“You said my work wasn’t very portable,” smiled Hur Shan as we chatted at the opening evening of his two man show at Gazelli Art House. “Well, take a look!” It was true. I had said precisely that in my notice of the current exhibition, The Tainted, at Gazelli Art House in Dover Street. In … [Read More]
Category: Exhibition reviews and comment (page 13)
Exhibition visit: Bae Chan-hyo – Punishment, at Purdy Hicks
Tomorrow is your last chance to see the first public showing of Bae Chan-hyo’s Existing in Costume series, this particular project bearing the subtitle Punishment. Earlier in the series, Bae has focused on fairy tale characters, or aristocratic western women, each time with Bae dressing in immaculate costume to pose for his self-portrait. In Punishment, … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Ceramics by Lee Chang-sook and Kim So-yeop at Mokspace
Mokspace has done it again with an exhibition of affordable pieces which are a pleasure to look at. And with the current exhibition the pieces are a pleasure to handle as well. And useful. Kim So-yeop’s stoneware in particular begs you to pick it up and turn it in your hands. The rough texture and … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Lotions and potions in old Joseon
The current exhibition at the KCC gives us an historical overview of the methods used by Korean womanhood to beautify themselves. Clearly it’s not possible to exhibit the original ancient cosmetics themselves, but the containers used to store them have survived: from Silla and Baekje kingdom earthenware powder bowls and oil jars, via beautifully inlaid … [Read More]
Bankable and emerging Korean artists at Art13: London’s latest international art fair
To a casual observer, there might already seem to be a wide range of art fairs in London. The season starts with the London Art Fair in January and finishes with the Frieze in October. In between there’s plenty of smaller shows to keep various parts of the market satisfied. So launching a completely new … [Read More]
A day to shake off the last few weeks… a visit to Soon Yul Kang’s Spiritual Journey
Today was a day to unwind, to shake off the last few weeks of chaos and work….and be me. To spend time with myself and just be. Stop doing and just be. And so it was that I decided to visit the galleries, first the Tate Modern, then Tate Britain and then finally the British … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Disruptive Drinking and Creative Curating at the RCA
When you’re invited to a session of disruptive drinking, it’s hard to refuse. And that was what was promised in Sun Ae Kim’s invitation to her stall at the Royal College of Arts Biennial Research Exhibition. Disruptive? Well, there were certainly some surprises. First of all the exquisite ceramic vessels we were offered to drink … [Read More]
Exhibition Visit: Purdy Hicks previews new Bae Chan-hyo works; Hanmi focuses on media art – at London Art Fair
At the London Art Fair it was nice to see some new Korean work as well as re-enjoy some pieces which have already been seen in London exhibitions. At Purdy Hicks, Bae Chan-hyo was previewing a new chapter in his Existing in Costume series. His past work has him exploring male / female and east … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Now X Here — Korean art mixes and matches in London
Cultural fusion takes many forms. Exciting differences can complement and stimulate the senses. Think food, fashion or music. This week, young South Korean artists in London are also proving that Korean art and the British capital make for an intoxicating blend. A new exhibition, Now X Here, just opened at London’s Korean Cultural Centre (KCCUK), … [Read More]
High-rise Korean art at NEO Bankside from Choi and Lager
2012 has been a year when Korean art has emerged from the sterile white cube of the gallery to be displayed in real-life spaces. From working offices to inhabited domestic settings, it has been a good year for seeing art in places where you can live with and enjoy it on a daily basis rather … [Read More]
O Bang Saek – Shouvik Datta visits the opening event of the KAA exhibition
The exhibition and performance by the Korean Artists Association at the Korean Cultural Centre (Strand, London) on November 28, featured painting and displays of visual art, traditional Korean instruments and a performance of highly modern dance. The association was originally founded in 1997 by a group of Korean artists and poets to promote Korean culture … [Read More]
Exhibition visit: Korean Eye 2012 – the biggest Korean art show in London yet
With the high profile exhibition of Chinese art having just opened at the Hayward Gallery, let’s not forget that there was an equally significant exhibition of contemporary Korean art at the privately funded Saatchi Gallery earlier this summer. Like many exhibitions, Korean Eye 2012 was one which needed to be visited several times. It was … [Read More]
A quick tour of this month’s Korean First Thursday openings
The First Thursday of every month in the London art scene is when many galleries tend to have their official openings – when you can tour loads of galleries, get a glass of wine at each one, get to meet the artist, mingle with all the visitors and maybe get to see some of the … [Read More]
Based on the design talent at Goldsmiths, the future of Korea at 100% Design London is in safe hands
One of the regular features in the London calendar is the London Design Festival, which this year ran from 14-23 September. Two big exhibitions form the cornerstones of the festival, at opposite ends of the Circle Line: 100% Design London at Earl’s Court, and Tent London at the Truman Brewery in Brick Lane. And given … [Read More]
Two months after installation, Shin Meekyoung’s soapy Duke of Cumberland is still looking good
Two months after installation, Shin Meekyoung’s soapy Duke of Cumberland is still looking good, with not much evidence of erosion yet (this picture was taken on 22 September 2012). I wonder how it will survive a rainy autumn. [Read More]
Choi Jeong-hwa: a summer on the South Bank
The summer is over, and Chuseok approaches. The gay green baskets and balloons which adorned the drab concrete pillars beneath the Hayward Gallery and Queen Elizabth Hall during the Olympics period have been packed away. Here’s a reminder of what was there. Choi Jeong-hwa supervises the inflation of the spiral balloons for his installation Life-Life … [Read More]