Recent Books

A Story of Modern Art in New York

Joo Ji-wan; Munhak Segyesa: 320 pp., 15,000 won

The book guides readers to the hot spots of modern art in New York. The author introduces the comprehensive landscape of the art exhibitions and events and captures them in photos.

The author said that the center of modern art in New York is shifting from Manhattan to Brooklyn and Long Island City. Bushwick in Brooklyn where the author lives is a rising place for young artists who are changing the former industrial plants to workshops and galleries. From art fairs, festivals to the public art projects, the city is an inspiration itself for art lovers.

The book also traces the city as the central international art market and explores various galleries such as the Gagosian Gallery, Gladstone Gallery and Dia: Center for Art, art fairs such as the Armory Show, Scope New York and Pulse New York and auction houses such as Sotheby’s and Christie’s.

Also, the museums such as MoMA and the Whitney Museum of American Art and Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum constitute “Museum Mile.” The book says that it cannot discuss them without the support from the new rich. The wealthy have been devoted to the formation and development of the center of arts.

―Chung Ah-young

House, Space, Sketch

Kim In-sun et al; Cheongmoongak: 188 pp., 13,000 won

Human history is often well expressed in architecture and the forms of houses reflect the economy, culture and society of the time. The houses introduced in this book are interesting cases in view of culture, climate and natural environment.

The book consists of eight chapters _ slow city and slow house; cultural tribes and design trend; housing history as film and drama sets; foreign houses; house and space seen through media and fusion of hanok (Korean traditional house); design and designers; and comfortable house.

From eco-friendly houses, traditional houses to modern houses with up-to-date minimalistic designs, the book presents various types of houses from Korea and Japan to Turkey and China.

The unique designs and artistic architecture by world-renowned architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright, Antoni Gaudi Cornet, Karim Rashid and Philippe Starck are introduced.

The colorful images more vividly illustrate how the human race has developed houses and adapted the natural environment by era and region.

For Korean readers who are accustomed to the uniformed house styles, the book offers inspiring and creative ideas.

Rainwater and You

Han Moo-young and Kang Chang-rae; Alma: 244 pp., 15,000 won

Spring showers have arrived amid escalating fears _ Koreans have long believed that acid rain immediately yields hair loss and now the phobia has deepened with the onset of yellow dust storms and radiation clouds from Japan.

Co-author Han Moo-young, founder of Seoul National University (SNU)’s Rainwater Research Center and laureate of the International Water Association’s 2010 Project Innovation Awards, says the concerns are not only overrated but goes a step further to reveal the positive potentials of the free water supply.

The book bashes common myths. For example, generic shampoos, orange juice and even famous Japanese hot springs are about 100 times more acidic than acid rain, whereas Coca Cola is about 500 times more so. In fact, Han conducted a blind test among SNU students and potable rainwater won 23 votes while tap water and bottled water took six and seven votes

respectively. Among high-end Australian bottled waters, Cloud Juice is made from rainwater.

The book goes on to argue how rain could solve water shortage issues in Korea, since the annual rainfall amounts to some 130 billion tons. Also included in the book are pieces of litmus paper and a color chart for readers to measure the acidity of raindrops.

― Lee Hyo-won

Kim Han-yong Photo Studio

Kim Han-yong; Noonbit Publishing: 452pp., 29,000 won

Kim Han-yong, 88, the doyen of Korean commercial photography, has published a book compiling his work of some 60 years.

The book includes some 270 photos of stars used for commercials, calendars and various magazines. Appearing in this book include stars of the time, such as Shin Sung-il and Um Ang-ran, Im Ye-jin and Kim Ja-ok, who are still active in the entertainment industry.

Kim's photos show the expectations of Koreans in 1960s and 1970s. The commercial photos of the 1970s are historical documents portraying the development of capitalism in Korea.

The latter part of the book includes black-and-white portraits of top stars and social figures.

Some of the portraits, such as that of artist Lee Jung-seop and novelist Park In-hwan, are open to the public for the first time through this book.

Born in 1924, Kim started as a press photographer and founded Kim Han-yong Photo Studio, the first studio for commercial shooting in Korea, in 1959.

― Kwon Mee-yoo