[Newsmaker] New museum, storage expansion mulled to make room for late Samsung chairman’s art collection

Authorities will come up with ways to make room for the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection, the country’s largest donation of its kind in history, the government said Friday. “The government is seeking ways to hold artworks donated by Lee including improving storages at museums or building new museums if needed. President Moon Jae-in also raised the issue yesterday,” a Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism official told The Korea Herald. &ldquo

April 30, 2021

Around 23,000 artworks owned by late Samsung chairman to be donated

The late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection, estimated to be worth trillions of won, will be donated to public museums across the country. The announcement by Samsung on Wednesday marks the single largest donation of artworks in Korea. Around 23,000 art pieces -- 21,600 antique works and 1,600 modern and contemporary works -- held by the late chairman are to be donated. “Most of works by Lee were donated, which is the largest scale of donation (in the art field

April 28, 2021

Lee’s art collection to be split up, donated to public sector

The long-anticipated announcement on the fate of the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s art collection, delivered Wednesday, drew mixed reactions from the art world. Around 23,000 art pieces -- 21,600 antique works and 1,600 modern and contemporary works -- will be donated to a number of public museums around the country as well as to Seoul National University, according to Samsung. While the antique art collection, which includes some 60 state-designated treasures, will be dona

April 28, 2021

‘Minari family’ rocks red carpet at Oscars

While veteran actor Youn Yuh-jung made history by winning the Oscar for best supporting actress for her portrayal of a Korean grandmother in “Minari,” her “wonderful Minari family” made its presence felt on the red carpet by sporting iconic looks. Youn showed up at the 93rd Academy Awards in a boxy midnight blue brocade gown designed by Egyptian semi-couture designer Marmar Halim, based in Dubai and London. She completed the look with a velvet belt, a diamond bracelet f

April 26, 2021

MMCA sheds light on animation history

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, will explore the history of animation from the 1920s to the 1940s in an exhibition that starts Friday. “Movement Making Movement” runs through Sept. 26 and features works by five representative pioneers of the genre. A total of 24 animations produced by German animators Lotte Reiniger (1899-1981) and Oskar Fischinger (1900-1967), New Zealand animator Len Lye (1901-1980), Czech film director Karel Zeman (1910-1989) and Scott

April 24, 2021

[Newsmaker] BTS Jimin’s hanbok pulled out of auction last minute

A traditional Korean outfit worn by BTS’ Jimin that was scheduled to go under the hammer was removed last minute on Thursday. His fans however are calling for the modern “hanbok” suit to be put up for auction as planned. The K-pop superstar wore it for a September performance on NBC’s “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon.” Myart Auction on Thursday removed the outfit from its online auction list last minute and it was only available for preview as the a

April 23, 2021

Artworks held by late Samsung chairman likely to be donated to MMCA, National Museum of Korea

Several modern and contemporary artworks in the late Samsung Group Chairman Lee Kun-hee’s collection may be headed to the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. “The discussion about Lee’s art collection donation to the museum is continuing. Details are yet to be disclosed, but we will announce the result when the matter is settled,” a public relations official from the MMCA told The Korea Herald. “We can’t say how many works are under discus

April 21, 2021

[Eye Plus] Ancient martial arts resurrected

Tourists watch in awe as warriors in colorful armor swing their crescent moon swords and cut through thick bamboo and bundles of straw.  Hwaseong Fortress in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and also the stage for the revival of the Joseon-period’s 24 Martial Arts. The 24 Martial Arts refer to 24 martial art techniques of the Muyedobotongji, a comprehensive illustrated manual comprised of four volumes complied in 1790 by King Jeongjo, the 22nd king of

April 17, 2021

Korean Pavilion at Venice Architecture Biennale to shed light on global challenges, offer online lectures

The Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale’s 17th International Architecture Exhibition will present “Future School,” curated by architect Shin Hae-won, at the national pavilion and virtual platform of “Future School Online.” The upcoming Venice Architecture Biennale will run May 22 to Nov. 21 in Venice, Italy under the theme of “How will we live together?” curated by Lebanese architect and scholar Hashim Sarkis. The Korean Pavilion at this year&rsqu

April 17, 2021

Upcoming Art Busan to feature renowned international galleries

  Art Busan is gearing up for its 10th edition, scheduled to kick off May 13 at the Bexco Exhibition Center in Busan with 110 galleries. Among them are some renowned international galleries, joining for the first time amid rapidly growing interest in the art market in South Korea. Participating galleries from abroad include Neugerriemschneider and Esther Schipper from Berlin, Commonwealth and Council from Los Angeles and Pilar Corrias from London. A total of 4,000 artworks will be on dis

April 16, 2021

[#WeFace] Breathing fashion into trash

Fashion often comes at a cost to our Earth. Massive amounts of clothing and textiles are wasted each year, as brands launch new looks and collections each season and are unable to more efficiently control inventory. According to the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe’s report in 2018, nearly 20 percent of global wastewater is produced by the fashion industry. The industry also accounts for 10 percent of global carbon emissions. To grow a kilogram of cotton, for example, 7,5

April 15, 2021

MMCA unveils shortlist for Korea Artist Prize 2021

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea has announced a shortlist of four Korean artists for the Korea Artist Prize 2021 who will be sponsored to produce works for an upcoming exhibition. Bang Jeong-a, Kim Sang-jin, Oh Min and Choi Chan-sook -- were selected by a committee consisting of art experts from Korea and abroad appointed every year for the national museum’s annual award.  The exhibition of the four artists will be unveiled on Oct. 20 at MMCA Seoul title

April 14, 2021

[After COVID-19] How Korea became ‘Republic of Apartments'

Following is the first article in a three-part series that explores housing in the post-pandemic era. - ed. The pandemic has suspended our everyday life, giving us a chance to think about how we are living. The impact of COVID-19 has permeated in our residential environment more over in the urban environment. South Korea has seen rapid development since the 1960s, but this has led to a monotonous residential environment -- rows and rows of apartments. In Korea, about 6 people out of 10 liv

April 13, 2021

Busan holds first art fair of the year on a grand scale

The 10th Busan Annual Market of Art, the largest since the event’s inception in 2012, closed Sunday having attracted a huge number of visitors and a record number of participating galleries.  Also known as BAMA, the art fair kicked off Thursday with 176 galleries from South Korea and abroad and showcased nearly 4,000 artworks -- more than ever before in the fair’s history.  “We are still aggregating the number of visitors but we saw a lot of visitors despite the

April 12, 2021

Retro looks, Korean beauty set trends at Seoul Fashion Week

The virtual Seoul Fashion Week fall-winter 2021 wrapped up last week, bringing together unique designs from 43 fashion brands based in Seoul. Retro style and Korean traditional beauty stood out on the runway.  Rookie design brand SETSETSET invited audiences into a “Sarang bang,” the guestroom in a hanok, a Korean traditional house. Its fall-winter collection featured baggy jeans as well as kitsch and lovely dresses in bright colors. The woman’s fashion brand was launched

April 10, 2021

2021 Hanbok Culture Week kicks off Friday

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Craft & Design Foundation announced on Thursday that 2021 Hanbok Culture Week kicks off Friday and will run until April 18. Established in 2018, the event has been held annually in the third week of October to promote the beauty of Korean traditional costume. This year it will be held twice, once in spring and once in autumn, according to the Korea Craft & Design Foundation. “2021 Hanbok Culture Week is prepared as a safe

April 8, 2021

Graffiti artist JonOne wants his damaged work restored

Artwork by a US graffiti artist that was damaged by two viewers is likely to be restored at the request of the artist, according to one of the organizers of the exhibition it was being shown at. “We received a reply from the artist saying he wants the work to be restored. We will discuss whether to persuade the artist again,” Kang Wook, CEO of Contents Creator of Culture, the co-organizer of the exhibition told The Korea Herald on Tuesday. The artwork “Untitled” by Jo

April 6, 2021

MMCA Art Bank shows collections at regional art institutions

The MMCA Art Bank will lend its collections to art institutions across the country, offering cultural experiences to people in different parts of South Korea. The exhibitions will take place at Danwon Art Museum in Gyeonggi Province from April to May, Gangneung Art Center in Gangwon Province from July to August, Smiling Arts Center in Daegu from September to October, and Hadong Art Gallery in South Gyeongsang Province from October to early December. “The MMCA Art Bank’s special e

April 6, 2021

Gwangju Biennale encompasses different forms of intelligence

GWANGJU -- Documentary photographic works of a shaman woman removing a bloody ox head mask during a ritual for protecting people from evil and people preparing for a traditional ceremony for their deceased relative are on display at the entrance of the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall. The photographs are by documentary photographer Lee Gap-chul, who depicts the realms of the real and the unseen. The 13th Gwangju Biennale kicked off Thursday for a 39-day run under the theme of “Min

April 5, 2021

[Herald interview] Gwangju Biennale’s Kim Sun-jung challenges conventions

GWANGJU -- One big change at the 13th Gwangju Biennale is that the public has access to Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall 1, free of charge. It is now an open space for visitors and ticketing as well as an exhibition hall. “I thought it was inconvenient for visitors to purchase tickets and wait outside so I suggested using Exhibition Hall 1 as a meeting place as well as a place to appreciate the artworks,” said Kim Sun-jung, president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, during

April 5, 2021