Country- Korea:
Korea is composed of two sovereign countries--North Korea and South Korea. Korea has an interesting history of separation, leading back to the aftermath of World War II in which Korea was left partitioned along the 38th parallel and today the peninsula is still divided along that parallel. However, the the current "buffer zone" of land running across the Korean Peninsula is known as the the Korean Demilitarized Zone and definitely the most heavily armed border in the world.The northern part of the peninsula known as the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is ran by a Soviet-style socialist regime, while the south part of Korea known as the Republic of Korea has Western-style republic.
Korea as a whole is situated on the Korean Peninsula and runs 1,100 kilometers north and south. Korea is not only comprised of the mainland, but as well as some 3,200 islands. The Republic of Korea (south) is a country that has a forward way of thinking and a continued can-do approach to things. It is country full of endless possibilities; comprised of picturesque mountains, serene temples, abundant rice patties, beautiful islands and so much more. While the Democratic People's Republic of Korea is a country that truly mysterious and isolated from the rest of the world. The nation only admits fewer than 2,000 Westerners a year, however, if you have the chance to travel to northern Korea Mount Paekdu (Paekdusan) is considered to be one of the most stunning sights on the Korean peninsula. Being the highest mountain in the country at 2,744m as well as an amazing geological phenomenon.
Artist- Jeong-Hwa Choi:
Jeong-Hwa Choi was born in Seoul, Korea in 1961 and received his BFA from Hong Ik University in Seoul. In his work, Jeong-Hwa Choi uses a variety of mediums including video screens, real and fake food, lights and wires to plastic items of sorts. His work is inspired by the open-air markets, his work tends to use kitsch and theatrical consumer products/mass produced merchandise. It is interesting to see how Jeong-Hwa Choi uses these mass produced items to draw attention to the culture of superficial fabrication in Korea and the excess. I am interested in how his work is able to use these somewhat everyday objects and leave such an impression on the surroundings in which the work is placed.
Believe or Not, Ilmin Museum, 2006
Soft Power, Korea Foundation Cultural Center, 2007
Here is the artist's website where these images of his work and many more can be found: www.choijeonghwa.com
2 comments:
Sounds like an amazing trip - and thanks for the artist intro!
Yea, sure does sound like a good trip to me as well. I enjoy writing these Wednesday Artist of the World posts because I am able to at least once a week travel through the internet to a new continent/country---see new places, people and cultures....as well as find really interesting artists. :D Thanks for reading.
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