A Joint Korea-U.S. Art Exhibition

Event held at Gallery Ann

   
A fine arts exhibition entitled, "American Artists and Their Tour of Korea"presented a unique opportunity for Korean art lovers to appreciate the latest trends in the U.S. fine arts open from Feb. 22-28 at Gana Art Gallery in Insa-dong and Gallery Ann March 1-31 in Hwa-dong, Seoul.
The special exhibition was hosted by the Korea America France International Art Fair, organized by the Korea Fine Art Globalizing Association and sponsored by Hyundai Engineering and Construction with the support of Gallery Ann.
Altogether 13 American fine artists brought their mesmerizing work to Seoul for the exhibition to capture the imagination of Korean art viewers. Those American artists belonged to the 825 Gallery in Los Angeles, including Brian Mallman, Bryan Ricci, Dan Monteavaro, Dan Van Clapp, Elana Kundell, Gegam Kacherian, Joann Chase Matillo, Lynda Lester Black, Marie Clare Bozant, Mimi Drop, Pamela Mower-Conner, Sophia Allison. They were joined by 10 Korean artists led by Kim Jung-soo, Kim Hong-tae, Park Bock-kyoo, Lee Kyung-soo, Lee Chung-ji, Jun Joon-ha, Chung Yon-soo, Chung Ha-kyung, Jin Ok-sun and Hong Suk-chang.
The event was an exchange one in response to Korean painters tour to Los Angeles last year and held an exhibition at the 825 Art Gallery there and next year, Korean artists will visit the U.S. again to hold a group exhibition at the 825 Gallery .
Their art pieces not only expressed the painters'identities, but also cultural individualism of both East and West. "Crowded"by Brian Mallman, through his unique portraitures of two men depicted "Connection," "Inter-actions"and "communication." "Holy Cow"by Bryan Ricci had a strong U.S. flavor in expressing nature in simple and yet an obscure style to show off the uncertainty of the human world.
"Azalea"was the title of painter Kim Jung-soo's art piece displayed at the exhibition. "I have never forgotten the azaleas on the hill, which I saw with my mother,"the painter recalled, He, at last, came back with azaleas in his deep heart as an intensive image about his mother's land. The mind let the flowers scattered over everything existing on this land, art critics said.
He presents'contributing poems'beginning with sacrifice like Kim So-wol's praise of 'azaleas'which said, "After I put azaleas softly on the stepping stone, go stepping on them joyfully,"to his own mother, all the mothers, and all the precious things in this land.
Kim Hong-tae establishes order from chaos, associating primitiveness in African sculpture, and mural image with drawing. In terms of technique, sometimes, he draws natural feeling of tactile impression by using sand and in other times, he aims at various effects through mixed materials. He sees primitiveness from child's mind.
Park Jong-sook, president of the Gallery Ann, said the Korea-U.S. exchange art exhibitions and the San Diego art display has become a base for Korean artists to penetrate the vast U.S. art market. Although it was difficult to prepare for the exhibition, but we feel the feel of a great achievement. The U.S. artists exchange visit further boosted the artistic level of our gallery as well as an opportunity for the international art community's reconfirmation of the true artistic value of Korean fine art, the gallery owner said. nw

(from left) Lee Kyung-soo | Red Fine Tree 2006-02 | Coloring on Korean paper | 70×137㎝ | 2006, Lee Chung-ji | Circle-1124 | Oil on Canvas | 62.2×130.3㎝ | 2005, Kim Jung-soo | Azalea | Oil on Canvas | 50×100㎝ | 2005

(from left) Bryan A. Ricci | Holy Cow, Brian Mallman | Crowded