Interactive Korean media art exhibit opens in Manila

By Korea.net Honorary Reporter John Paul Vergonia

Photos = John Paul Vergonia

It was only last year that I went to Korea for the first time on the invitation of Korea.net and the Korean Culture and Information Service (KOCIS). With such a whole new experience, Korea is beyond doubt an invitingly beautiful country. Seoul alone, the capital, is a considerably huge park of scenic attractions and with various art installations dotted all across its bustling streets, it indeed amazes you.

With the immediate popularity of the rich culture of Korea and through the continuous efforts of the Korean Cultural Centers around the globe, you'll definitely have a space in your heart for Korea.

With the successful run of "Eternal Light" in February, the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines (KCC) first exhibit this year, the KCC has now organized another first-of-its-kind art exhibition, entitled "Moving Korea." It showcases 18 modern kinetic and interactive media works of art by nine illustrious contemporary Korean artists.

The exhibit 'Moving Korea' runs from June 8 to July 14 in the Exhibition Hall of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines.

Officially opening on June 8, the art exhibit was led by the newly appointed KCC Director Lee Jincheol. Apart from students' participation, the opening ceremony was attended by distinguished Korean representatives, ambassadors and VIPs, as well as respected guests from the Philippine art scene and media industries.

As the first interactive media art exhibit of its kind in Manila, "Moving Korea" encourages spectators to experience not just the creation process but to be part of the art itself. With the comfbination of images, music, moving objects and modern technology, exhibit attendees are introduced to a different art genre that is interactive in nature and that modernizes the typical form of artworks and creations that we usually see in exhibitions.

'Winter Poetry' is by Na Hyoungmin.

Na Hyoungmin’s lenticular paintings 'The Moon' and 'The Ring Around the Moon' are two of his four jwibulnori (쥐불놀이) works of art. 

The set of interactive media works of art showcased in the exhibit, which include paintings, digital works, moving sculptures and engaging installations, communicates differently through the spectators' individual senses and actions, as well as the artist's interaction, depending on how you interpret the artworks.

'Mechanical' is by Wang Ziwon.

'Mechanical Avalokitesvara, ver. Sun’ is also by Wang Ziwon.

Besides the interactive masterpieces, an artists' talk was also held as the highlight of the "Moving Korea" exhibition. Graced by one of the exhibit artists, Na Hyoungmin, he briefly presented the whole process of making one of his art pieces using the lenticular method, wherein sets of paintings with the emphasis of the horizon are combined to form a screen of one image and which appears differently depending on the angle at which you observe it.

An artists' talk presented by Na Hyoungmin is held in the Hallyu Wave Hall of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines.

As introduced, Na Hyoungmin is the first Korean artist to use such a lenticular method in his paintings. In the exhibition, three of his remarkable lenticular paintings were on display. The first artwork was "Winter Poetry," which he based on the traditional Korean subject matter of sagunja (사군자), the four plants: plum blossom, orchid, bamboo and chrysanthemum. Two of his works were part of a four-piece work of art based on the jwibulnori (쥐불놀이), a traditional fire dance performed by farmers on the first day of the first full moon of the lunar calendar. This literally means "small fire play" or "playing with fire," and farmers pray for a good harvest. All of his works are beautifully showcased. He also showed the attendees some of his finished works that have been exhibited at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, located in Seoul.

Furthermore, the artist put an emphasis on the lenticular method as being his own technique, as opposed to the usual form of painting. He added that it’s his representative way to express his message and intent to the audience, and a way to set himself apart from other artists.

Korean representatives, ambassadors and VIPs, as well as respected guests from the Philippine media and arts scene, attend the 'Moving Korea' interactive art exhibit opening ceremony on June 8.

The painting "Trialogue in the Reflected Red Forest With Flame Flowers" is one of the featured works by Kwon Kisoo. There is also the digital artworks of Lee Leenam, such as "A Song of Nature" (자연의노래) and "Drawing of Colors for Inwang Mountain" (인왕제색도) in which he incorporates modern technology and mixes it with traditional Korean painting.

Exhibit attendees pose a smile in front of the camera along with Kwon Kisoo's 'Trialogue Reflected in the Red Forest Flame With Flowers' paintings.

The painting ‘Drawing of Colors for Inwang Mountain' (인왕제색도) is by Lee Leenam.

The painting 'A Song of Nature' is by Lee Leenam.

There are also interactive light installations that respond when touched or when movements are felt, like the "Light Tree" and the "Lightning Bug" by Hybe and Kim Dongho, respectively.

The visual interactive work of art 'Light Tree' is by Korean artist Hybe. 

Kim Dongho created the visual work of art ‘Lightning Bug.’

Another engaging work of art that exhibit goers could experience was the "We Face Each Other Everyday" (우리는 매일 마주한다) by artist Vakki. With the participation of spectators, the artwork produces images, movements and patterns based on the motion detected by a camera that has a vision sensor and that's combined with technology that uses artificial intelligence.

There were many other great works of art on display there, too. The Lego work of art "Toy Rider" by artist Everyware was quite impressive. Han Jinsu’s work "Flying" was made of car doors, which kind of looked like a soaring butterfly. There was also the set of mechanical works, called the "Mechanical," "The Birth of the Sun" and "Mechanical Avalokitesvara ver. Sun," all by Wang Ziwon.

A surprise performance by students from the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines.

Attendees enjoy trying out the Lego-made 'Toy Rider' work of art by Everyware.

The work of art 'Flying' is made by Han Jinsu.

The "Moving Korea" interactive media art exhibition, which was free, aims to showcase the modern side of the Korean art scene to the Philippine community. It will run from June 8 until July 14 in the Exhibition Hall of the Korean Cultural Center in the Philippines, located in the Bonifacio Global City development in the city of Taguig, part of Metro Manila.

wisdom117@korea.kr

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