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Mon, December 4, 2023 | 15:44

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Preview Art Week 2023 features Korean, Slovak visual artists

Posted : 2023-09-16 04:14

Updated : 2023-09-16 04:14

Art is presented as part of the "Colour & Form Ten Slovak Artists" exhibition at ART Corner H in downtown Seoul's Euljiro area, Sept. 6. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

By Bereket Alemayehu

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Eight galleries located in downtown Seoul's Euljiro area are bustling with visiting art enthusiasts as part of Preview Art Week 2023. One of the designated galleries, ART Corner H, is displaying 10 Slovak artists' paintings and sculptures until Sept. 26. This particular exhibition, "Colour & Form Ten Slovak Artists," is held in partnership with the Slovakian Embassy in Seoul, ART Corner H and the Society of Slovak Artists on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Slovak Republic and Korea.
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Maria Horvathova, the exhibition curator, explained that Jozef Jankovic, the most distinguished Slovak sculptor, created a monumental, nine-meter-tall granite sculpture place at Olympic Park in Seoul in 1987. At the same time, his granite-and-bronze sculpture named "Sebastian" was included in the collection of the Korean National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art.

"We are delighted that this exhibition continues to present the artistic legacy of Slovakia," said Horvathova, who has been awarded multiple times for curating more than 300 exhibitions in Slovakia and around the world. "This exhibition showcases the work of 10 artists who arrived on the Slovak art scene in the 1980s and appeared especially at exhibitions of young artists. From the very beginning, their work showed surprising spontaneity and enormous vitality. The painters introduced a wide range of new subject matter, color and exuberant structural or gestural painting, whereas the sculptors reflected a new understanding of the sculptural material. Their works offered a stark contrast between expressiveness and lyricism, poetry and drama, leaning towards the boundaries of the unknown and the mysterious."

Slovakian Ambassador to Korea Jan Kuderjavy mentioned in a message for the exhibition that "art has an extraordinary power to transcend borders, language barriers and cultural differences. It has the ability to touch our hearts, provoke thought, and foster understanding."

He added that the exhibition serves as a vibrant reflection of the rich artistic heritage and contemporary creativity of Slovakia. "This captivating showcase not only highlights the talent of Slovak artists but also provides an opportunity for cultural exchange, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of our respective artistic expressions," he said.

The showcase hosting gallery, ART Corner H, is a cultural complex built by extending and remodeling a historical building, providing a venue for artists to engage in various activities and introducing the art worlds of unfamiliar countries that were previously difficult to access from Korea, and expanding the base of culture and arts. The gallery works to introduce not only Korean domestic artists but also foreign artists.?

Also during the Preview Art Week 2023, SAHNG-UP gallery is hosting Korean artist Im Ji-hyun's "Climber" solo exhibition until Sept. 24. "Climber" refers to a vine plant that grows vertically. This is her second time participating in the art week, with 27 of her paintings on display.

"During the pandemic I was planting flowers and plants in my house, observing them day by day, how they grow and climb, focusing on the shapes and texture of the vine plant," she said.

Korean artist Im Jihyun stands next to her paintings at SAHNG-UP gallery, Sept. 6. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu

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For some of the galleries around the Euljiro area, this year might be the last time hosting exhibitions, as redevelopment plans are moving forward to tear down the old buildings where the galleries are located.
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Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He's also co-founder of?Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative, and freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency. Visit?photopatternist.com?for more information.

jdunbar@koreatimes.co.kr