-yeon. At the main exhibition, the works of three Korean women artists Lee Bul,

May 12, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Venice Biennale empowers women, diversity

Arts & Theater

Sharjah Biennial breaks barriers of perception

Cory Arcangel's "Destroyed Jeans" is installed on the facade of the Sharjah Art Museum as part of Omar Kholeif's "Making New Time" exhibition for the 14th edition of Sharjah Biennial. Courtesy of Sharjah Art FoundationBy Kwon Mee-yooSHARJAH ― As social media prevails in modern society, more people are caught in the "echo chamber," where they communicate with people with similar values and access information only to confirm and strengthen their opinions. Such information circulates and proliferates in a closed system and the homogenized stream of information results in a narrow outlook.At the 14th edition of Sharjah Biennial (SB14), held in the city of Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, three curators teamed up to explore the purpose of producing art in an era when fake news is widespread, history is fictionalized and borders fluctuate by cultural, social and political systems, under the theme of “Leaving the Echo Chamber.”“Contemporary life is dominated by competing information and fluctuating histories ― a reality that raises important questions about the trajector

May 9, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Sharjah Biennial breaks barriers of perception

Korean Heritage

Arhat statuettes meet contemporary art

Installation view of "Arhats of Daily Introspection" at the National Museum of Korea in Yongsan, Seoul / Courtesy of National Museum of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooThe National Museum of Korea (NMK) is a treasure trove of significant Korean historical artifacts. For the first time, the museum has joined hands with a contemporary artist who designed an exhibition and contributed an installation artwork, bringing a fresh perspective to the appreciation of cultural assets. "Five Hundred Arhats of Changnyeong Temple Site: Reflection of Our Hearts" features 90 Arhat statues with simple, amiable, and lifelike expressions of joy, anger, sorrow and pleasure.Kim Seung-young, a contemporary artist known for his site-specific installation works exploring the themes of communication and memory, designed the exhibition space in collaboration with the museum."I want visitors to restore the sense of walking in a forest. So I made these pedestals reminiscent of trees and added bird sounds to the exhibition space," Kim explained. "These Arhat statuettes are from the past, but their expressions are universal,

May 1, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

An Jae-yong dances as prince in Maillot's 'Cinderella'

Korean dancer An Jae-yong, right, of Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo performs in Jean-Christophe Maillot's "Cinderella," which will be staged at Seoul Arts Center, June 12 to 14. / Courtesy of Alice Blangero and Mast MediaBy Kwon Mee-yooThere are no glass slippers or a pumpkin carriage in French choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot's interpretation of the ballet “Cinderella.” Maillot's company Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo brings a contemporary spin to the classical fairy tale to Seoul in June.This performance of “Cinderella” will be the first in 14 years in Korea after its premiere here in 2005, and is highly anticipated as An Jae-yong, a Korean dancer who joined the company in 2016, will make a “triumphant” return as the prince, after being promoted to a soloist principal last year. An is considered a natural for the ballet, despite being a late starter. An's sister, who is an opera singer in Germany, suggested he try ballet because of his physicality and athletic ability. “She handed me a DVD of the film 'White Night' and it changed my life forev

Apr 29, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

An Jae-yong dances as prince in Maillot's 'Cinderella'

Arts & Theater

'1001 Nights: Last chapter' reinvents Arabic tale'

A scene from "1001 Nights: The Last Chapter," portraying Prince Amin's adventure, staged at Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates / Courtesy of Al Majaz AmphitheatreBy Kwon Mee-yooSHARJAH, United Arab Emirates ― The untold stories of Scheherazade, the tantalizing storyteller from the Middle Eastern folk tale “1001 Nights,” were unraveled through a mesmerizing new theatrical production “1001 Nights: The Last Chapter” at the Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates from Tuesday through Saturday. The show acted as an opener for Sharjah's yearlong journey as the World Book Capital (WBC) 2019, designated by UNESCO.Sheikh Sultan bin Ahmed Al Qasimi, chairman of Sharjah Media Council and head of the inauguration ceremony committee of the Sharjah WBC, said the idea for the production started a year ago when the city knew Sharjah was designated as WBC 2019. "We wanted to make a show that incorporates books and internationality. '1001 Nights' is a book every culture knows something about and we thought we could communicate with eve

Apr 28, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

'1001 Nights: Last chapter' reinvents Arabic tale'

Books

Sharjah inaugurated as World Book Capital

His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, right, receives the banner for the World Book Capital from Markos Bolaris, Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, during an inauguration ceremony of Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 at the Al Majaz Amphitheatre in Sharjah, the United Arab Emirates, Tuesday. Courtesy of Sharjah Govt Media BureauBy Kwon Mee-yooSHARJAH, United Arab Emirates ― Sharjah, the third largest city of the United Arab Emirates, began its term as the World Book Capital (WBC) 2019, designated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Tuesday, coinciding with World Book and Copyright Day. World Book Capital is a title given to a city to promote books and reading through various year-long activities, started in 2001 with Madrid, Spain. Sharjah is the first city in the Gulf Region and third city in the Arab World to be designated as the WBC.The Emirate of Sharjah is known as the emirate of culture and knowledge and winning the title reflects Sharjah's relentless efforts in enco

Apr 24, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Sharjah inaugurated as World Book Capital

Arts & Theater

Kim Yong-ik redefines modernism

Artist Kim Yong-ik poses for a photo in front of his studio in Yangpyeong, Gyeonggi Province, Thursday. Kim will hold solo exhibitions at Berlin's Galerie Barbara Wien from April 27 and New York's Tina Kim Gallery from May 3. Korea Times photo by Choi Won-sukKorean artist holds exhibit in Berlin, New YorkBy Kwon Mee-yooArtist Kim Yong-ik ploughs a lonely furrow in the Korean art world. He was an aspiring modern artist, but he soon broke to Minjung art, a political and populist art movement in Korea, in the 1980s. Later, he practiced public art and experimented with alternative art spaces in Korea. Instead of being complacent, he always pursued something out of the norm. The 71-year-old artist still discovers new meanings from his old works and breathes new life into them. In recent years, he came to have a stronger presence in the international art scene, holding exhibitions at the Korean Cultural Centre UK in London and Spike Island in Bristol in 2017, followed by Cahiers d'Art in Paris in 2018.On April 27, Kim will be in Berlin to open his first solo exhibition in Germany at Barbar

Apr 22, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

Korean craft fascinates Milan

Installation view of “Monochrome Monologue” at Superstudio in Milan, Italy / Courtesy of KCDFBy Kwon Mee-yooThe refined beauty of Korean craftwork received a favorable response during last week's the Milan Design Week. The “Monochrome Monologue” exhibit was held at Superstudio in Milan, Italy, at the helm of fashion designer-turned-director Jung Ku-ho. This was part of the “Constancy and Change” exhibition series organized by the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (KCDF). Jung handpicked 23 artists for this exhibit. The master artisans and contemporary craft artists participating in the exhibit show how traditional and modern craft are interweaved organically.Half of the gallery space was white, with the other half black, showcasing a stark contrast. Jung's space design in black and white was inspired by Korean ink-and-wash painting.In the white section, artwork were displayed in a transparent “sabang takja” or four-shelf open “etagere,” decorated by artisan Yang Hyun-seung's metalwork, in traditional “Scholar's Accou

Apr 17, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Arts & Theater

New York's MoMA to reopen in October after expansion

Exterior view of The Museum of Modern Art on 53rd Street / Courtesy of MoMAWorld-famous museum to focus on experimentationBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, is one of the world's most prominent contemporary art museums. MoMA drew visitors with its collection of world-renowned art pieces, including Claude Monet's “Water Lilies” and Vincent van Gogh's “The Starry Night.” The museum now hopes to increase its appeal by opening a new wing and reshuffling the collection on display.The museum attracts about 3 million visitors a year, with an expectation that the number will increase further after the reopening. Koreans make up a significant number of the foreign visitors. Glenn Lowry, David Rockefeller Director of Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), speaks during a press conference at Hyundai Card Understage in Seoul, Tuesday. He is in Korea to introduce the museum's expansion plan. Yonhap“Many of our visitors come from South Korea and we want the share with them what is going on at the museum. South Korea and

Apr 16, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

New York's MoMA to reopen in October after expansion

Arts & Theater

Sadness lingers in post-maritime tragedy

"The Sea Will Not Sink" exhibition is held at Boan Yeogwan in central Seoul, last week. The memorial exhibition will also be held in Ansan, Gyeonggi Province on the occasion of the fifth year anniversary of the tragic incident to shed light on the continuing impact of the disaster on the nation. YonhapVictims remembered in 'Sea Will Not Sink' exhibition By Kwon Mee-yooIt has been five years since the Sewol ferry sank in the waters off Korea's southwestern island Jindo, claiming over 300 lives, mostly Danwon High School students who were on an excursion to the scenic Jeju island. The tents of the Sewol memorial site at Gwanghwamun Square, which became a fixture over the years, were taken down last month, but it does not mean the maritime disaster has been forgotten. The Sewol sinking caused a serious disaster-induced trauma all over Korean society and changed perceptions on public safety and solidarity. “The Sea Will Not Sink,” a memorial exhibition for the Sewol ferry disaster, is held in Seoul and Ansan, Gyeonggi Province, on the occasion of the fifth anniversary of the

Apr 15, 2019By Kwon Mee-yoo

Kwon Mee-yoo

Read more

Venice Biennale empowers women, diversity

Sharjah Biennial breaks barriers of perception

Arhat statuettes meet contemporary art

An Jae-yong dances as prince in Maillot's 'Cinderella'

'1001 Nights: Last chapter' reinvents Arabic tale'

Sharjah inaugurated as World Book Capital

Kim Yong-ik redefines modernism

Korean craft fascinates Milan

New York's MoMA to reopen in October after expansion

Sadness lingers in post-maritime tragedy

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