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Peep at Art Busan 2017: Less Chinese and more Korean populist 'Minjung Art'

posted 18 May 2017

By Woo Jae-yeon

SEOUL, May 18 (Yonhap) -- In this year's Art Busan, an annual art fair that will open early next month at the port city, visitors will see a significantly smaller number of Chinese artworks due to the ongoing diplomatic feud between Seoul and Beijing over a U.S. antimissile THAAD system.

The organizers said the drop in number, however, would be only temporary and that the global event still proves popular among overseas galleries as some 170 galleries from 16 countries, including Galerie Perrotin (Paris), Gallery d'Arte (New York) and Pearl Lam (Hong Kong), will attend.

Sohn Young-hee, president of the organizer Artshow Busan Association Inc., told reporters in a press briefing Thursday that the number of Chinese galleries has dwindled to three from last year's 15.

"Since the relations show signs of improving, we would have been less affected if the opening had been pushed back," she said. "Nevertheless, generally speaking, we see a growing interest in the event from overseas galleries, not to mention from Korea's major art market players."

Busan, the second-largest city in Korea, has become a magnet for art lovers with an ever-growing base of collectors, especially in the new, expensive residential area of Haeundae.

Mild weather and beautiful scenery adds more appeal for foreigners to come visit the annual art fair, she said.


This photo provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows the art fair from last year. (Yonhap)
This photo provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows the art fair from last year. (Yonhap)

This photo provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows a birds-eye view of the exhibition hall of Art Busan 2016. (Yonhap)
This photo provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows a birds-eye view of the exhibition hall of Art Busan 2016. (Yonhap)

The 6th Art Busan will take place at the Busan Exhibition & Convention Center (BEXCO) from June 2-5, with some 4,000 art pieces on display.

According to Art Director Byun Hong-chul, Korea's "Minjung Art," or art of the people in Korean, will be highlighted in a special exhibition, titled "Korea's Realism; And Today," which shows some 50 paintings by 10 artists.

In the '80s, Minjung artists took to the streets, rebelling against the mainstream trend in the country's art scene that had largely shunned outright political activities. They protested against the repressive government by creating artwork with strong social and democratic messages in it.

The country's art critics believe the political and populist art genre from the period will succeed "Danshaekhwa," or monochrome paintings, that have been in vogue for the past few years in and out of the country.

"Those who have been leading the Danshaekhwa movement are now in their 80s. The generation that comes next is mostly Minjung Art painters," the director said.

"There is still a long way to go before the genre gets a more broad appeal from the public. That is why we've created a section fully dedicated to it and run an educational program to publicize it."


This image provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows Im Heung-soon's
This image provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows Im Heung-soon's "Factory Complex." (Yonhap)

This image provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows Sung Nak-hee's
This image provided by the organizer of Art Busan shows Sung Nak-hee's "Boost 1." (Yonhap)

 

 


http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/culturesports/2017/05/18/0701000000AEN20170518008800315.html


 


Woo Jae-yeon / Yonhap News Agancy

 

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