'Mirror Mirror' exhibition to launch expat artists site

Art Network Korea will be launching its website with an exhibition of self-portraits in Seoul to start this week.

“Mirror Mirror” will feature work by 15 visual artists from six countries, all looking at self-portraiture from a different perspective.

The work includes photography, painting and drawing with a fairly conventional take on the concept, to more abstract images and installations.

Exhibition curator Martyn Thompson, who also has work in the show, said he was pleased with how the artists had taken to the theme.

“We didn’t get too many selfie stick applicants, which I was mightily relieved about,” he joked.

Thompson said that self-portraiture was a long-standing subject for artists, for a variety of reasons, but that people now had more opportunity to engage in it than ever. 

The show was intended as an introduction to the group members -- six of the artists have not exhibited in Korea before -- and to encourage them to get involved in exhibiting work.

ANKR was formed following a merger between Thompson’s Professional Artists Network Korea, and the International Artists Community -- two expat art groups that had previously worked together.

“Martyn and I have been basically working side by side on a lot of our events since the beginning and a great number of our members are in both groups. A merger is something we’ve been looking to do for a while,” said IAC leader Mike Stewart.

“Now we’re able to share responsibilities and each take on different tasks in order to run more smoothly and in the long run, get more accomplished for Seoul’s art community.”

The opening reception will feature work by Korean performance artist Lilith, based on a catwalk show.

A variety of reflective surfaces in the venue will be put up during the reception for people to draw their own self-portraits, which will then be shown as part of the exhibition.

A laptop and projector at the opening exhibition will show the new ANKR site, which has work from the group’s 172 artists uploaded to it. Interested artists can also sign up to the site.

The exhibition runs from Saturday until July 11 at Gallery M, near Gyeonghuigung Palace in Seoul.

The opening party will be on Saturday at 5 p.m.

By Paul Kerry (paulkerry@heraldcorp.com)