Leonard Lauder, honorary chairman of cosmetics firm Estee Lauder, has given New York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art an entire collection of Cubist art worth $1 billion.The collection which Lauder has assembled over more than four decades includes 78 works of Picasso, Braque, Gris and Leger, making it the biggest art donation ever made.The Met has long been trying to secure major artworks from the early 20th century. Thomas Campbell, CEO of the Met, said, “Lauder’s gift would be truly transformati

Seoul Shakespeare Company takes on “Hamlet,” arguably the most revered of Shakespeare’s plays, starting this weekend in Daehangno.Directed by Jessica Adel, the project is partly crowd-funded, giving the company security in being able to put on future productions and the chance to play in a bigger theater in Hyehwa.“It was unbelievable,” said Lindsey Higgins, Seoul Shakespeare Company’s artistic director. “We were shooting for $3,000 this time and we were actually able to raise a little over $5,0

Seoul International Women’s Association will hold its Friday Fiesta Charity Gala on April 26 in a celebration of Latin American culture. The gala at the Grand Hyatt Hotel will raise money for Korean charities and starts at 7:30 p.m.The evening begins with a Latin-themed cocktail hour followed by a four-course meal of South American cuisine accompanied by wines donated by Pernod Ricard. The Mariachi Latin Band and DJ Mariya Maderich will provide music to keep the dance floor busy.The gala will in

MILAN (AP) ― Shedding his “puritanical’’ attitude against architects designing objects, Rem Koolhaas has shifted scale to create 11 pieces of furniture for the U.S. industrial design house Knoll. The Dutch architect’s creations, which premiered Monday ahead of Milan Design Week, include a dynamic counter ― a stack of three horizontal beams that can be transformed from a screen-like unit to cantilevered shelves and benches that invite people to sit, climb and lean in. The end result is a social/i

Spectacle of 3-D stage set may attract new audience for opera

NEW YORK (AFP) ― Just as speculation rises over Hillary Clinton’s presidential ambitions, daughter Chelsea hinted Monday that she too could enter politics.With ex-president Bill Clinton as her father and the former secretary of state and would-be first female president as mother, Chelsea has politics in her blood.So far, the 33-year-old has kept out of the family business. However, a foray into television journalism and frequent appearances on conference stages are rapidly increasing her promine

While Pyongyang threatens Seoul with poetic flourishes like burying the city under a nuclear “sea of fire,” an artist and North Korean defector living in the city presents for the South Korean public his own aesthetic flourish on the North, just in time for Kim Il-sung’s birthday.The North will celebrate the anniversary of the birth of the country’s founder, Kim Il-sung, the grandfather of the country’s current leader, on April 15. Officials in the United States and South Korea speculate that No

The warm breeze and blossoming flowers signal that the spring has finally arrived in South Korea. It is certainly time to peel off those excess layers of heavy clothing. But what about that extra weight you gained over the winter? A healthy way to slim down is to swap the fat-packed snacks with those containing whole-grain carbohydrates, powerful protein and healthy fat to keep you from feeling hungry and at the same time fuel your energy.1. Throw away a 100-calorie snack pack of cookies and rep

Researchers in the United Kingdom have claimed that several habits deemed to be bad can be beneficial for us.Dr. Hilary Longhurst, consultant immunologist from the Bart’s NHS Trust, said that biting one’s nails could help improve the immune system. It introduces bug’s to the body, which then remembers them and how to counteract.According to Dr. Nick Read, a consultant gastroenterologist for the charity the IBS Network, belching helps our stomach not to splash up acid into the gullet, preventing

In celebration of spring, palaces are opening their doors wide to those who want to know more about them and the stories they contain. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism said Monday that Korean traditional musical concerts will be held at Joseon-period palaces in Seoul through autumn. At the royal garden and Nakseonjae building in Changdeokggung Palace, stage actors Park Jeong-ja and Jeong Dong-hwan will perform short plays of love stories and other anecdotes from the Joseon era (1392-1