Visual artist invites viewers to a world of fantasy and tests their beliefs The Miami-born Cuban-American artist Hernan Bas is a prominent young artist in the contemporary art world who has attracted worldwide attention lately with his dreamy, imaginary paintings with expressive and bold brushwork.His first exhibition in Korea, also his first in Asia, at PKM Trinity Gallery in Seoul features five paintings, 14 photographs and a film, all put together under the theme of “a brief suspension of dis

Gugak-themed theater fest features Lee Ja-ram, Yang Bang-eonOur music is here, our music is here.Yeowoorak, which is an abbreviation for the Korean sentence “Yeogi Woori Eeumagee Itda,” meaning “our music (gugak) is here,” is kicking off its third edition with some of today’s most acclaimed artists.The gugak-themed festival is directed by Korean-Japanese pianist Yang Bang-eon this year. A total of 13 artistic groups are participating ― comprised of both gugak artists and musicians from other mus

Secretary-general of UNESCO Korea speaks on various conflictsincluding Arirang Prize controversyIn October of 2009, the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea officially announced it would abolish the UNESCO-Arirang Prize, terminating its funding for the prize. The award, first established in 2001, was created to honor individuals or groups who protect spaces or forms of traditional cultural expression, that are listed in the UNESCO “Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanit

5 billion won project features opera singer Angela Gheorghiu and conductor Chung Myung-whun of Seoul Philharmonic OrchestraAlmost ten years ago, Korean agencies started to bring in foreign opera productions, staging them at big venues in Seoul and selling tickets at record-high prices. There was “Turandot” staged in May 2003 at the Sangam World Cup Stadium and four months later, “Aida” at Jamsil Stadium. The two outdoor opera productions drew huge media attention at the time thanks to the grande

The restoration team of Seoul’s historic gateway Sungnyemun has begun the process of roof-tiling, the Cultural Heritage Administration announced Tuesday.The roof-tiling takes place after the Board of Audit and Inspection of Korea pointed out last month that the cultural administration is not following the traditional architectural technique, and that therefore the gateway’s restoration may not be completed properly.  During a press meeting on Tuesday, the cultural administration said that the re

Korean dancer with Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet to perform ‘The Lady of the Camellias’ in its entirety for the last time in Korea this weekend Ever since the news came out that Kang Sue-jin, the country’s star ballerina with Germany’s Stuttgart Ballet, will be performing the entire piece of “The Lady of the Camellias” for the last time in Seoul, many have raised the big question: Is she retiring?The 44-year-old prima ballerina, still active on stage and who has already passed the average retiremen

Korean contemporary artists present innovative forms of art at Kassel DocumentaThree Korean artists are showcasing their works at one of the world’s largest and most prestigious contemporary art fairs held in Germany. It is the second time Korean artists have been invited to the Kassel Documenta since 1992 ― the festival has been taking place every five years since 1955.The three 40-something-year-old artists Moon Kyung-won, Jeon Joon-ho and Yang Haegue present innovative art forms that focus on

Song Seung-hwan unveils his new non-verbal musicalUnlike the popular K-pop and TV drama industry, Korea’s performing arts scene hasn’t been so foreigner-friendly in the past decade. Even today, it’s hard to come across a show that provides English subtitles in Seoul’s prominent theater district Daehangno.Many foreign visitors, however, will be delighted to learn about the latest project by popular musical producer Song Seung-hwan, whose 1997 show “Nanta” was a global hit. The show is titled “Wed

 SYDNEY (AFP) ― Japanese-born artist Masami Teraoka remembers the bombing of Hiroshima as the day when he saw two suns rising ― one in the east as usual, the other an orb burning eerily in the west.“Two suns, that’s for sure. That’s my memory,” he explained from a Sydney gallery where his confrontational images of geishas ripping condom packets open with their teeth and naked women frolicking with priests are being exhibited.“I’m not looking at the mushroom cloud at all, but from a distance it l

National Museum exhibition’s 86 items are mostly from Joseon period, many of them gifts by the royal courtIn 19th century Joseon, a number of foreign envoys enjoyed the privilege of receiving gifts from the royal court. Most of them received some exquisite celadon pieces from Korea’s Goryeo Kingdom ― known for their distinctive bluish-green color ― as gifts from the Joseon royals. One of the fortunate foreigners who enjoyed such a privilege was Horace G. Underwood (1851-1921), the founder of Jos

A rare 1932 cover illustration of "Tintin in America" by Herge, the artist who dreamed up the boy reporter, on Saturday fetched a record 1.3 million euros ($1.6 million) at an auction in Paris."The work has been sold at 1,338,509.20 euros, costs included, by a person who wishes to remain anonymous," a spokesman for the auctioneers, Artcurial, told AFP.The previous owner, another Tintin collector,