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Asia House Film Festival 
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Vessels at the KCC 
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Category Archives: Exhibitions
Free Words at Mayfair Public Library
20-Aug-08
When I went to the Free Words exhibition at Mayfair Public Library it was a grey Friday evening, and consequently did not see the works at their best. It was the last day of the main show, and the artwork seemed to have been forgotten in a rather drab-feeling, unloved public-sector space on the top floor. Sumer Erek’s work, Newspaper House, was in an unadvertised and unlit side room which looked as if no-one ever went in there. The stairway and main exhibition space was dominated by Marko Stepanov’s fifteen life-size photographs of individual activists at Hyde Park’s Speakers Corner, clearly consistent with the exhibition’s main theme. Quieter but more thought-provoking were Marisol Cavia’s paper sculptures, the most striking ones ...
The Reflection at New Days Gallery
14-Aug-08
News of a three-week exhibition at the New Days Gallery in New Malden:
The reflection
Artist: Dok Hi Kim
Open to public: 16th (Sat) Aug – 6th (Sat) Sep 08
Opening time: 10am-5pm, Tue-Sat (Closed on Sun & Mon)
Venue: Newdays Gallery London
2 Alric Ave, New Malden, KT3 4JN
Enquiry: 0208 286 1335 / 07894 237044
Admission: Free
Encounters with Light and Colour. My paintings are my journey into the realm of light and its offspring, colour. Light that conjures up my dreams of landscape. One can hardly call my paintings Landscapes, yet they refresh the eyes and calm or assault the spirit with the power of natural beauty. Faint suggestions of horizon, light streams, distinctive and well-explored brush strokes and paint surface of varied thickness to ...
Vessels at the KCC
11-Aug-08
The KCC's exhibition for August and September is a juxtaposition of work by British and Korean ceramicists.
Vessels: Ceramicists from Korea & UK
Exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre UK
12 August – 25 September 2008
Participating Artists (in alphabetical order):
Felicity Aylieff | Sena Gu | Jeong Yong Han | Chris Keenan | Sun Kim | Hyejeong Kim | Eun-bum Lee | Yong Phill Lee | Chun Soo Lee | Rupert Spira | Heesook Ko | Sol Yoon
The exhibition presents the unparalleled aesthetics and craftsmanship of the 21st century through the brilliant work of twelve artists. Representing both Korea and the UK, these artists have produced ceramic wonders that are not only breaking new ground but which also incorporate the uniquely congruent language ...
Suh Do-ho in Psycho Buildings
31-Jul-08
Psycho Buildings is a cosmopolitan collaboration in which artists from as far afield as Tokyo and Cuba “take on” architecture. Suh Do-ho (right) is one of the diaspora of Korean artists working in various countries around the world. Like Baik Nam June, Suh has chosen to make his home in America.
Suh’s work has in the past explored aspects of identity, from his Some / one sculpture of a warrior crafted out of US military dog-tags, to his floor made of tiny figures holding up a sheet of glass. In another group of installations, his trademark is the recreation of interiors and exteriors of domestic spaces by carefully hanging sheets of diaphanous silk or nylon. He has created both western and ...
Dae Hun Kwon in The Situation
16-Jul-08
There’s some sort of funky alternative event being held at the funky alternative end of Clapham on Thursday, to do with London Lit Plus:
The Situation: Back to Basics
July 17, 2008 7:00 pm to July 18, 2008 1:00 am. The Situation presents the dialectical unification of art and life: art / music / performance / social / life at arch635, 15-16 Lendal Terrace, Clapham North tube, SW4.
If you can work out what it’s all about, please leave a comment below. But the reason why I’m mentioning it here is that one of my favourite Korean artists working in London is participating in it.
I first came across Kwon Dae-hun’s work at I-MYU in November last year (pictured left) – rather intriguing sculptures ...
Impossible landscapes
07-Jul-08
Recently in London we’ve seen two seemingly very different responses to traditional Korean and Chinese landscape painting. In March we had Lim Taek (임택) at I-MYU; just finished at Union we had Lee Sea-hyun (이세현). Both artists portray the familiar mountains, the occasional ancient pavilion dotting the landscape. But Lim’s mountains are simple blocks of white against a rich blue sky, and while Lee respects the conventions and has a blank background against which his carefully delineated peaks are set, he defies conventions in another way by presenting his landscapes in a ghostly red. Considering the two responses side by side allows some interesting similarities and contrasts to be highlighted.
Left: Lim Taek: Transferred Landscape. Right: Lee Sea-hyun: Between Red
Stand in ...
Francesca Cho in “Free Words”
04-Jul-08
Francesca Cho will be participating in the group exhibition 'Free words' at the Mayfair Public Library, 15 - 31 July.
This is the first exhibition to be held in the library space and complements nicely the National Year of Reading. 'Free words' explores the censored word, printed matter and use of language as means of expression, through the interpretations of five artists, with site specific installations, painting, photography and sound pieces:
Marisol Cavia
Francesca Cho
Sumer Erek
Marko Stepanov
Katie Sollohub
Mayfair Public Library is at 25 South Audley Street, Mayfair, London W1K 2PB [Map]. Opening hours 11am-7pm weekdays, 10:30am-2:00pm Saturdays.
Cho's installation is sponsored by Rolawn, who also sponsored her previous turf installation at Conran's Bluebird shop
Links:
Free Word Show channel on YouTube
Notice of exhibition on City of ...
The Union Gallery behind Tate Modern has been showing Sea Hyun Lee's vivid red landscapes since last month. Katie Kitamura has been beavering away on a catalogue for the exhibition. That's now ready, giving an opportunity for a mid-show celebration: the catalogue will be launched at an evening event on 26 June, 6:00-9:00pm.
The Union's press release follows:
UNION is pleased to launch a new catalogue by Korean artist Sea Hyun Lee.
Sea Hyun Lee’s paintings are a constant and obsessive shuffling of recurring fragments. His unmistakable series of landscapes are rendered in delicate but pervasive washes of red - large swaths of unmarked white meandering between islands of crimson land. The blank spaces are harshly set against the carefully detailed fragments ...
Maps political and pictorial
16-Jun-08
I'm sorry I never had any time to write up the Map exhibition at the KCC properly. Alas, it's over now. I managed to miss most of Beth McKillop's informative talk, and never had the chance to persuade Shin Eunjeong to show me around. If I get a moment I'll do a quick Reader's Digest version of the catalogue, but in the meantime here's the map I found most fun - because it's a little bit controversial.
It looks innocuous enough to start with. Here's the little label that goes with it.
Sorry it's a bit blurred, but you can read it.
A nice pretty pictorial map. The coastline has nice pretty crinkly edges. It's not a terribly good photo, but I think ...
Notice of an upcoming exhibition in the Korean Cultural Centre, coinciding with the London Festival of Architecture 2008.
The London Festival of Architecture 2008 (20 June - 20 July 2008) will be the biggest event of its kind in the world with over 400 events happening throughout London. As part of the brilliant festival, Korean Cultural Centre UK and the Seoul Metropolitan Government present an exhibition entitled "U-Design City: Seoul" (20 June- 2 August) at the Korean Cultural Centre UK.
The Korean Cultural Centre is to be transformed, becoming the exhibition as visitors are given a glimpse into the future as Korea prepares for Seoul to become the World Design Capital of 2010. Media tables, Image poles, a scale model of ...
Return of Millennium Dream
03-Jun-08
Last year the ceramic artists of North Gyeongsang province held an exhibition just off Regent Street entitled Millennium Dream, Millennium Light. This year they return to a gallery in New Malden – coinciding nicely with the first week of the New Malden Arts Festival.
As last year, the work will include that by renowned masters. Click on the image to the right for more information.
The exhibition is at New Days Gallery, 2 Alric Avenue, New Malden, KT3 4JN, 5-10 June. Opening hours 10am – 5pm.
Links
New Days Gallery website
Articles about last year's exhibition: here and here
Something completely different at the KCC in May-June, and rather interesting: a collection of Choson dynasty maps, in an exhibition organised by the KCC's librarian Eunjeong Shin. The exhibition has an associated education programme aimed at local schools, while for the grown-ups there will be a lecture from the V&A's Beth McKillop. Full details below.
Period: Wednesday 21 May – Friday 13 June
Venue: Korean Cultural Centre UK
Tel. +44 (0)20 7004 2600/ Email: info at kccuk dot org dot uk
Website: http://london.korean-culture.org
THE EXHIBITION
Antique Korean Maps, Since 1600 is an exhibition of Korean maps made in the Choson dynasty, to be held at the gallery of the Korean Cultural Centre UK. Old Korean maps embody the principles of natural topography pursued by the ...
Contemporary Korean Art from the National Museum of Contemporary Art, Korea
Korean Cultural Centre, 1 Northumberland Avenue, through 16 May 2008. Free Admission
Review by Grace Kim
Korean Contemporary Art has become something of a recent phenomenon in the western art world, despite developing in Korea with influences from abroad for over 40-50 years. The Korean War, its aftermath, national reconstruction and economic development caused both a disruption and then a subsequent burgeoning of creativity, which has redefined the Korean peninsula as traditional, ancient and eastern, yet international, innovative and modern.
The Contemporary Korean Art Exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre, Northumberland Avenue near Trafalgar Square, includes works of 35 established and emerging artists in different media and styles, exploring the themes of globalisation, ...
Contemporary Korean Art gallery talk
21-Apr-08
If you're free this Friday afternoon it'll be well worth going along to the KCC to hear Dr Lee Sook-Kyung talk about the current exhibition of works from the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea. Dr Lee previously worked as an assistant curator at the museum and is now at Tate Liverpool. The talk is at the KCC on Friday 25 April at 2pm.
As usual, pre-registration is required by phoning 0207 004 2600 or emailing info at kccuk dot org dot uk
As it's during office hours, I'm not going to be able to go to this one, so if any reader goes along and feels like writing a report, please let me know. Perhaps Dr Lee could explain how ...
Lee Ufan at Lisson Gallery
26-Mar-08
A notice of an upcoming exhibition at the Lisson Gallery
Lee Ufan
2 April -- 10 May 2008
52-54 & 29 Bell Street
Lisson Gallery is pleased to present new works by Lee Ufan in his latest solo exhibition in London. One of the most significant Asian artists of his generation, Lee's exploration of "the art of emptiness" results in works of beautiful and thought provoking simplicity.
This exhibition will use the three gallery spaces in their entirety incorporating new paintings and works on paper and a selection of sculptures from the last twenty years. Following his critically acclaimed solo exhibition at the 52nd Venice Biennale last year, Lee's new paintings continue his "Correspondance" and "Dialogue" series: minimal white canvases that are defined by one ...
Contemporary Art showcase at KCC
20-Mar-08
A press release from the Korean Cultural Centre:
27 March -16 May
Contemporary Korean Art: From the National Museum of Contemporary Art Korea
Contemporary Korean Art marks the Korean Cultural Centre UK’s second exhibition since its opening in January 2008. As a platform for the promotion and development of the Republic of Korea’s unique visual and popular culture, and in keeping with the escalating international interest in Korean art, the exhibition aims to highlight the key movements, thematic concerns and stylistic explorations of Korea’s dynamic contemporary art scene.
The exhibition not only serves as an introduction to some of Korea’s most innovative and challenging artists through this diverse selection of 35 works from Korea’s National Museum of Contemporary Art, but also seeks to create ...
Korean artists in South Bank group shows
18-Mar-08
First, those who missed Kwon Dae-hun's intriguing paper-and-light sculptures (above: Lost in the Forest) at I-MYU last year have a second opportunity to view his work at a Coin Street gallery.
The exhibition Electric Blue at Bargehouse near the OXO tower runs from 13 - 30 March.
Electric Blue is a cleverly engineered sensory and interactive art exhibition from over 30 creative and inventive national and international artists. Artwork has been carefully selected from all over the UK and overseas. The exhibition features light, sound and interactive installations, photography and paintings, site specific artwork, live performances and sculpture.
The Bargehouse is at Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, London SE1 9PH.
Second, another 30 artists from around the world are exhibiting in the group show ...
Choi Young-rim at the Deoksu palace
12-Mar-08
In the grounds of the Deoksugung in downtown Seoul is an outpost of the National Museum of Contemporary Art. Maybe your average sightseer interested in palace architecture is not interested in popping in to see some paintings. But the exhibition currently showing is well worth a visit.
The exhibition showcases two artists -- one Japanese, one Korean -- and explores the similarities and differences between them. Inevitably there is a large number of parallels to be drawn as the Korean -- Choi Young-rim (최영림) (1916-1985) -- was a pupil of the Japanese -- Munakata Shiko (1903-1975) -- and the two seemed to maintain a friendship over the years: on display at the exhibition is some of the correspondence between the two.
Choi ...
Good Evening, Ms. Jiyoon Lee!
11-Mar-08
Matthew Jackson reports from last Thursday's gallery talk at the KCC
I had assumed that the Nam June Paik talk by Jiyoon Lee would take the form of a tour around the gallery itself. The schedule of the evening was fuller than I had expected, and required the setting of the 'Sejong Room' on the basement level, newly fitted out with lecture-room tables and an LG flat screen TV of considerable proportions.
The talk material had evidently been prepared very carefully for a non-Korean audience, which was much appreciated by those non-Koreans who did make it (in spite of the late announcement).
Jiyoon Lee is an independent curator, and director of the London-based SUUM Project, which brought us Through the Looking Glass at ...
Art for the People, Art by the People
07-Mar-08
Beccy Kennedy muses on an unnoticed exhibition at the Korean Cultural Centre:
Korean Folk Painting on White Porcelain : Kim So Sun
(30 January – 28 March 2008)
There is another exhibition on at the new Korean Cultural Centre at the moment and it doesn’t involve vociferous video installations by trans-cultural 20th century big wigs. In fact, there are several potential exhibitions contained within the same space that generates Good morning Mr Nam June Paik. The other titled exhibition to which I am actually referring resides in the basement area, above the PC library, as if a part of Jeong Hwa Choi's eclectic interior design scheme, rather than a discernible display in itself. It is a contemporary show of what is often referred ...
A visit to the Whanki Museum (환기 미술관)
23-Feb-08
The Korea Tourist Office website advises us that Kim Hwan-gi (1913-1974) (known internationally as Kim Whanki -- and he signs his paintings just plain "Whanki") "was Korea's top artist of modernism". It is therefore frustrating that when you go into the Tourist Information Offices in Insadong no-one has heard of him, still less of the museum that was built specifically to house his work. On two occasions now (a year apart) I've struggled to get the helpful staff to believe that there really is such a place, and that I'd really like to know how to get there. I have to spell out the website address, www.whankimuseum.org, and make sure they type it into their browsers correctly, before they believe ...
We look forward to lunchtime
17-Feb-08
An assessment of "Good Morning, Mr Paik Nam June"
Korean Cultural Centre, UK, 1 Feb - 2 Mar, Mon-Fri 9:30 - 5:30
It must be a very attractive prospect to be offered the job of curating a prestigious exhibition at the high-profile launch of a cultural centre. Having a blank canvas to work on certainly must be appealing. But the flip side of the deal is that, when you only know the exhibition space from the designer's drawing board rather than in real life you are working with rather an unknown quantity. And when the inevitable nightmare comes, and you are trying to hang the show as builders struggle to finish the job, you must start to wonder if you were wise ...
Korean 20th Century Art in context
15-Feb-08
I shouldn't really be publicising the artwork of another nation on this site, but the current exhibition of Khoan and Michael Sullivan's collection of modern Chinese art at Asia House is well worth a visit.
Chinese twentieth century art faced many of the same issues as that of Korea, both pre- and post-division: how to strike the balance between old and new, East and West, and how to survive a repressive regime. It's therefore fascinating to compare and contrast Korean paintings which you might have in your mind's eye with what was happening in China at the time. This juxtaposition came to mind while browsing the show (Chinese on the left, Korean on the right, both from the same year):
Michael and ...
Toy Stories at the Korea Society
08-Feb-08
Having looked in on the New York Korean Cultural Center last time I paid a visit to visit my co-workers at Head Office, I though that this time I'd use my lunch break to visit the competition: the Korea Society. I've always been a little bit puzzled as to why there should be two competing bodies in Manhattan both promoting Korean culture, and having visited the Korea Society I'm none the wiser. If market forces were allowed to rule, the Korean Cultural Center should probably have closed down years ago and its funding diverted to the Korea Society. One of the constant pleasures of watching things Korean as a hobby, though, is that you are always surprised and puzzled.
The Korea ...
Korean Links in Manchester
06-Feb-08
Beccy Kennedy, PhD candidate in contemporary Asian art at MIRIAD, and LKL's visual arts correspondent, writes to remind us that London is not the only place in the UK to get your fix of Korean culture.
If you don't already live here and have ever felt like paying a visit to Britain's birthplace of the Industrial Revolution and Indie/Rave music scene, then this springtime may prove to be an exceptionally fruitful opportunity. There are two major Korean cultural events taking place, which alongside the popular Koreana Restaurant ((40a King St West, Manchester, M3 2WY, 0161 832 4330)), and Seoul Kimchi foodstore ((275 Upper Brook Street , Manchester, M13 0HR, 0161 273 5556)), should be enough to entice you to take a ...
