Taehwa eco event goes beyond artistic borders

Artist Lee Kangso’s steel sculpture “Three Landscapes”(2012) is part of the Taehwa River Eco Art Festival, which kicked off at Taehwa River Park in Ulsan, southern Korea. Provided by the festival organizers

Visitors to Taehwa River Park, located along the river that crosses central Ulsan in South Gyeongsang, will encounter what looks like a drawing of a bus suspended in the air. But in fact, it is a sculpture made from a stainless steel wire by artist Song Jinsu.

The visitors will also see a real tree transformed into an art piece without it being touched. Artist Lee Myung-ho spread a large white screen behind the tree, which from a distance looks like a painting because of the backdrop.

These pieces are part of the ninth edition of the annual Taehwa River Eco Art Festival. This year is intended to be an exhibition of art that is in harmony with the natural environment.

The theme is “Beyond Walled Enclosure,” which has the double meaning of an escape from the typical white-cube spaces of art museums and from the elitism of the art world.

A total of 30 artists are participating in the festival, including veteran artist Lee Kangso, who is best known for paintings but presents a sculpture here. Five foreign artists are among the group: Nicolas Carrier of France, Yumiko Ono of Japan, Marc Oosting of the Netherlands, Jedsada Tangtrakulwong of Thailand and Frauke Wilken of Germany.

BY MOON SO-YOUNG [symoon@joongang.co.kr]

The festival runs through Sunday. For details, visit www.teaf.co.kr or call (052) 220-0611.