African Union vows total integration on all sectors

Revealed at the press conference held in Seoul on Africa Day
By Richard Yang

PM Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe (6th from left) flanked by V. Minister Sin Gak-su of MOFAT (left) and Amb. Abbas of Sudan (right) with other ambassadors and diplomats

On the occasion of the 25th anniversary of Africa Day, 12 ambassadors and heads of mission residing in Seoul held a press conference and a dinner party at the Samsung Raemian Gallery of Unni-dong in Seoul. The day coincidentally, the Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai of Zimbabwe who was at the time of his official visit to Korea attended to celebrate the Africa Day.

At the press conference, Ambassador Abbas of Sudan who is concurrently a dean among the ambassadors from African nations said that the African Union has in mind to move forward towards total integration of the continent. 

First on the economic sector, there are currently 8 regional economic communities which aim – through gradual regional economic integration processes – to reach the final goal of uniting the African Continent into one large African Economic Community within the next 25 years, and at the same time, under the leadership of the heads of state – represented in the Assembly of the Union and other political sub-structures – towards political integration to be provided via several structures in the Union. Then he noted that Korea has set an example of how a nation suffering from the scourge of war was able in less than half a century to turn itself into the 11th economic power on the planet. This is one thing that Africans would really like to learn from. Then he encouraged Korea to discuss African issues as a host country during the forthcoming G20 Summit in November in Seoul and play a role in a bridge between the developed world and the developing nations.

 Ambassador Mustapha Khammari of Tunisia in Seoul is proud of the fact that the name of “Africa” was originated from the ancient Tunisians who had lived about 2 thousand years ago. According to his comment, in the old Roman Empire, the people who were the ancestors of Tunisian had called the north of African Continent an “Africa terra” (Land of Afri [plural of Afer]) and then he suggested that the journalists covering the event reflect the bright image of Africa and its great potentiality.

 

From Right: V. President Im Hong-Geun of Korea National Oil Corporation, Amb. Akawor of Nigeria in Seoul, and General Manager Chang Sung-jin of Korea National Oil Corporation 

Amb. Khammari of Tunisia flanked by President Chu Hwa-joong (left) of Korea Travel Fair and Vice President Lee Myung-hoon

"Kalpana" Exhibition running through June 11

Showcasing masterpieces of Figurative Indian Contemporary Paintings

Exhibition for 14 figurative Indian artists' masterpieces

By Richard Yang

     Ambassador Tayal of India explains the painting titled "Mother of Teresa" to the audience

The Embassy of India in Seoul and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations hosted an opening ceremony for an exhibition on the theme of “Kalpana - Masterpieces of Figurative Indian Contemporary Paintings” at the Korean Foundation Cultural Center, Joongang Ilbo Building in Seoul at 5 p.m. on May 28, 2010.
Speaking to the guests, Ambassador Skand R. Tayal of India said, “This Exhibition comes at an auspicious time as the Korea Foundation and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations will sign an MoU for cooperation and collaboration next month.” and not sparing in his praise for the artworks, he noted, “The human forms depicted here tell their own stories and express varying emotions. The clothes, the jewelry and the background would transport the sensitive viewer to think, reflect and admire the artists’ perception and his or her interpretation of interesting characters.”

 From left Ambassador Abbas of Sudan and President Timblick of Seoul Global

 Center,and at far right is seen Ambassador Dammen of Indonesia in Seoul

Kalpana, title of the exhibition, means imagination or fantasy in Hindi,
Though the artworks are reprints of original canvases Indian artist Anjolie Ela Menon provided them looking as genuine as they could be by using innovative reprint technology so that audience could fully appreciate the artworks.
Explaining a painting titled “Mother Teresa” by M.F. Hussain,  Third Secretary Ms. Muanpuii Saiawi of Indian Embassy in Seoul who is in charge of the press section said that the artist is called “Picasso of India” and he used to paint large pictures for cinema. He was born in 1915 and still alive. He once shared a pavilion at Sao Paulo Biennale with Picasso in the past, and the artwork is valued at around millions of US dollars.

The exhibition celebrates masterly expressions of the figurative arts as seen in the last 100 years through the works of 14 of India’s best known painters. It displays a diverse range of works by artists who represent different regions of India and also display their unique style, featuring the paintings of Jamini Roy who was deeply influenced by the Kalighat Pat folk art style of Bengal, the distinctive depiction of rural India of Amrita Shergil, the Hindu mythological themes of A. Ramachandran, the bold works of M.F. Hussain who has been called the “Picasso of India,” and the feminist concerns of Anjalie Caur.
This exhibition is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Saturday except on June 2 due to special holiday for local elections. On Wednesday it is open to 9 pm..

Ambassador Fujita of Brazil in Seoul (left) with Artist Khan who is

concurrently the art & culture consultant of The Korea Post 

Thrid Secretary Saiawi of Indian Embassy in Seoul

Interview with noted Korean Nacre Artist Kim Young-jun

Interview with CEO Kim Young-jun of Gookbo Art Inc.

‘Finding lost lights’

In May 2008, Bill Gates, the then Chairman of Microsoft, presented a game console ‘X-box’ covered with traditional Korean mother-of-pearl to President Lee Myung-bak of Korea at the Presidential Office of Cheong Wa Dae.
Fascinated by the traditional Korean mother-of-pearl, Chairman Bill Gates decided to produce about 100 advanced ‘X-box’ consoles covered with mother-of-pearl for gifts to VIPs. Mother-of-pearl Artist Kim Young-jun (president of Gookbo Art) designed the mother-of-pearl for ‘X-box 360’. The design depicted apricot flowers and butterflies, symbolizing patience and perseverance.
Captivated by the beauty and light of the Korean traditional lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, Artist Kim Young-jun changed his career from an economic researcher to a craftsman of lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the middle of the 1990s. And he studied design in the United States for two years before founding a company, Gookbo Art, jointly with a talented and experienced furniture designer to design and produce lacquer-wares inlaid with mother-of-pearl. The company produces not only lacquer-wares with inlaid mother-of-pearl but it also designs mother-of-pearl for industrial products such as ‘X-box’, mobile phones and refrigerators for leading electronic manufacturers, including Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics.
Korea’s five thousand year-old history is characterized by craftsmanship of Korean lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl. This traditional technique brings it to the forefront of Korea’s historical cultural heritage while becoming one of important contemporary cultural products. Gookbo Art has been striving to promote global awareness of the traditional artwork while continuing to preserve its cultural heritage. Creation of lacquer-ware requires a delicate touch and fine craftsmanship. It has always been a miraculous endeavor and beautiful to witness the artist at work creating these artworks whose concentration and patience seem at times surreal to casual viewers. Appreciative customers and fans of the art inspire and support artists who create these works in solitude and with discipline. Gookbo Art’s dedication to Korean heritage and tradition is evaluated to be the driving force for reinterpretation and rebirth of traditional value in the eyes of the world.

Artist Kim Young-jun learned techniques of lacquer in Japan and developed methods and mechanisms of painting lacquer, obtaining patents. He also won a number of awards for his artworks. In order to broaden design capability, he is currently studying at an IT design graduate school, and will soon start design of bathroom fixtures together with Italian designers. Meanwhile, Gookbo Art is exporting lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl products while selling them in the domestic market, gaining around 700 million won (approximately $625,000) in sales a year.

“With five thousand year-old history, the lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl is Korea’s unique traditional art. Gookbo Art has been exerting efforts to create new design and techniques of lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl while preserving its cultural heritage,” said Artist Kim Young-jun in a recent interview with The Korea Post. Details of the interview are as follows. Ed.:

Question: You designed mother- of-pearl depicting apricot flowers and butterflies for ‘X-box’ gadget of Microsoft. Please explain the history of Korean traditional lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl in brief.
Answer: In fact, the Korean traditional lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl has five thousand year-old history. The lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl was originated from China, but Chinese used sap of the lacquer in ancient days. And the mother-of- pearl was transmitted from China to Korea and then to Japan. The technique of varnishing with lacquer is more developed in China and Japan than Korea, but craftsmanship of lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl is developed in Korea only. The lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of- pearl requires very complex and difficult techniques, taking 15 different processes. During the Goryeo Dynasty, the government ran lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl factories. They made lacquer-wares for royal use such as rice bowls, beds and boxes of wedding gifts for princesses. And the government also presented them to visiting foreign envoys as gifts. Since the mother-of-pearl produced in Tongyeong was most beautiful in the country, lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl products in the region earned fame. Those lacquer-wares with inlaid mother-of-pearl presented to foreign diplomats in those days are still housed in museums in the United Kingdom, France, the Netherlands, and Japan. In September 2006, the National Museum of Korea held a special exhibition of Korean traditional lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl artworks borrowed from museums in other countries.

Q: What is your philosophy about Korean lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl?
A: The lacquer-ware with inlaid mother-of-pearl is the unique traditional culture of Korea. But that beautiful traditional culture is disappearing. People of the country are forgetting preciousness and value of Korean traditional handicraft. Mother-of-pearl with brilliant colors and lacquer with subdued light are spotlighted as eco-friendly and well-being products. Charmed by gorgeous colors of mother-of-pearl and maturity of lacquer, I changed my career from an economic researcher to a lacquer craftsman. Mother-of-pearl particularly shows different colors depending on intensity of light. I am thrilled with broad range of its colors.


Q: What would you say more about lacquer and mother-of-pearl?
A: Lacquer is very beneficial for our health. I may say it is a ‘paint with thousand year-lifespan endowed by God’. With functions of resisting to insects, water and printing, lacquer is widely used in many areas. Beauty of artworks and furniture painted with lacquer can remain unchanged for one thousand years. It also can block off harmful materials and prevent atopic diseases when it is painted on walls. I am exploring new things out of traditional heritages. I am combining modern design with traditional lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl. We attach mother-of-pearl to game gadgets, refrigerators, air conditioners, shower booths, automobiles, and pipe organs as well as woods. There exist more than 100 different kinds of mother-of-pearls. I hope I can internationalize traditional lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl and communicate it with modern design by reinterpreting it in modern terms. In other words, I want to illuminate the once-forgotten lights of Korean traditional lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl in the international arena. In particular, companies in Germany are sponsoring to hold an exhibition of artworks in that country once a year.

Q: Do you have any suggestions to the government?
A: Prices of lacquer-wares inlaid with mother-of-pearl are high as mother-of-pearl products require manual works of craftsmen with skillful techniques. But they are suffering from difficulties due to under-evaluated prices of such artworks. And young people are reluctant to learn techniques of traditional lacquer-ware inlaid with mother-of-pearl, requiring support of the government to inherit and train craftsmanship to younger generations. Japanese government, for instance, is buying traditional craftworks in support of craftsmen.

For more information visit his website at: http://www.knacre.kr/ or http://www.gookbo.com/

So-Yeun Lee: A solo exhibition of self-portrait entitled, 'Memento Caligini!' - Remember the Darkness

Running through June 11, 2010

Artist Ms. So-Yeun Lee opens a solo exhibition of self-portraits

Artist Ms. So-Yeun Lee opened a solo exhibition at the Cais Gallery(http://www.caisgallery.com/) in Cheongdam-dong, Seoul on May 14, 2010 where she put on display a total of 19 paintings on the theme of Memento Caligini (Remember the Darkness) which derives from Latin. The exhibition runs through June 11 this year.
It is the fifth one-man show for her but is the first held in Korea, the four others having been held in Germany and other countries outside Korea.
Artist Lee was born in Anseong, Gyeonggi Province in 1971, graduated from Kunstakademie Muenster, Germany.
Having worked actively in Germany, Ms. Lee has had her exhibitions in Japan and Europe. There have been formed a numerous collector levels possessing her works in various places such as Achenbach Art Consulting, Colombus Art Foundation and t.VIS.t communication
In 2008 she was also selected as a participating artist in an exhibition of Art Spectrum supporting a young artists held at the Samsung Leeum Art Museum.
Ms. Lee is receiving attention from Europe, Japan, and other international art circles for her self-portrait paintings that radiate intense impression and subtle theatrical atmosphere.
While spending life in Germany as a stranger for 10 years, it was a time period of searching ego through portraying herself in various forms based on her personal experience, space, and situation kept within Memory of Darkness in such an unfamiliar environment especially when the identity crisis approached severely as it happened to any other foreigners.

To a layman's eye, however, her self-portrait paintings do not seem to do justice to her real looks. Some viewers find the paintings of her face 'cute' but many agree that she is overly modest and condescending. The Korea Post interviewed Artist Ms. Lee.

Question: All your works are self-portrait paintings. What was the motivation?
Answer: I don’t remember if I had any motivation. I just took interest in figure painting and I have been painting myself not for the purpose of painting self-portrait but for the sake of portrait painting as just one of the media which include costume, accessories, abjets d'art, background, and adjustment of light, etc. Through these media, I try to express what I think, see and feel.


Q: Your paintings are somewhat dreamlike or we get such an impression.
A: Some people say my paintings attract attention of an audience at a first glance and evoke strange feelings, or others call my paintings ‘belonging to the end of the century.’

Q: What made you start painting?
A: I liked drawing very much since I was a little girl. If someone asked me, my answer was almost spontaneous and instinctive that I will be an artist. Painting was about the best thing I liked as if I were an autistic child good for nothing else. I just got lost in paining and I think that it made me what I am.

For further inquiries:
Write to email soyeunlee@hotmail.com