Scattered throughout the gallery space are collages of various materials and found objects. Some are shown on classical sculpture podiums, others on metal frames or plastic foam. A sculpture in a corner periodically releases white vapor, like the water vapor and toxic gases that spew in a volcanic eruption. These make up artist Jung Ji-hyun’s solo exhibition at Atelier Hermes in Maison Hermes Dosan Park in Seoul.Born in 1986, Jung is an artist who works primarily with the byproducts and waste of

The five-day Francophone Festival, organized by the Korean International Theatre & Arts Company, kicked off its inaugural edition in Seoul on Wednesday. “The festival’s first edition in Seoul hopes to celebrate the cultural diversity that spans the French-speaking countries. It also hopes to promote the French language and also strengthen ties between the two nations, France and Korea,” said Patricia Vilfeu from KITAC during a press conference Tuesday in Seoul. A scene from Cueilleurs de Brume’s

Hypnotic sounds in a pitch-dark gallery space create an otherworldly atmosphere -- a fitting environment for sculptures of tangled human bodies glittering in the dark.“Vessel,” a solo exhibition of some 30 works by up-and-coming Japanese artist Kohei Nawa at Arario Gallery’s Ryse Hotel branch marks the artist’s first exhibition here in seven years. Installation view of Japanese artist Kohei Nawa‘s exhibition “Vessel” at Arario Gallery’s Ryse Hotel branch in Seoul (Arario Gallery)Exploring materi

Along the wall are framed drawings of artist Ahn Kyu-chul. The drawing series by Ahn, titled “Man Who Disappeared Into the Box,” comes with text describing how a person can disappear by using the bags presented in the drawings. Installed in a corner are suitcases made of wood -- identical to the ones shown in Ahn’s drawings. The bags from the drawings have come alive before exhibitgoers. The installation of suitcases are Ahn’s objects used to prove his fiction. Created by Ahn’s works is confusio

The exhibition “DMZ,” dedicated to introducing works of art and projects looking into the Demilitarized Zone between the two Koreas, will be held at Culture Station Seoul 284, starting Thursday.“It is meaningful to hold such an exhibition here in this train station-turned exhibition space, which originally was the railway station of Gyeongui Line that used to stretch between here and (the North Korean city of) Sinuiju,” officials from Culture Station Seoul 284 said at a press conference held Wed

Wearing dark blue-green clothes with rolled-up sleeves, seven Swedish dancers appear in a black box theater where dozens of safety helmets with headlamps are scattered around them on the gray floor. The dancers pick up seven helmets and arrange them in a line. Some call out the names of friends and family members while doing so, and others remain silent. The accompanying music recalls a Korean traditional ritual dance. The dancers laboriously perform to the music with distinctive rhythms, and th

The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency said Sunday that it was looking into allegations that TV stars Cha Tae-hyun and Kim Joon-ho had bet on a game of golf.The police agency’s special crime squad has already secured the related text messages and is currently establishing facts, it added. The Seoul Metropolitan Police Agency’s announcement came after Cha and Kim said earlier Sunday that they would step down from all shows.Cha Tae-hyun (left) and Kim Joon-ho (right) (Herald DB)In a letter released

Artist Kim Ho-deuk is holding a solo exhibition at Hakgojae Gallery in Samcheong-dong, Seoul. The exhibition comprises some 40 pieces, ranging from abstract paintings to installation works. The exhibited works are a continuum of the artist’s exploration of new aesthetics grounded in Korea’s traditional culture.  “Mountain-Faraway" (2018) by artist Kim Ho=-deuk (Hakgojae Gallery) "Rapids" (2018) by artist Kim Ho-deuk (Hakgojae Gallery)Born in 1950, Kim is known for paintings that borrow elements

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, on Thursday announced the four finalists for the 2019 Korea Artist Prize: Kim A-young, Park Hye-soo, Rhii Jew-yo and Hong Young-in. An exhibition of works by the four artists will open Oct. 12 and run through March 1, 2020. The winner of the annual art award will be announced before year-end, after a jury reviews the works presented at the upcoming exhibition. The four finalists were selected by a four-member jury composed of Bartomeu Ma

Born in 1982, Yang Jung-uk is an artist loaded with stories that have become ingredients for his works of art. Yang does not borrow from a grand scheme of discourse or critical theories distant from himself. Instead, the artist makes full use of details collected throughout his life.“Scenery of Dialogue No. 2: Speaking of Something When the Sun Goes Down” (2018) by artist Yang Jung-uk (Gallery Hyundai)Yang is holding an exhibition at Gallery Hyundai that began Feb. 28 and runs until March 27. Th

Korean artists Lee Bul, Suki Seokyeong Kang and Anicka Yi -- are joining the main exhibition of 2019 Venice Biennale, titled “May You Live in Interesting Times” and curated by Ralph Rugoff.The three female Korean artists are among 83 artists -- with some working in pairs and groups -- who will have their works at the Ralph Rugoff-curated exhibition at two venues, the Giardini and the Arsenale.  “Untitled (Willing To Be Vulnerable - Velvet #6 DDRG24OC)” by Lee Bul (PKM Gallery)One of Korea’s most

A line of Vietnamese students walks toward a camera. The students in blue shirts are taking turns to recite something -- in Japanese, not Vietnamese as might be expected. What the Vietnamese students are reciting is the Feb. 8 Independence Declaration, a document originally read by some 300 Koreans in Japan in February 1919, a month before the March 1 Independence Movement saw Koreans taking to the streets shouting for independence from Japan’s colonial rule.  A scene from Hikaru Fujii’s “2.8 De

Big Bang’s Seungri will enlist in the Army as an active duty soldier at the end of this month, according to YG Entertainment on Friday.He will start his basic training at the Nonsan Army Training Center on March 25. The K-pop star had reportedly applied for a conscripted policeman service in January.  (Yonhap)“After checking with Seungri, (we found that) Seungri on Jan. 7 applied for a conscripted policeman position. However, he has decided to enlist as an active duty soldier, regardless of the

“History Has Failed Us, but No Matter.”This bold sentence from the 2017 novel “Pachinko” by Lee Min-jin, a National Book Award finalist, is the title of the Korean Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennale, director Kim Hyun-jin announced Tuesday at a press conference at the Arko Art Center in Seoul. 　 Kim Hyun-jin, director of the 58th Venice Biennale's Korean Pavilion, speaks during a press conference held on Tuesday at Arko Art Center in Seoul. Joining her, from left, are Siren Eun Young Jung, Nam

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea Director Youn Bum-mo unveiled plans for the state museum during a press conference held Tuesday at its main branch in Seoul. Cooperation with other state-led museums to nurture research and exhibition; cooperation with North Korea’s art institutions; globalization of Korean art; increasing research into Korean art and specializing the four separate museum venues topped the agenda for his three-year term.Details for execution we

Barakat Contemporary, Seoul-based Barakat Gallery’s modern and contemporary art venue, is introducing works by artist Robert Motherwell.The exhibition kicking off Wednesday will feature 23 artworks that Motherwell produced between 1958 and 1985, including those from his iconic painting series “Elegy to the Spanish Republic,” largely characterized by ovoids and vertical beams. “Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 110C” (1968) by Robert Motherwell (Barakat Seoul) “Elegy to the Spanish Republic No. 1

Les Ballets de Monte-Carlo will perform “Cinderella” from June 12-14 at the Seoul Arts Center, the first time the company is performing in Korea in 14 years.“Cinderella” is one of the iconic choreographic works produced by the ballet company’s longtime director Jean-Christophe Maillot, who has produced more than 30 ballets for the company, including “Vers un Pays Sage (1995), “Romeo and Juliette” (1996), “The Sleeping Beauty” (2001), “Le Songe” (2005), “Altro Canto” (2006), “Faust” (2007) and “L

A train of cartoonish drawings by Lee Woo-sung encircles the gallery space of Ilmin Museum of Art. The small, square drawings, which look like cuts from a webtoon, or Instagram pictures, are fragments of the artist’s memory of photographs stored in his cellphone, the artist said.“Years ago, I started asking questions about the ways in which people store photographs on online social media and in their cellphones. Then, I thought I could just draw the photographs stored in my own one. I thought I

Photographer Chris Jordan urges to people to face environmental crisis Environmental issues are an urgent matter that only this generation can address, according to photographer Chris Jordan.“We don’t have enough time to wait for the next generation to make the changes. There is a tremendous urgency. It has to be this generation who makes the changes to our behavior in a lot of different ways to protect life as we know it,” Jordan said during a press conference held Wednesday at the Sungkok Art

The National Theater of Korea will hold screenings of Benedict Andrews’ production of Tennessee Williams’ “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof” and James Macdonald’s reinterpretation of “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” by Edward Albee, from March 14 -24 at Daloreum Theater. The National Theater of Korea’s upcoming screenings of the two theater masterpieces are imports from National Theatre Live, the Royal National Theater’s program launched in 2009 to broadcast live performances of British theater works and