Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Van Gogh revisited (8)

This is the eight in a series of Vincent van Gogh’s works that is featured as part of the works on display at the exhibition titled “Van Gogh in Paris: a Dialogue with Modernism” at Seoul Arts Center. ― ED.Vincent van Gogh first attempted self-portraits in the spring of 1886 while studying at Cormon’s studio but did not concentrate on them till the autumn of that year in Paris. When he started painting self-portraits there, he thought the results were promising. He produced a total of 27 self-portraits during his Paris period.In the self-portraits, Van Gogh put red hatchings and green dots in the background, which were his first experiments with the Pointillist technique. His 1887 painting “Self-Portrait with Glass,” done with oil on canvas, from the Gemeente Museum collection, is one of them.

Nov 21, 2012

Exhibit traces Korean ethnic roots

“Yeolseongjosugyo,” an ancient book, which was produced for the descendants of Kim Yu-shin, a Silla general under the commission of the previous kings, is on display at the exhibition titled “My Name is Ploenchit and I am the Mother of Hyun-su.” The exhibition shows lives and cultures ofimmigrant women who married Korean men at the Jokbo (Genealogy) Museum in Daejeon through Feb. 28 next year.                                                               /Courtesy of National Folk Museum of KoreaBy Chung Ah-youngPloenchit Winthachai, 39, came to Korea nine years ago from Thailand after marrying a Korean man who worked as a travel agent in her country. She is mother of Park Hyun-su and Su-bin and is one of an increasing number of immigrant women who settled here far away from their homes.Many immigrant married women are facing discrimination and homesickness while adjusting to Korean socie

Nov 21, 2012

Van Gogh revisited (7)

This is the seventh in a series of Vincent van Gogh’s works that is featured as part of the works on display at the exhibition titled “Van Gogh in Paris: a Dialogue with Modernism” at Seoul Arts Center. ― ED. Vincent van Gogh wanted to continue painting figures after he left Cormon’s studio, but it was impossible to get all the models he needed. In a letter to his sister Willemien, he wrote he had not “had the opportunity to find models” and decided instead “to study the question of color.” He also said in a letter to Theo in August that he “painted almost nothing but flowers,” thanks to helpful acquaintances “who sent him deliveries … every week.”His 1886 painting “Vase with Carnations,” done with oil on canvas, from the Gemeente Museum collection, is one of them.

Nov 20, 2012

Pianist Radu Lupu shines bright in all-Schubert program

Pianist Radu Lupu performs with New York Philharmonic in this undated file photo.                                                                                 / Courtesy of MastmediaBy Do Je-haePianist Radu Lupu wrapped up his first-ever Seoul tour on Monday night with a couple of Beethoven concertos. But it is the all-Schubert program on Saturday that brought out the best of the Romanian piano virtuoso.The 66-year-old artist has been synonymous with Schubert for most of his illustrious career. His Schubert recital at Seoul Arts Center Saturday demonstrated profound musicianship, elegant tone and depth of emotional expression that have helped label him as one of the most respected Schubert interpreters on the stage today.The prime attraction of the recital came after intermission, when Lupu sat down to play the iconic D. 960 sonata in B-flat major, the last of Schubert’s 18 pian

Nov 20, 2012By Do Je-hae

Pianist Radu Lupu shines bright in all-Schubert program

Life of Daehan's royals is revealed through exhibition

Princess Deokhye and her husband Count So Takeyuki pose in this photo taken in 1931By Kwon Mee-yooThe ups and downs of the royal family from the Daehan Empire, which existed from 1897 to 1910 at the end of Joseon Kingdom, is revealed through photographs in an exhibition.Titled “Photographs of the Daehan Imperial Family: 1880-1989,” the exhibit is currently under way at the National Museum of Art, Deoksu Palace in downtown Seoul.The history of the Daehan Empire interlocks with the time when photography was first introduced to Korea. “Previously, the history only existed as text, but photography opened a new era,” said Lee Sa-bine, curator of the exhibit.Works on display are borrowed from some 18 organizations and individuals, including the Smithsonian Institute and the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.Though the royal family “didn’t live a happy life,” it is interesting enough to see how they reacted to the new culture from the West, introduced by Japan. There were no designated royal photographers, but Westerners such as Percival Lowell as well as

Nov 20, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

Life of Daehan's royals is revealed through exhibition

Van Gogh revisited (6)

This is the sixth in a series of Vincent van Gogh’s works that is featured as part of the works on display at the exhibition titled “Van Gogh in Paris: a Dialogue with Modernism” at Seoul Arts Center. ― ED. Vincent van Gogh began experimenting with color in his still life flower series. By the summer of 1885, the artist created some 40 paintings with a traditional approach, meaning that the flowers were in a vase and placed in the center of the canvas. His 1886 painting “Small Bottle with Peonies and Blue Delphiniums,” done with oil on painter’s board (a cheaper material than canvas), from the Gemeente Museum collection, is one of them.Flowers became the subject of many of the artist’s works during this period. But after painting over 10 species in mid-September, he sought out other subjects including fruit, shoes, fish and budding flower bulbs.

Nov 19, 2012

Nat'l opera company to stage Strauss' operetta

The Korea National Opera will mark its 50th anniversary with performances of “Die Fledermaus” (The Bat) at the Seoul Arts Center from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. / Courtesy of Korea National Opera‘Die Fledermaus’ to be shown for first timeBy Do Je-haeThe Korea National Opera (KNO) has never staged “Die Fledermaus” or “The Bat,” a popular operetta known for memorable dance tunes in the forms of waltzes and polkas.The KNO’s first performance of the piece was organized as the finale for the troupe’s 50th anniversary celebrations which have been ongoing this year, starting with “La Boheme” in March. The national opera company will stage “The Bat” from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 at the Opera House of Seoul Arts Center.The light-hearted mood of the operetta makes it a timely choice for opera-goers during the upcoming holiday season. “This is the first time for us to stage ‘The Bat.’ We are planning to include it as part of our regular repertoire in the future, especially during the year-end season

Nov 19, 2012By Do Je-hae

Nat'l opera company to stage Strauss' operetta

Van Gogh revisited (5)

 This is the fifth in a series of Vincent van Gogh’s works that is featured as part of the works on display at the exhibition titled “Van Gogh in Paris: a Dialogue with Modernism” at Seoul Arts Center. ― ED.Vincent van Gogh lived a life of poverty. After moving to Paris in March 1886, he started to paint still life to suit people's taste. Flowers were one of his favorite subjects as an acquaintance delivered flowers every week.Van Gogh's 1886 painting "Vase with Flowers" from the Gemeente Museum collection in The Hague shows how he studied color through flowers.In a letter he sent to English painter Horace M. Livens in summer 1886, Van Gogh wrote, "I have made a series of colour studies in painting, simply flowers, red poppies, blue corn flowers and myosotys, white and pink roses, yellow chrysanthemums ― seeking oppositions of blue with orange, red and green, yellow and violet seeking les tons rompus et neutres (worn-out and neutral tones) to harmonize brutal extremes."

Nov 18, 2012

'Rudolf,' romantic tale of Austrian prince

Im Tae-kyung, left, playing Rudolf, and Kim Bo-kyung, Mary Vetsera, sing “I Was Born to Love You” during a performance of musical “Rudolf,” which is currently on stage at Chungmu Art Hall in Seoul./ Courtesy of EMK Musical CompanyBy Kwon Mee-yooRiveting music of Frank Wildhorn and the tragedy of two lovers in the new musical “Rudolf” is receiving favorable responses from Korean audiences. With music by Wildhorn and lyrics by Jack Murphy, the musical about Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria, and his lover Baroness Mary Vetsera, opened in Seoul on Nov. 10.The musical could be considered a sequel to “Elisabeth,” staged in Korea from February to May, as Rudolf is the son of Empress Elisabeth of Austria. However, the show is created by totally different people from a different approach.While “Elisabeth,” written by Michael Kunze and composed by Sylvester Levay, is more historically rooted through its German creators, “Rudolf” focuses on the romantic relationship between the crown prince and his lover Mary.The origin of m

Nov 18, 2012By Kwon Mee-yoo

'Rudolf,' romantic tale of Austrian prince

Renaissance exhibition in Seoul

A large collection from the Vatican Museums will be on display at Seoul Arts Center starting Dec. 8. / Courtesy of Edelman KoreaBy Do Je-haeThe Vatican Museums’ Renaissance collection will be exhibited in Korea from Dec.8 to Mar. 31 for the first time. Located in Vatican City State, the Vatican Museums is one of the most prestigious museums in the world with over 5 million annual visitors.Co-hosted by the museum and the Korean Broadcasting System, the exhibition will take place at Hangaram Art Museum in Seoul Arts Center, making it the first exclusive and large-scale exhibition that the museum will hold in Korea.There will be a variety of paintings, decorative arts, sculptures from the Early to the High Renaissance. In particular, several works of the three of the most recognized masters of the High Renaissance will be included in the collection.“We hope that this event can be an inspirational opportunity for the Korean people to experience the Renaissance arts and to get to know more about the Vatican City State and its commitment to sharing great art with the publi

Nov 16, 2012By Do Je-hae

Arts & Theater