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CEO & Publisher: Oh Young-jinDigital News Email: webmaster@koreatimes.co.krTel: 02-724-2114Online newspaper registration No: 서울,아52844Date of registration: 2020.02.05Masthead: The Korea TimesCopyright © koreatimes.co.kr. All rights reserved.

Video art explores freedom

Clemens von Wedemeyer’s "Metropolis — Report from China" (2004-2006) / Courtesy of Utopian Days and the artistBy Kwon Mee-yooA group of 24 international artists express their thoughts and ideas on freedom at "Utopian Days," a video art festival at the Totla Museum of Contemporary Art in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul. Curated by Haily Grenet, Martin Schulze and Yang Jeong-sun, video art displays explore the subject of freedom in various ways, starting from a footage of an artist dancing in front of a blank billboard (Filippo Minelli's "You might call it a crisis but i's silence to me") to another artist burning his clothes until he gets naked (He Yunchang's "Nirvana Flesh"). Grenet said they picked the theme "freedom" because it is not something definitive, but a food for thought. "We don't provide answer, but seek and research about freedom," the French curator said. The exhibition is packed with neat ideas from young curators. Instead of old-fashioned name plate, they placed QR codes next to each artist's work, connecting to the website introducing the artist.Some of the notab

Apr 11, 2014
Video art explores freedom

AROUND TOWN 2

Clubs The OctagonNonhyeon Near the New Hilltop Hotel in Nonhyeon, this club is notable for its stylish interior and elite clientele. The venue offers a club stage, lounge bar and dining area to satisfy any night out after work or on the weekend. Near exit 4 of Hakdong Station on subway line 7. For more information, call (02) 516-8847. Club VolumeItaewon Offering a venue for specially-themed weekly events and world-class DJs, Club Volume is located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong Station. Club Volume was listed by Time magazine among the “10 things to do in 24 hours in Seoul.” For more information, call 1544-2635. Once in a Blue MoonApgujeong Once in a Blue Moon is one of the best known and well established jazz clubs in the city. It features live jazz sets from two different bands every night, usually starting at 7:30 p.m. It is located between the Hakdong intersection and Galleria department stores in the posh district of Apgujeong. For more information, call (02) 549-5490 or visit www.onceinabluemoon.co.kr. Club AnswerCheongdam&nbs

Apr 10, 2014By Baek Byung-yeul
AROUND TOWN 2

AROUND TOWN 1

Classical Concerts ‘Singing 100 Years of Folk Song’Sejong Center for the Performing Arts*April 12 The Seoul Metropolitan Junior Chorus will sing folk songs composed by Korean composers including Lee Young-jo, Shin Dong-il, Kim Myung-ja, Ryu Geon-ju and Ahn hyo-young at the Sejong Center for the Perfoming Arts in central Seoul on April 12. Tickets cost 25,000 won for all seats. For more information, call (02) 399-1114 or visit www.sejongpac.or.kr. GAIA QuartetSejong Center for the Performing Arts*April 15 GAIA Quartet, consisting of violinist Jung Ji-hye, Choe Hye-sung, Violist Kim Seong-eun and Cellist Park Eun-joo, will perform at the Sejong Center for the Performing Arts April 15. Tickets are 20,000 to 30,000 won. For more information, call (02) 717-7012 or visit www.sejongpac.or.kr. Ian BostridgeGoyang Aram Nuri Arts Center*April 19 Grammy-nominated British tenor Ian Bostridge will perform with pianist Julius Drake at the Goyang Aram Nuri Arts Center on April 19. Bostridge will sing Schumann’s “Dein Angesicht Op. 127 No.2,&rdqu

Apr 10, 2014By Baek Byung-yeul
AROUND TOWN 1

Throwing new light on old treasures

“Human Figure,” China, early 8th centuryNational museum’s latest acquisitions highlight traditional Asian art  By Baek Byung-yeul The National Museum of Korea (NMK) has been ambitious in purchasing of Asian artworks since moving into its massive complex in Yongsan, downtown Seoul, in 2005. The museum’s new exhibition, "New Acquisitions of Asian Art," provides the first glimpse into this expanding collection. The display features 66 items, including highly-rated treasures from China, Japan, India and Southeast Asian nations. They represent the cream of the crop of the museum’s assemblage of non-Korean artifacts, now at around 400, says NMK director Kim Young-na."I think this will provide a great opportunity for visitors to expand their knowledge of the artistic heritage of other Asian nations and celebrate the diversity in cultures," Kim said.“Goddess,’’ India, 10th centuryAbout half the artifacts in display are from China, from the bronze ware of Shang Dynasty (1,600 B.C.-1,046 B.C.) to artworks of Qing Dynasty (1644-1912). Fo

Apr 7, 2014
Throwing new light on old treasures

Balance of lyricism and passion

Russian piano virtuoso Mikhail Pletnev to return with Schubert, Scriabin Mikhail Pletnev will perform in Seoul in June for the first timesince 2004. / Courtesy of MastmediaBy Do Je-haeRussian pianist Mikhail Pletnev halted his solo career six years ago, complaining of the poor quality of modern instruments and shifting his focus toward conducting. Last year he announced that he would restart his piano career and has since been seen in Moscow and Verbier, among other venues, easing himself back to the instrument that lifted him to international stardom in the 1980s. The New York Times has described him as "arguably the most distinctive and idiosyncratically remarkable of living pianists."Pletnev will be appearing here as a pianist for the first time since 2004. He will be playing two sonatas by Schubert and preludes by Scriabin at Seoul Arts Center on June 1. Incidentally, another Russian virtuoso Evgeny Kissin just wrapped up a Schubert-Scriabin program at the same venue, giving local audiences a rare opportunity to compare how these two Russian greats approach works by the two

Apr 6, 2014By Do Je-hae
Balance of lyricism and passion

Poignant resistance

“Rapture” by Iranian artist Shirin Neshat will be displayed at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) Seoul through July 13. / Courtesy of the artist and Gladstone GalleryIranian artist captures stunning images of female suppressionShirin NeshatBy Kwon Mee-yooA Muslim woman, much of her head wrapped in a hijab, calmly gazes into the camera, her face overlaid with Iranian poems written in elegant calligraphy. This is a surreal and disturbing image even before we account for the gun pointed at her face.The photo is one of the many works of Iranian artist Shirin Neshat now on display at the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) Seoul. Her pieces represent the first part of the museum’s “MMCA — Asia Project” aimed at highlighting the works of contemporary Asian artists.Neshat’s strength is her ability to bring a personal perspective to the universal theme that is female suppression. Her works are highly representative of the realities in Iran, where women continue to feel sidelined from society and culture. Her works are

Apr 4, 2014By Kwon Mee-yoo
Poignant resistance

AROUND TOWN

Classical Concerts ‘11 a.m. Concert’Seoul Arts Center*April 10 Gangnam Symphony Orchestra, led by conductor Bae Jong-hun, will perform at the Seoul Arts Center on April 10 with violinist Kim Hyun-mi and bassoonist Lee Min-ho. They will play Mozart’s “Opera Le Nozze di Figaro,” Beethoven’s “Symphony No. 1 in C Major, Op. 21” and Weber’s “Concerto for Bassoon in F Major, Op. 75.” Tickets cost 20,000 to 25,000 won. For more information, call (02) 580-1300 or visit www.sac.or.kr. ‘Singing 100 Years of Folk Song’Sejong Center for the Performing Arts*April 12 The Seoul Metropolitan Junior Chorus will sing folk songs composed by Korean composers including Lee Young-jo, Shin Dong-il, Kim Myung-ja, Ryu Geon-ju and Ahn hyo-young at the Sejong Center for the Perfoming Arts in central Seoul on April 12. Tickets cost 25,000 won for all seats. For more information, call (02) 399-1114 or visit www.sejongpac.or.kr. GAIA QuartetSejong Center for the Performing Arts*April 15 GAIA Quartet, consis

Apr 3, 2014By Baek Byung-yeul
AROUND TOWN

Living Design Fair attracts record crowd

A dining room designed by Dodot, a local living design brand/ Courtesy of Seoul Living Design FairBy Yun Suh-youngThe annual Seoul Living Design Fair ended its five-day run on Sunday after attracting the largest number of visitors in its 20-year history.More than 210,000 people visited the event at COEX in southern Seoul where 200 companies around the world featured their cutting-edge furniture and interior design items under the theme of “Happy Family.”Casamia, a Korean company, won the exhibition’s Grand Prize with its “Room of Time” display booth, which highlighted the way digital technology is influencing the designs and functions of furniture.Several European companies, such as Italy’s Pininfarina and Italdesign-Giugiaro and the Netherlands’ Studio INEKEHANS and Studio Schrofer were also represented at COEX.“ Big name brands were here, but small and medium-sized brands were also more noticeable this year than before,” said Koo Jin-hoe, exhibition manager of Design House which co-hosted the event with COEX.“Past exhibiti

Mar 31, 2014
Living Design Fair attracts record crowd

Art, reality TV begin strange coexistence

Suh Wu-tak’s “Whale”By Kwon Mee-yoo“Art Star Korea,” the country’s first reality competition show focused on contemporary art, aired its first episode Sunday on cable channel StoryOn.Hosted by singer-turned-actress Jung Ryeo-won, the show’s first mission tasked 15 competitors to create an artwork that would challenge the public’s preconceptions about art.The artists, many of them displaying offbeat personalities, presented works ranging from paintings and installations to a rap performance. Some of the works were difficult to interpret, but the artists were able to reveal their creative processes, helping viewers understand their meanings.The most surprising work came from Cha Ji-ryang, who rapped in front of the judges, questioning the authoritative nature of the show and the art community.A video he made featured some of his fellow participants and at the end of his rap, Cha requested that the judges eliminate him.The judges, however, enjoyed the provocative performance and ranked him as one of the top three contestants.Actress Jung R

Mar 31, 2014
Art, reality TV begin strange coexistence

Poetry in music

British tenor Ian Bostridge will perform two Schumann song cycles at Goyang Arts Center on April 19. / Courtesy of Goyang Cultural FoundationSchumann's song collections bring Heinrich Heine's poems to lifeRobert Schumann expressed his admiration for wife and muse Clara in “Dichterliebe,” a collection of 16 songs using the text of Heinrich Heine./ Korea Times fileBy Do Je-haeA major event in this season's vocal offerings is the return of British tenor Ian Bostridge to Korea for the first time in six years.He will bring an all-Schumann program accompanied by Julius Drake on the piano for a rare song recital at the Goyang Arts Center on April 19. The Bostridge-Drake partnership has resulted in many successful tours and recordings, including their highly-acclaimed Schumann recording for EMI several years ago. Bostridge is among the foremost specialists in 19th century "lied" or song. Bostridge will perform "Dichterliebe" and "Liederkreis Op. 24.” Both cycles are from Schumann's "Liederjahr" or year of song, referring to his almost exclusive devotion to song co

Mar 28, 2014By Do Je-hae
Poetry in music
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