In celebration of POSCO’s 50th anniversary, the POSCO Art Museum presents a special exhibition of art works by Peter Klasen and Hoon Moreau. The <Peter Klasen ∞ Hoon Moreau : Human ∞ Nature> exhibition introduces Klasen to the Korean audience for the first time and provides an opportunity for Moreau to showcase her works in her mother country.

30 Notable Artworks from Peter Klasen’s 60-Year Career

As a leading personage of the Nouvelle Figuration, Peter Klasen created his very own ‘Peter Klasen-style’, employing parody, homage and pastiche, to reveal the duality of the modern industrial age controlled by capitalism. Since the 1990s, Klasen has constantly expanded his artistic repertoire to include sculpture, installation, and drawing using photographs, objets, neon and various other mixed materials. Klasen’s works have been exhibited across the world over the past 60 years and many are currently in personal and public collections, including major art museums in China, Cuba, Mexico, Seoul, Tokyo, Geneva, New York, London and Paris.

In this special exhibition at POSCO Art Museum, 30 select works of Klasen, including <Ferrari 328 GTS / PK>, a 1986 Ferrari 328 GTS-turned-art car, will highlight his 60-year art career.

Art Furnitures of Hoon Moreau, a Rising Star in the European Art Scene

Since her beginnings as an interior architect and designer, Hoon Moreau has been drawing inspiration from the beauty of the elements that touch her. Especially the magnificence of nature has led her to create ‘Art Furniture’ that closely combines the functionalities of sculpture and furniture. Moreau seeks to merge art into the daily lives of the viewers through her work. Using mainly wood to make furniture, which she fully embraces the material, leaving even the wounds on the wood to become part of her work.

| Peter Klasen X Hoon Moreau: <Galaxy PK/HM>

Created by seemingly contrasting artists, the piece represents POSCO’s influence and efforts over the past 50 years. Standing at its new beginning to become a centennial brand, POSCO hopes to spread its significance throughout the universe just like the debris in the artwork. Reflecting POSCO’s corporate philosophy of respect and consideration for humans and nature, the piece as well as overall exhibit also provide unique opportunity to explore the implication of ‘Life in Art and Art in Life’. The special exhibit at POSCO Art Museum opened on October 18 and runs through November 20.

The POSCO Art Museum was founded in 1998 to foster creative growth by supporting new and established artists. POSCO began organizing the ‘The Great Artist’ competition in 2014 and since then has supported 53 emerging artists, helping them show their work to new audiences, both near and wide.

Paving Pathways for Emerging Artists  

In 2016, POSCO selected a total of 11 emerging artists working in various media, from photography to sculpture to painting. The exhibition was held at the POSCO Art Museum in Seoul from December 7-30 and showcased a total of 35 pieces. Let’s take a look at the 11 participants from the last competition who pushed the boundaries of creativity.

‘Chaos #10’ by Joolee Kang

Titled ‘Chaos #10’, Joolee Kang expressed the ambiguity of today’s advanced world and the way humans can manipulate the process of natural evolution through means like hybridization and genetic engineering. Kang is passionate about creating art pieces that reflect the way people appreciate and compete with nature at the same time.

‘Imagined Memories’ by Inkyung Kwon

Through his painting titled ‘Imagined Memories’, Inkyung Kwon has expressed how people form memories and anticipations about specific places and spaces to which they belong and how these memories are often explored in the realm of imagination.

‘Kangsan Moojin’ by Chunjae Kim

The setting of ‘Kangsan Moojin’ is the development site of Songdo International Business District in Korea. Chungjae Kim has portrayed the development site as a utopian fantasy and how we are facing a hostile atmosphere while dreaming of a more convenient future.

‘Time of Others’ by Sukmin Park

In this work, Sukmin Park looks at objects that cannot be contextualized in our daily lives and rearranges them through spontaneous imagination.

‘Homage to Becher II’ by Seungwon Yang

Seungwon Yang photographed an observatory tower that has been designed and created for specific purposes in the past. The image explores how buildings can be easily built and destroyed as they exist only in a temporary form.

‘Camino Recto – Madrid’ by Saejung Lee

Through her work ‘Camino Recto – Madrid’, Saejung Lee conveys her impressions of Madrid from when she first visited the city and what was most memorable to her: the Plaza Mayor.

‘Particle G800301 II’ by Yongsun Jang

In ‘Particle G800301 II’ by Yongsun Jang, the artist underscores how everything around us is made of particles and  expresses the mystery of life and the universe under the theme “Luminescent in Darkness.”

‘The Wall in the Mind Ⅲ’ by Yoomi Chung

Yoomi Chung’s ‘The Wall in Mind III’ makes observations on the abandoned styrofoam that can be found all around us. Her work expresses the physiological boundaries that exist between people, which can be tense and soft, or broken down in a moment.

‘Karat Variable Chemical Solution Glass, Electronic Device’ by Jiyeon Jung

Artist Jiyeon Jung created an installation consisting of 10 sound tubes and 9 seed-shaped glasses – all of which have light shining through them. Jung emphasizes how their shape and sound change based on light and temperature, as if they are telling a story on creation.

‘The Maker’ by Jihyeon Jung

Jihyun Jung makes connections between the ordinary scenes around us and the social issues that are present under the surface. In this work in particular, Jung looks at what happens in an apple field without a toilet.

Han Kyungwon ‘The Great Artist’ of 2016 

The winner of ‘The Great Artist’ competition was Han Kyungwon. Han has painted landscapes since she was a university student studying oriental painting, but has moved beyond the traditional to make something individual to her vision.   She expresses her unique viewpoint in an emotionally compelling way by creating and then destroying her work with fire.

Han began painting landscapes with the encouragement of her university professor. Her passion grew and she began visiting the mountainside up to three times per week to paint. However, one day while painting, she became so frustrated that she decided to burn her assignment. Upon looking at the charred remnants of her work, she realized it was more compelling to her than the traditional paintings she had been so focused on creating.

‘Ash-6’ Work of POSCO’s 2017 ‘The Great Artist’ Competition Winner (2010)

Since then, she has been working on the process of creating and destroying her work to reveal the dualities of life. As the winner of ‘The Great Artist’ competition, Han will be awarded with her own solo show at the  POSCO Art Museum in 2017.

The 11 emerging artists who participated in the ‘The Great Artist’ competition all portrayed their unique ideas and passion for art. POSCO will continue to promote emerging artists who have the courage to display their creativity to the world and contribute to pushing the boundaries of art in Korea. Which of these pieces and/or artists inspired you the most?

Steel has been used for some 3,800 years and has played a significant role in civilization throughout the history of mankind. From its use in the ancient weapons and hand tools of Rome and India, to the bridges and modern architectural marvels of today, the metal has been utilized in just about every conceivable way and it is seemingly impossible to imagine a world without it.

Unsurprisingly, as times have changed, so has the way we use steel. Not only has it been a practical material of function, but it has evolved into one of form, too, as a medium of art that transcends eras of historical metal relics to modern design. Nevertheless, many ancient steel artifacts, such as Damascus steel swords or Buddhist sculptures, for example, can be considered works of art themselves; the level of detail and quality of craftsmanship demonstrated in such pieces are spectacular, especially taking into account that they were created without the use of modern technology.

Today, sculpting steel is a form of artistry unlike any other and, in the hands of the right person, the durable, malleable material is capable of being transformed into just about anything the imagination can fathom.

An Artistic Metamorphosis

Contemporary artists of the 1900s continued to expand steel’s boundaries as a medium of art. American artist Alexander Calder changed the course of modern art by developing a pioneering technique to sculpt and twist wire into poetic, abstract shapes to create three-dimensional mobiles that hang in uncanny, perfect balance. Later on in his career, Calder devoted himself to making outdoor monumental sculptures in bolted sheet steel that continue to adorn public plazas across the world. Similarly, Richard Serra, often hailed as the world’s “greatest living sculptor”, also incorporated unconventional, industrial materials to accentuate the physical properties of art in the 1960s. His works, which are primarily large-scale and site-specific that engage with a particular urban or landscape setting, have become known all around the globe and have been the inspiration behind the designs of everything from electronics to fashion.

A Journey through the Art of Steel

Perhaps nowhere is this evolution from function to form more clear than at the POSCO Art Museum in Seoul, South Korea, which, to mark the foundation’s 20^th anniversary, is hosting an exhibition entitled Cheori Cheolcheol: From the Four Devas to Robot Taekwon V until July 7 (after which it will be held at the Pohang POSCO Gallery from July 17 to August 13).

The exhibition, which displays statues, handicrafts and furniture, among other works, from the Goryeo Dynasty (918-1392) to modern times, aims to illustrate the past, the present and the future of steel in our everyday lives.

Upon arrival, visitors are greeted by “Robot Taekwon V”, a sculpture inspired by an animated superhero robot of the same name popular in the 1970s, by Kim Taek-ki, a young artist who has been in the spotlight for his creative ideas.

Another highlight is “Yeongi”, an extraordinary landscape piece by Seungmo Park. In his Maya series (“illusion” in Sanskrit), of which the work is a part of, Park sketches and cuts two-dimensional contours on stainless steel mesh to create a type of three-dimensionality, which alters the appearance of the works depending on the angles from which they are viewed.

Each of the pieces on display at the POSCO Art Museum allows visitors to experience the diverse and sometimes contradicting aspects of steel, which are both strong and soft, and cold and hot.

By taking a look at the ancient artifacts of the distant past, as well as the futuristic works of contemporary times, it is clear that not only has steel been used for more than a thousand years in daily life, but it has also breathed life into the passion of artists throughout time.

POSCO endeavors to connect people and establish free communication between people and society through art. As part of such efforts, POSCO introduces a wide variety of exhibitions at the POSCO Art Museum. If you have any plans to visit Korea in the near future, or thinking about staying for a while, then you should definitely visit the Vertigo exhibition currently running at the POSCO Art Museum. It’s an opportunity too good to miss!

Australian Contemporary Art at a Glance

The Vertigo exhibition is a chance to take a comprehensive look into Australian contemporary art. Curated by Claire Anna Watson, Vertigo features work by ten contemporary Australian artists; Boe-lin Bastian, Cate Consandine, Simon Finn, Justine Khamara, Bonnie Lane, Kristin McIver, Kiron Robinson, Kate Shaw, Tania Smith and Alice Wormald. Presenting drawing, video, collage and sculptural works, the artists embrace diverse strategies in their attempt to make sense of the world around them, with dizzying results.

Vertigo, presented by Asialink Arts (funded by the Australian government), is part of an Exhibition Touring Program. The exhibition has already been greeted with enthusiasm in other venues in Asia including Indoneisa and Taiwan.

Following the touring exhibition’s success in Indonesia and Taiwan, the exhibition at POSCO opened on 24 July.

<During the exhibition, 10 young Australian contemporary artists will present a wide array of art, including neon signs, paintings, collages, drawings, videos and sculptures>

Director of Asialink Arts Lesley Alway says, “Reflecting on an accelerating world and its associated anxieties, Vertigo features a search for balance and a re-evaluation about priorities and possibilities for the future. At a time where we are connecting globally and searching for connections, dialogue about the way we live and envision the future has never been more important.”

△ Cate Consandine – Lash (2006)

Vertigo: The Exhibition
What does vertigo mean? If you look up the dictionary, it says, “a sensation of whirling and loss of balance; giddiness.” There is hardly another word that better reflects the identities of the 10 young, strikingly unique artists who participated in this exhibition. The artists, through their art, attempt to take the audience off guard and introduce a taste of chaos by making them experience the instability when one is faced with the unknown and the impossible. However, if you look at the artworks more carefully, you will realize that it is possible to overcome the fear and nervousness, and make sense out of the apparent confusion and chaos: Such an experience ultimately leads to the inner growth of the viewer.

“So what happens tomorrow?” Asks Claire Anna Watson, curator of Vertigo. “Lacking prescience, this is of course an unanswerable question that strikes at the heart of this exhibition. The bold offerings of the artists in Vertigo articulate the psychological repercussions and sense of dislocation that arises when considering the uncertainty of our world and its future.”

Do these works embody gravitas and signify a demise of hope? “They invite us to contemplate the volatility of humanity,” She answers.

[box] Vertigo @ POSCO Art Museum Exhibition Information

– Name of Exhibition : Vertigo – Chaos and dislocation in contemporary Australian art
– Exhibition Dates : 2014/7/24~2014/8/27
– Opening Hours : Mon-Fri: 10:00-19:00, Sat: 11:00-16:00 (Closed for Sundays and Holidays)
– Venue : POSCO Art Museum (B1 POSCO Center, 892 Daechi 4 Dong, Gangnamgu, Seoul, Korea)
– Fee : Free of Charge
– Artists : 10 Australian Contemporary Artists Boe-lin Bastian, Cate Consandine, Simon Finn, Justine Khamara, Bonnie Lane, Kristin McIver, Kiron Robinson, Kate Shaw, Tania Smith, & Alice Wormald
– Number of Artworks : 32 Works

For more information, please visit the POSCO Art Museum Homepage [/box]

Notable Artworks at Vertigo

The 10 artists participating in this exhibition are relatively young: most were born between 1970 and 1980. Nevertheless, these young, powerful artists are not only at the forefront of Australia’s contemporary art scene, but also making themselves known globally as well. From paintings and videos to sculptural works, the exhibition has a lot to offer in terms of both variety and intensity. Let us take a look at a few of the notable artworks available at the exhibition. 

#1 Justine Khamara – ‘Rotational Affinity’ (2013)

“In the past, I have sought to disrupt photography’s smooth, two-dimensional surfaces by building sculptures and collages entirely out of photographic parts. These works evoke biological processes of replication while also engaging with notions of self-representation in an era of instant, endlessly generative image production technologies. There is an undeniably psychological aspect to these works that is amplified by the fact that many of the sitters who appear in the photos are my close family members.” – Justine Khamara, on the ways he uses technological developments as an artistic medium.

#2 BONNIE LANE ‘MAKE Believe’ (2012) 

“By exploring emotional responses to the world in which we live, my predominantly video based practice focuses on universal human experiences from an often-existential perspective. My video pieces utilize the atmosphere and history of existing architectural spaces to create immersive environments to be stepped into. My artworks are often wholly or partly autobiographical, an amalgamation of experiences and memories, dreams and nightmares, fears and fantasies.” –Bonnie Lane, explaining her art philosophy.

#3 KIRON ROBINSON ‘I’m Scared World’ (2006)

“I use a range of mediums including neon, video, photography and installation to investigate the idea of doubt, faith and failure as constructive devices. My work continually chases ways of articulating, that which by its own definition is beyond articulation. [This work] explores the condition of experiencing and facing the idea of beyond from a position grounded in a contingent world.” – Kiron Robinson on how he tries to makes sense of the world through his art.

[box] Interview of Contemporary Artist Simon Finn

[Introduction] Born in 1976 at Melbourne, Australia, Simon Finn expresses the unmoving and the moving through drawings, sculpture and simulation technology. He is currently teaching classes on animation and game design at the SAE Institute of the Design Institute of Australia. He is also an award-winning artist who holds various exhibitions.

Q. What was the most impressing thing about Korea?
A. Korea is very beautiful, and there are lots to see. The most impressing thing about Korea was its food. Australian food is a bit bland; Korean food was powerful and unique. It was a very interesting experience.

Q. Could you please explain your art philosophy, and your thoughts on Korean Contemporary Art?
A. I am interested in new culture, human society, the environment, and technology. I think my interests blend in naturally into my work. I’ve had a chance to experience Korean contemporary art, and was very surprised to see there were a lot of interesting and unique ideas. Though my stay was short, it was a meaningful time getting to know about Korean culture and art. I’m going to spread the word about Korean culture and art when I go back to my home country.[/box]

The artists who participated in Vertigo are expressing their art philosophies in various ways. They are not satisfied with absolute beauty; rather, they try to communicate with the audience by showing them how they see today’s world with their own eyes. Can you feel the dissonance between dream and reality, the present and the future, and the feeling of uncertainty that arises?

POSCO Art Museum will continue to provide interesting and unique art experiences that leave the viewer thinking. Please look forward to more exhibitions in the future, and don’t forget to pay a visit when you have the chance!

Pictured here: <Mother in the sea, Haenyeo> exhibition being held at POSCO Art Museum from
May 10~July 3, 2014

Korea’s Haenyeo diving culture at risk of not being recognized by UNESCO

Pictured here: Close-up photograph of a Haenyeo from Joon Choi’s exhibition

In 2013, Haenyeo were chosen by the officials at the Cultural Heritage Administration as South Korea’s candidate for the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity for 2015. The Haenyeo culture is inherently Korean and is one of Korea’s prime intangible assets. However as Haenyeo travelled outside of Jeju, the culture spread to Japan as well. As the Korean government planned to register Haenyeo into the UNESCO list, the Japanese government has been making attempts to add a similar tradition of female divers to the UNESCO list as well with female divers called ama (あま). This has put the chances of Korea’s Haenyeo entering the UNESCO list at risk!

Joon Choi opens global exhibition to protect the cultural heritage of Jeju Haenyeo

Pictured here: Celebrated Korean photographer, Joon Choi, at his exhibition being held at
POSCO Art Museum

This exhibition highlights the work of one of Korea’s most celebrated photographers, Joon Choi. He tried to capture the trials and tribulations of Haenyeo in hopes to gather global support for them. Opening at POSCO Art Museum, the exhibition will be travelling to places around the world including Fukuoka National Museum and Miyazaki Museum in Japan, UNESCO headquarters in France, and Korea Culture Center in Brazil.

The title of the exhibition, <Mother in the sea, Haenyeo > represents the resilience of Haenyeo who must provide and be responsible for their families, much like greatness and care given by mothers.

If you are in Seoul or planning to be, here are directions and information. Admission is free!

Running dates: May 10 – July 3, 2014
Time: Mon-Friday, 10AM through 7PM / Sat, 11AM through 4PM (not opened on Sundays or public holidays)
Address: POSCO Center West B1, 2F. 440 Gangnam-gu, Seoul

Pictured here: Banners promoting Joon Choi’s exhibition at POSCO Center in Seoul

Photographer Joon Choi falls into the lives of Haenyeo

Pictured here: Joon Choi standing in the gallery space surrounded by his works of Haenyeo

So how did celebrated photographer Joon Choi become so passionate about Haenyeo? He studied in Tokyo and gained experience in New York. In 2005, he visited Jeju for an advertising shoot where he coincidentally met Haenyeo and which is where his deep interest in their lives began.

He began to observe the lifestyle of Haenyeo and was surprised by their resilience and will towards sustaining their livelihood. Furthermore, he made parallel comparisons of their way of life to that of a strong-willed mother. He could find comfort within the deep wrinkles of Haenyeo faces and felt the unconditional love and maternal instincts as proven by the rigors of their daily lives.

Pictured here: Captivating photograph of a Haenyeo by Joon Choi

Pictured here: Splashing fin of a Haenyeo during a dive

He continued to make visits to Jeju to capture their lives with photography and in March of 2013, he visited the small island off of Jeju, Udo, to further capture moments of Haenyeo. As Joon Choi was doing this, he heard about the unfortunate news related to Korea’s Haenyeo diving culture at risk of not being recognized by UNESCO. Therefore, he decided that he wanted to share the photographs he had collected over the past 9 years to a wider audience.

Pictured here: Entrance to the photo exhibit, <Mother in the sea, Haenyeo >

With the help of POSCO’s 1% Sharing Foundation which is making efforts to protect Korea’s cultural heritage, Joon Choi’s exhibition, <Mother in the sea, Haenyeo >, was able to become realized. The exhibition at POSCO Art Museum is showing about 160 works and is located in the original gallery space located on the 2^nd floor as well as in the new gallery space opened on the lower lobby floor.

In an interview, Joon Choi mentioned that the most captivating aspect for Joon Choi was that Haenyeo were like the ‘sky’ and had an emotional beauty. He found beauty in how Haenyeo were always faithful to the basics. Moreover, he said “I see the beauty in the faces of Haenyeo which have withstand the sea winds because they show both a strong and delicate façade. They have an aura that extends beyond the outer appearance which reflects the story of their lives felt by their whole bodies.”

Pictured here: Photograph of the youngest Haenyeo by Joon Choi

Pictured here: Waves as seen from Jeju Island

Jeju’s Haenyeo is a unique cultural heritage of Korea! Great support is needed to ensure that Haenyeo can be rightfully recognized as part of UNESCO’s intangible heritage list for 2015. We hope that the special exhibition highlighting Joon Choi’s works at POSCO Art Museum will inspire you to provide support for this cause!

Pictured here: Scenery of Udo, Jeju landscape, home to Korea’s Haenyeo