The showing...Some of The Best of Art Daegu 2009

Often, when we think of the world of art, we are often limited to the west. Rarely does an artist from the East make that jump to have a global impact as Picasso or van Gogh still have. Often for the artists, language is an incredible barrier, however I found myself in South Korea at the International Art Fair in Daegu with a feast of surprises. I am the compulsive art fan, the voyeur of the sublime creations I have found throughout my search for something more real and tangible. Maybe I am looking for a message, a story that has seemed to get washed away with the commercialism that has in my opinion stained the world of art in recent years.

There seems to be fewer innovations, more playing it safe to get the bigger and better commissions. I don't criticize the need to sustain yourself and earn, yet there seems to be fewer artists that take chances, and even fewer that embrace an original thought. There seems to be something wrong with how we are going about this. No one seems to be pursuing the levels of the past great masters. I am not seeking perfection in the works. I am seeking the story. Something that will stop me dead in my tracks and make me imagine again. Something that speaks to me and exposes something personal about the artist's inspiration. People have forgotten when you seek to please everyone, you please no one, so for your pleasure let me share with you what I have found in South Korea.

From the exterior of the building, the winds are blowing a cool breeze, cool enough to make you hug yourself. There has been a lot of change going on in the world of art. Some of it has been great. Some of it, such as the downturn in the market, not so great. This is a time when a lot of people need hope, and in such times a lot of people look to the world of art to inspire them.This is the third International Art Fair in Daegu, South Korea. It was a massive display of talent with 55 galleries present, a few independent artists, a scout exhibition for a few emerging talents and an exhibition of 100 young artists.

I was excited to see what I would find, so I selected Sunday afternoon to walk these corridors of dreams. Specifically targeting what I hadn't really seen before. There were many notables I wanted to include in this posting, such as the work of Marc Quinn, Yong Sae Kim, Robert Cambas, Kim Dong Kwang , Jung-Hun Kang (Young Artist-Scout Project)...just to name a few.

In this series, entitled Cover-Uncover, the medium of paper, acrylic and fabric on the obverse side of the canvas. Category: 100 Young Artists Show Artist: Yuni Cung

The message in this untitled work is so clear...it doesn't matter what language you speak. From the series, Human-Learn. Medium: Oil on Canvas Category: 100 Young Artists Show Artist: Dae -Hyeon Gim

Acrylic on canvas...and trust me I looked at this one closely...because I haven't seen such detail like this in a while from so one so young. Blessed are The Pure for They Shall See God rendered in the 100 young artists show. Artist: Ji-Woong Kang

I love optical illusion pieces. Every single piece is flat as a board, acrylic on canvas. The series: Cubeshape-Myth These are the works of Gi-Hyeok Shin. Gallery: Lee Gallery

I must have made him laugh too hard or he was anticipating a flash (which of course I did not use), but this the artist, Chan-Sung Jung with his work, Black Hole. Medium Korean Paper and Korean Ink. He calls his method, Energy-Graphy.

I close with two pieces from the same artist I was very impressed with, not just his style range...but how I reacted to the pieces personally. Art is a very personal experience for each viewer. The artist's name is Seung-Yong Kwak. The above piece are tiles that are individually worked with all differing types of media...he took Warhol's style and ran with it..updating it. This is a piece you really want to spend time with. His works are on display at the Gongsan Gallery.

This is a piece from his series Old-Future. From piece to piece I looked at these nudes and smiled at the painted flesh. Gallery: Gallery Gongsan

For all of my friends in the art world in the West...don't discount the East. Get ready...and dazzle them here. The buzz starts now. They still believe in art and so do I.

I hope you enjoyed the showing.

Tales of the Porcelin God in Korea AKA Mispent Youth

There is nothing like it. The sound of someone stumbling up the stairs at three in the morning. You hear the unsteady steps. The dropping of keys on the floor, followed shortly after by the falling down on the floor. My neighbor is home. However, her night (and mine) is not over yet. I was treated to the unexpected pleasure of realizing that we share a bathroom wall. The acoustics are incredible. I could hear every horrible thing that came out of her mouth. A part of me wanted to go over and check on her. Another part of me said, 'as long as she is vomiting, she's still breathing.' That was my Friday night last weekend.

I was trying to write a column for my friends back in the states, and somehow managed to get that completed the next day...though I had a pretty nice sleep deficit going for me. I managed. Then my second promise to keep, a submission to Goldfish publishing...a wonderful anthology for a worthy cause...but somehow the echos from my neighbor came back...revisiting me like a Dickens character...the ghost of Past Drunkenness to the ghost of Future Drunkenness.

Saturday night came...and so did the retching of my upstairs neighbor. The man suffered. I can tell you that it was not as violent sounding. Hmmm, was I ever going to feel any inspiration with all of this retching going on. The worship of the porcelain God was a silent groan.

So on Sunday, enough was enough, and I decided to go to a place I hadn't been to before. A nice establishment that looked warm and inviting on a rainy Sunday called "Come Together" (ah, The Beatles). I enter alone with my bag, camera and notebook...and the urge to find something to inspire me. Anything. Ah, quiet...side rooms and open spaces...and now to contend with the terrified look of the host..."Foreign Girl" is here and I am not the least bit concerned how I throw off their seating plans.

Now taking my order was a comedy. I was gesturing, pointing, and even went to the kitchen to show them the kind of spices I liked. I don't think they were prepared for someone like me. I possibly broke a few taboos...but I think I would have really pushed it if I had whipped out my camera at that point.

My first course arrives...a segmented platter that held a light cabbage salad with cucumber dressing, mandarin orange segments, pickled seaweed, and the mystery that is pictured above. I wondered if I was a contestant on 'Survivor'...only thinking to myself..'What the Hell IS THIS?' after I did not taste what I expected.

Now Foreign Girl, sips away at her soup when the main course arrives. Yes, seafood...and I ordered chicken. Did I return the platter? No, I took a deep breath because I see a lot of tentacles in the mix. I am an octopus virgin. The other thing to take note of, is that I never eat prawn with the heads on...for me it is a matter of liking clean shrimp. The hard boiled egg also caught me off guard. Oh, this was another challenge for me. I lost my virginity on Sunday. I had actually eaten octopus and found I preferred not eating it.

The Dickens drunken classic continued with the ghost of Present Drunkenness. Though the side rooms do have doors for privacy...they are not exactly sound proof when you have a bunch of College Students chanting a drinking game. 'Ah Sah Geem...Ah Sah Geem...Ah Sah Deem....Ah Sah Deem...Ah Sah WOO! Ah Sah WOO!' You too can play the home version...just get some soju and chant and chase! I have to say it looked like more fun than the typical game of quarters.

I had to choose...get pissed off that my weekend was shot and I was going to procrastinate again...or COME TOGETHER. I knocked on their door. The manager, was panicked...and was starting towards me...I raised my hand and smiled. He stayed at his post.

The door slid open and silence filled their compartment. "Hi, can I take your picture?"
In perfect English one of the girls said, "We are drunk." I smiled. "I know." A few pleasantries were exchanged, they offered me a portion of their egg loaf and a glass of water. Both were accepted as a sign of friendship and they returned to their game.

A few days later, in another part of Daegu...believe it or not...sober, wiser, and a bit red faced I was recognized and we introduced ourselves to each other, properly. With camera and notebook in hand...here is the trio...the three freshmen at the university. All three are single and are really enjoying their youth...and were happy to be a part of this blog.

Now, where was I? Ah yes, to write the prose I am supposed to submit...perhaps this weekend...but there is the Soiree, Daegu Art 2009 - The Third International Art Fair...and Naked in Daegu...perhaps a few events I am missing.

I'll get it done...no worries...four pages of notes to sift through....and then on to the next.

Art Daegu 2009

The Third International Art Festival in Daegu is kicking off 27 February...and looks to be more than impressive...but massive as well. I was hoping to see more artists and galleries from the west sign up for this event, however there is a lot of incredible talent on display.

In Korea, they are sometimes slow to move, appearing to us in the west as last minute, BUT they do get there on time. They are never about rushing and information is sometimes grabbed for. Finally their web page is up and running... http://artdaegu.com/about_place.htm

HOWEVER...this event looks incredible and I am definately NOT missing this one. A great way for me to meet the gallery owners and artists from around the world. The venue is massive...

If you can make it this year... the entry fee is only 5,000 won. There should be some incredible finds.