2012.6.7 MUSEUMS & GALLERIES
OH HEIN-KUHN: MIDDLEMENSungkok Art Museum, Jongno District
To June 17: Oh Hein-kuhn, a photographer well known for his “portraits of anxiety” taken of women, has finally added men to his portfolio. His solo show titled “Middlemen” features young male soldiers. The exhibition consists of 37 large photographs of everyday soldiers in the Korean Army, Navy and Air Force.
Though he received support from the Ministry of National Defense, Oh’s photographs are far from military promotions. Quite purposefully, the soldiers pictured don’t look especially gallant. Most simply stare with emotionless faces.
These portraits invite a sense of delicate unease just like the ajumma and teenage girls of Oh’s former series. The faces deliver a message of subtle, ambiguous anxiety. “I’m interested in the anxiety felt by people whose identities are caught between two worlds,” the artist said at a meeting with the press.
Admission is 3,000 won ($2.5) for adults. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Sunday.
Go to Anguk Station, line No. 3, exit 1, and walk for 10 minutes.
(02) 733-8945, www.artsonje.org
LEANDRO ERLICH: INEXISTENCE
SongEun ArtSpace, Gangnam District
To July 7: A step inside the solo exhibition of young Argentine artist Leandro Erlich is reminiscent of a childhood visit to a Ripley’s Believe It or Not museum. A horizontal staircase leads to nowhere and endless mirrors baffle. One peek into the “Changing Rooms,” for instance, will make you feel trapped in a maze of reflections. The beginning and end disappear in the walk-through installation.
As is the usual style of the artist, Erlich’s exhibit takes everyday objects - from mirrors and glasses to ladders and doors - and twists them into objects from an alternate dimension.
The exhibition features four installation works, including the two mentioned above, and one video documentary.
Admission is free. The gallery is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday.
Go to Cheongdam Station, line No. 7, exit 9, and walk for 10 minutes.
(02) 3448-0100, www.songeunartspace.org
MARC RIBOUD: EIFFEL TOWER PAINTER
Hangaram Design Museum, Seocho District
To Aug. 5: The first retrospective of the French photojournalist Marc Riboud features 190 photographs.
The exhibition is divided into six sections. It starts with “Eiffel Tower Painter,” which consists of a continuous series of dotted photographs of the painter, all taken on the same day and with a single roll of film.
The second section, “China & Japan in the ’50s,” shows his photos of life in Mao Zedong’s closed society, as one of the first European photographers to enter China during the days of the Bamboo Curtain. The photos in this section also deal with Japan’s economic renaissance.
Admission is 12,000 won for adults. The museum is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. It is closed the last Monday of each month during the exhibition’s run ?- May 28, June 25 and July 30.
Go to Nambu Bus Terminal Station, line No. 3, exit 5, and walk for five minutes.
(02) 532-4407. www.marcriboud.co.kr
THE CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION OF LEE IN-SUNG’S BIRTH
The National Museum of Contemporary Art Deoksu Palace branch, Jung District
To Aug. 26: The retrospective of the artist who was active in the early 20th century features 75 pieces, including well-known works like “On an Autumn Day” as well as the paintings and drawings that have rarely been shown to the public since his death. About 200 historical documents concerning Lee, including early 20th-century photos and news articles, are also on display.
Although Lee’s life was relatively short at 38 years, the styles of his paintings are quite diverse.
“It reflects Lee’s experimental mind, his ability to conduct such experiments and, at the same time, his struggles to create his own styles and themes as a Korean artist under the influence of various Western art movements,” explained Park Soo-jin, the museum curator who directed the exhibition.
Admission is free. The museum is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday and until 9 p.m. Friday to Sunday.
City Hall Station, line No. 1 or 2, exit 1.
(02) 2188-6114, www.moca.go.kr
Information is culled from the galleries and other online sources.
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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