Lifestyle - The Korea Times

Colorful creations by pioneer of digital fine art

By Kwon Mee-yoo A variety of colors highlight the unique composition and texture shown in Tak Young-kyung’s paintings. These drawings may resemble other abstract work, but the tool is different — instead of a brush, the artist used a computer to create them. Tak, 72, is a pioneer in digital fine art in Korea. Previously fine art painter he fell in love with the new technology in mid-1990s. “In 1994, when I first learned to use a Macintosh, the Corel Painter version was only 0.2. It was slow, but I could see that the tools were designed well,” he said. “For instance, there were various kinds of brushes in the program, such as an oil painting brush, watercolor brush, as well as pencil, charcoal, crayon and many more tools. If I were to use all these materials, I would have to go to the market to get them, but I had access to all of them on my computer.” He established the Korea DigiArt Association and held 14 private exhibitions of his works. An ongoing exhibition at the art gallery Road to the Museum near Anguk Station displays 43 works by Tak — all

May 22, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Personal, political memory shared at Be mobile in immobility

By Kwon Mee-yoo A unique exhibition exploring the life and memory of modern people through various means titled “Be mobile in immobility (The materialized memory)” is being held at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Pyeongchang-dong, Seoul. Fourteen artists from five countries turned the two-story museum into a warehouse of memories in an artistic way. Six artists from Rijks Academy of Fine Art in the Netherlands initiated the project and invited more artists from various regions. The keyword of the project is “participation” and they seek to do collective work. Fahrettin Orenli from Turkey said, “We are artists and we want to be more diverse.” He is visiting Korea to organize the exhibition. The multinational artists collect experience and memory, materialize them and transfer them to another place. In other words, they try to share personal, communal, social and political memories through various methods of art, such as drawing, videotaping, installation works and photography. They claim that they all have “wanderlust” in common, which also serves as the co

May 20, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Clubs, art exhibitions & sports games

Clubs Underlounge Seoul Hongdae or Hongik University Area This is the local club of a hip Japanese chain that also has a branch in Shanghai. Located in the famous clubbing area, Hongdae, it’s all flashy with loud music and lights. Spacious, with a supersized crystal ball hanging over your head, DJs from near and far make music while you can hang out at the bar or classy private rooms. Located near the main entrance of Hongik Univ. Call (02) 325-5715 or visit www.underlounge.kr. Club M2 Hongdae M2 features top DJs from home and abroad. The dance floor and the DJ are in the center of the club, which attracts a trendy crowd along with models and celebrities. Packed on the weekends. Visit www.ohoo.net. Club Volume Itaewon Located in the Crown Hotel near Noksapyeong subway station Club Volume offers the finest venue for specially themed weekly events and talented international DJs for unforgetable nights of dancing and debauchery. Reborn after extensive renovations to maintain its reputation of a quality club with a superior sound system, luxurious setting and st

May 19, 2011

Concerts, museums & theater

Classical concerts 2011 Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music Sejong Center for the Performing Arts*, Seoul Arts Center* (See ‘Venues’ on right for more information) Through May 22 The Seoul Spring Festival of Chamber Music, which was launched in 2006 under the auspices of Seoul City, has become one of the region’s top classical music events. Under the theme “Pianissimo,” the festival showcases a variety of piano pieces including those featuring dance and the pianoforte, the 18th-century predecessor to the modern instrument. Tickets cost 10,000 to 40,000 won. For more information call (02) 720-3933. Bass Youn Kwang-chul in Recital Hoam Art Hall* May 26, 28 Praised by The New York Times as “standing small, singing big, all sulfur and zest,” bass Youn Kwang-chul will hold two recitals. The internationally acclaimed singer will perform music by Robert Schumann as well as classical Korean songs. Tickets cost 50,000 won. For more information call (02) 751-9607~10. SUJI Opera ‘La Traviata’ Seoul Arts Center* May 27-29 SUJI Opera, led by artistic director Suji Park,

May 19, 2011

Walkerhill presents Legend of Flower

By Kwon Mee-yoo The Walkerhill Theatre presents “Legend of Flower,” an original production featuring Korean traditional dance with a contemporary edge. Launched in April 2010, the show has attracted more than 200,000 people, about half of them foreigners. The troupe was also invited to China last year and performed twice. “Legend of Flower” revolves around two lovers, Ara and Mir, and portrays a compelling and romantic tale in their bid to overcome the evil Mamawang’s conspiracy. The 75-minute show features four-themed scenes — flower, water and fire, wind and golden earth. It also includes “buchae-chum” (fan dance), “salpuri-chum” (spirit-cleansing dance) and other traditional Korean dances. B-boy dance performances and intense martial arts sequences also add a modern touch, along with a breathtaking tightrope dance. Jung Ho-boong, a professor of Korean traditional music at Chung-Ang University, directed the show. The show offers a Korean dinner menu for the audience to enjoy while watching the show at an additional cost. A choice of Western, seafood, veget

May 18, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Natl Opera returns with romantic comedy

By Lee Hyo-won After showcasing local premieres of works that are rarely staged even in Europe, the Korea National Opera returns with a classic romantic comedy. The troupe will restage its 2009 rendition of Donizetti’s “L’Elisir d’Amore” Thursday through Sunday at Seoul Arts Center, offering family audiences something upbeat and ticklishly funny but not without poignant, melodramatic moments. It will also offer zest and rhythm amid a stylish backdrop that surpasses the appeal of contemporary musicals. The original opera is set in a provincial 18th-century Italian village, where the penniless Nemorino romances the beautiful landowner Adina. But our hero must compete against the arrogant Sergeant Belcore for Adina’s heart, and resorts to buying an “elisir d’amore” or love potion from the traveling salesman Dulcamara. As typical of rom-coms, the coldhearted beauty returns his affections more or less without the help of the potion. In the Korean version, artistic director Lee So-young takes the story to a more abstract setting and time, to outer space where baseball-shaped pl

May 18, 2011

Traditional musical instruments at a glance

By Chung Ah-young To mark the 60th anniversary of its foundation, the National Gugak Center is displaying a collection of historical relics from traditional musical instruments to books and sheets. The special exhibition, held in conjunction with the National Museum of Korea, continues through June 26. Consisting of three parts, the exhibition is intended to show the origins and development of the musical instruments from the prehistoric age to modern times with more than 150 historical relics, including 30 restored instruments. “The instruments were the medium to communicate with God and the means for carrying holiness in the past. They were important tools to complete the atmosphere of the hilarious festivals and solemn rituals for the dead,” Kim Young-na, director of the museum, said. “The impetus to make our hearts beat can be found in our music. This exhibition is significant in that the two institutions — the symbols of tangible and intangible cultural heritage keepers — have organized together.” Park Il-hoon, director of the center, said that i

May 17, 2011

Korean Shakespeare production to hit Globe Theater stage in 2012

By Chung Ah-young A Korean production of William Shakespeare’s romantic comedy “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” will go on stage at the Globe Theater in London in April next year. Cor Cordium, the promotion agency of Yohangza Company, said that the Korean adaptation of the play will be performed at London’s prestigious theater as a representative Korean Shakespearean work but the exact date has not been decided. Following in Shakespeare words, “All the world’s a stage,” 38 troupes, including Yohangza, from around the globe will stage Shakespeare’s works in different languages during a theater season to celebrate the London 2012 Olympics. The special program will take place for six weeks beginning next year on April 23, the playwright’s birthday as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad to mark the Summer Games. The Globe was a theater associated with Shakespeare and built in 1599 but destroyed by fire in 1613 and rebuilt in 1614 operating until 1642 when it closed. The modern theater was reconstructed and reopened in 1997. “It is very meaningful for the company in tha

May 16, 2011

Sociological imagination at Art Space Geumcheon

By Kwon Mee-yoo Check out the studios of 20 artists from six countries at Seoul Art Space Geumcheon (SAG), southwestern Seoul. “The Sociological Imagination of the City,” which consists of an open studio and an exhibition, will be held from Thursday until June 8 to explore the wide range of sociological possibilities within art. The term, originally coined by the American sociologist C. Wright Mills, refers to the ability to analyze the connection between individual experiences and societal relationships. This exhibition aims to explore how the artists in residence of SAG transform personal experience and memories into tangible objects for society to examine in an intellectual and aesthetic way. “We also aim to investigate Seoul’s sociological imagination and suggest alternative ideas,” Kim Hee-young, manager of SAG, said. At the opening on Thursday, artist Kim Jung-ok, 32, will present interior drawings of factories to factory owners as a part of his “One Factory One Painting” project. Kim studied Korean painting at Chung-Ang University and moved into SAG

May 16, 2011By Kwon Mee-yoo

Weekender Pushing limits of visceral expression

Contemporary dance takes center stage this month By Lee Hyo-won Some consider modern dance to be an acquired taste — experimental pieces in particular easily invite confounded glances as they push the boundaries of space and sometimes even time. (Think of Parsons Dance Company’s gravity-defying piece, “Caught,” in which the soloist performs more than 100 leaps in less than six minutes). These performances often are non-narrative, non-musical or filled with disjointed body movements that can hardly be considered dance (or at least one’s idea of what dance is). The body sometimes contorts in ways that are uncomfortable to watch, and one may feel at a loss when the boundary between performer and audience disappears without a trace. Yet dance is a very visceral form of human expression, which, like any other form of art, evokes a wide range of emotions. The beauty of contemporary performances is that they leave much room for interpretation. Viewers can no longer sit back and passively take in the happenings onstage. So get ready to switch off your prejudices and t

May 12, 2011

Arts & Theater