my timesThe Korea Times
Lifestyle

Arts & Theater

Kim Kyung-hee captures vitality through vibrant colors

"The Song of My Mind #1" by Kim Kyung-hee / Courtesy of the artist and Keumsan GalleryBy Kwon Mee-yooArtist Kim Kyung-hee has unveiled her latest burst of color and energy at Keumsan Gallery in central Seoul. At her solo exhibition, "My Dream, My Love," Kim presents 40 pieces, including her latest watercolor, "Someday Autumn Night."Kim finds hope in flowers and depicts them on canvas. The artist visualizes the source of life such as love, reminiscences and longing with her unique use of whimsical colors. "Kim tries to replace despair and sorrow with joy and happiness with her lively colors and energetic strokes. Her major colors, the intense combination of red and green, are a reflection of her mature yet heated inner side," the gallery said. "Such vivid and wild colors swirl on the canvas, portraying the artist's agony, audacity and passion. Those colors gain new life through Kim's bold brushstrokes, reflecting her lifepath.""Someday Autumn Night" by Kim Kyung-hee / Courtesy of the artist and Keumsan GalleryKim majored in architecture, but she was fascinated with fine art and won th

May 26, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Kim Kyung-hee captures vitality through vibrant colors

Kansong Museum puts 2 treasures up for auction

Treasure No. 285 Gilt-bronze Standing Bodhisattva, left, and No. 284 Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha from the collection of the Kansong Art Museum are up for auction at K Auction, slated for Wednesday. YonhapBy Kwon Mee-yooThe Kansong Art Museum, one of the top private museums in Korea which inherited the collection of Kansong Chun Hyung-pil (1906-1962), has put two of its state-designated Treasures up for auction citing financial difficulties. The Gilt-bronze Standing Buddha (Treasure No. 284) and the Gilt-bronze Standing Bodhisattva (No. 285) will be auctioned at K Auction Wednesday. The starting bids are estimated at around 1.5 billion won ($121 million) for each, but the auction company said the exact starting price will be announced on the day.This is the first time for a state-designated cultural property from the museum to be put up for auction.Chun was the protector of Korean cultural properties under Japanese colonial rule. He collected Korean antiques with money out of his own pocket to prevent them from being taken overseas and established Bohwagak, the first private museum in

May 25, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Kansong Museum puts 2 treasures up for auction

Digital technology gives visitors immersive museum experience

Visitors take photos at “Encountering Goguryeo through Images on Stone Walls” of Immersive Digital Gallery 3 at the National Museum of Korea. Courtesy of National Museum of KoreaBy Kwon Mee-yooThe 10-story Stone Pagoda from Gyeongcheonsa Temple Site, national treasure no. 86, tells a story of honor and shame. The stone pagoda, known for its elaborate carvings of Buddha, bodhisattvas and scenes from the classic novel "Journey to the West," was initially built at the Gyeongcheon Temple in Hwanghae Province in 1348 during the Goryeo period. However, it was smuggled to Japan in 1907 by Tanaka Mitsuaki, then-Japanese Minister of Imperial Household Affairs, and returned to Korea in 1960. Upon its return, the pagoda was reconstructed at Gyeongbok Palace, instead of its original place, and then moved to its current location in the National Museum of Korea (NMK) in 2005 after a 10-year restoration project. Now the pagoda gets a new life with the museum's digital immersive project "Stories from Each Level of the Gyeongcheon Temple Pagoda." As the sun goes down and darkness falls in

May 25, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Digital technology gives visitors immersive museum experience

Japanese pro-wrestler in Netflix's 'Terrace House' dies at 22

Hana Kimura, a Japanese pro-wrestler and a cast member of Netflix reality show “Terrace House,” has died. Screen captured from TwitterHana Kimura, a Japanese pro-wrestler who appeared in the latest series of the popular reality show “Terrace House,” has died. She was 22.Her organization Stardom Wrestling confirmed Kimura's death on Saturday. It said details are still largely unknown and the group was cooperating in an investigation, and asked her fans to be respectful.“We are very sorry to report that our Hana Kimura has passed away,” the organization said in a statement. Kimura was found dead at her home, Japanese media said. Kimura became the target of massive bullying on social media over her role on the “Terrace House” show on Netflix, which involves three men and three women temporarily living together at a shared house in Tokyo. The show was temporarily suspended due to the coronavirus.In her latest Instagram posting Friday, she published a photo of herself and her cat, with a message saying “Goodbye.” Another posting

May 24, 2020
Japanese pro-wrestler in Netflix's 'Terrace House' dies at 22

Museums employ VR to draw visitors in times of COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 has forced museums to turn to online platforms to reach people who are craving culture while they are isolated at home.The unprecedented coronavirus pandemic, which broke out in late December 2019 and has now engulfed the world, portends to reshape our lives, and the world order as we know it. This is the thirteenth in a series of articles to cast light on the changes that might lie ahead. ― ED.By Kwon Mee-yooCOVID-19 has forced art museums and galleries to close temporarily, but museums have turned to online platforms to reach people craving culture while they are isolated at home. The Savina Museum of Contemporary Art in northwestern Seoul saw a surge in digital viewers of its virtual reality (VR) exhibitions after the COVID-19 outbreak. The private museum was one of the first in Korea to offer VR exhibitions in 2012 and it now has an archive of 29 VR exhibitions available online. "We didn't want our long-prepared exhibitions to be wasted after they closed. We wanted to preserve exhibitions as they were displayed, not just through a printed catalogue," said Kang Jae-hyun,

May 24, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Museums employ VR to draw visitors in times of COVID-19 pandemic

Play 'Grounded' examines surveillance state

Cha Ji-yeon performs as the pilot in a scene from the play "Grounded" at Wooran Art Scape 2 in Seoul. / Courtesy of Wooran Foundation and Project Group IldaBy Kwon Mee-yooThe play “Grounded,” staged at Wooran Art Scape 2 in Seoul through Sunday, throws a few well-timed questions on gender, warfare and technology.The one-hander by American playwright George Brant revolves around a fighter pilot whose life takes an unexpected turn as she gets “grounded” from flying for being pregnant and delivering a baby. After years of maternity leave tending her family, she reports her return to her commander, expecting to fly, but instead gets assigned as a member of the "Chair Force" who operates remote-controlled drones over the opposite side of the world.Instead of actually flying over the sky of faraway lands, the pilot works a 12-hour shift at Creech Air Force Base in Nevada. Her new day begins at a home near Las Vegas, where her husband works as a blackjack dealer, and the pilot drives across the desert, in the safety of remoteness, to control her drone that is flying

May 21, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Play 'Grounded' examines surveillance state

Foundation researches Korean cultural assets in German archabbey

Archabbot Norbert Weber, left, and Father Canut D'Avernas filming a silent documentary "Korean Wedding" in 1925 / Courtesy of St. Ottilien Archabbey and OKCHFBy Kwon Mee-yoo"The Korean Collection at the Mission Museum of St. Ottilien Archabbey" published by the Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation / Courtesy of OKCHFThe Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage Foundation (OKCHF) published a research report on the Korean collection of the Mission Museum of St. Ottilien Archabbey, Germany, Monday. "The Korean Collection at the Mission Museum of St. Ottilien Archabbey" is the 15th book in the foundation's Overseas Korean Cultural Heritage series. The book elaborates on some 1,800 artifacts from the archabbey museum, collected by missionaries of St. Ottilien Archabbey, who were stationed in theBenedictine Abbey ― now the Catholic University of Korea in Hyewha-dong, Seoul ― from 1909."We hope that this catalogue will strengthen the groundwork for future research on the Korean collections of overseas museums, thus helping to enhance the public's knowledge of Korea's overseas cultural heri

May 19, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo

Gwangju Pro-democracy Movement remembered through immersive theater

A scene from immersive play "I Was Not in Gwangju" staged at the Asia Culture Center / Courtesy of Asia Culture CenterBy Kwon Mee-yooForty years ago today, residents of Gwangju gathered and protested against martial law imposed by Chun Doo-hwan's military junta. The 10-day Gwangju Uprising played a significant role in helping move forward the democratization in Korea.The Asia Culture Center (ACC) in Gwangju offers a variety of events to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the pivotal moment in modern history as Korea made its way to true democracy.The immersive play "I Was Not in Gwangju,” which runs from May 12 to 18, literally invites audiences to the historic 10 days from the front gate of the Chonnam National University and Gwangju Station to the South Jeolla Provincial Office building, which is now part of the ACC.Award-winning director Koh Sun-woong of Playfactory Mabangzen helmed the production. As the title hints, the play is for those who weren't part of the Gwangju Pro-democracy Movement. Koh aims to give the audience an experience of the atmosphere in a grass roots'

May 17, 2020By Kwon Mee-yoo
Gwangju Pro-democracy Movement remembered through immersive theater

Biographical musical of 'samul nori' master will be staged

Seen is a scene of promotional footage played during a press conference for “The Story of Kim Duk-soo,” a biographical musical of percussion master Kim at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, Seoul, Monday. YonhapBy Park Ji-wonA biographical musical portraying traditional percussion master Kim Duk-soo's rigorous pursuit toward the establishment of a new musical genre “samul nori” over the past decades will be staged. Kim himself performed in the musical along with his crew.“The story of Kim Duk-soo,” a musical directed by Park Geun-hyung and led by executive producer Lee Dong-yeon, will be staged at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts on May 28 to 31.The musical, which will be jointly produced by the Chung Mong-Koo Foundation and the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts, visits Kim's personal stories about his passion for the folk performance and troupe artists who were derided as “clowns” while highlighting how samul nori was born and Kim's role in making it happen.“As a clown, I was able to have up-close-and-persona

May 13, 2020By Park Ji-won
Biographical musical of 'samul nori' master will be staged

Design House CEO dissects world of design

From left are Kim Youn-young, President of Yong Su San, Italian Ambassador Federico Failla, Sin Wah Wong, the ambassador's spouse, and Lee Young-hye, President of Design House. Courtesy of Corea Image Communication Institution (CICI)By Dong Sun-hwaLee Young-hye, president and CEO of media company Design House, discussed the A-to-Z of the Korean design industry during her lecture on Tuesday at the firm's headquarters in Jung-gu, Seoul. Lee founded Design House in 1976, when the concept of “design” was unfamiliar to most people in Korea. She has blazed a trail in the field by producing numerous design-focused publications such as “Monthly Design.” From left are Lee Young-hye, Crystal Park, interpreter and professor at HUFS, Sin Wah Wong, Federico Failla and Didier Beltoise, President of Cs. Courtesy of CICIThe global culture promotion advocacy Corea Image Communication Institution (CICI) invited her to talk as part of its 5.4 Club & Korea CQ Forum. The forum aims to bring together opinion leaders from around the world.Some 20 opinion leaders including Italia

May 13, 2020By Dong Sun-hwa
Design House CEO dissects world of design
previous page
125126127128129
next page

Most Read in Lifestyle