 Art Festival |
An independent art festival featuring various performances and events will take place in Busan this weekend.
The inaugural edition of the Busan Independent Art Festival will open Friday for a three-day run through various indoor and outdoor venues around Pusan National University.
Pusan National University is the southern port city’s equivalent of Seoul’s Hongdae area, as it represents a thriving underground youth culture.
Some 10 unique cafes, theaters and alternative art spaces will turn into stages for over 20 events including hip-hop, “gugak” (Korean traditional music), b-boying and modern dance performances, as well as indie flick screenings and exhibitions.
“The Pusan National University area became a place for alternative youth culture in the 1970s and ’80s, and thrived with the introduction of non-mainstream music such as rock and hip-hop as well as the development of mass media,” say festival organizers in a press release.
“Alternative independent culture has thrived in niche venues and lifestyles, without the foundation of a set space or system. The indie art scene in the area runs on both artistic and economic drives. This culture can be understood via these informal venues that have catered to this culture. It is necessary to shed light on how art manifests through specific spaces and meets the audience.”
Festival-goers can look forward to dance-offs by reputed hip-hop crews/dancers such as Masstige, Critic, G.L., Prizmoliq and ex8er at the hot spot for the genre, Interplay, Friday at 8 p.m.
Local indie bands such as Rounding Cube, Stakatoz, Stoned, Self Made Hero and Genius will convene at 10 p.m., Friday, at the Basement.
The following night a Halloween party will take place at the same venue. There will be a costume fashion show and contest. Partygoers who don’t feel like dressing up for Halloween can check out the Acoustic Sound Parties that are set to take place at 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
The festival also invites bands/musicians from other areas around the country. Yamagata Tweakster from Seoul, ERSM from Gwangju and Kim Jong-rak from Daegu will convene for a joint concert 6 p.m., Friday, at Club Moo-Monk.
Won Chon will host gugak performances on Friday and Saturday evenings. The first show will feature impromptu interplays among bamboo flutes such as “daegeum” and “danso,” string instruments such as “geomungo” and the human voice through the operatic art of “pansori.”
There will also be outdoor performances and lunches throughout the course of the festival.
For more information, visit cafe.naver.com/indiefesta or call (051) 518-4578.
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