Christmas Dinner and Hospitality on a Snowy Night in Gwangju

There is something special, in my opinion, about having a Christmas dinner on a snowy night.  And so it was last night at The First Alleyway in Gwangju.  Eating great food, and sharing a table with an entertaining and intelligent couple was a fine way to spend the evening during this Christmas dinner celebration.

It just didn't stop snowing, much to the chagrin of my dinner companion, but a pure delight for me.

Snowy Night in Gwangju

© Mark Eaton

While taking in the sites of the district, we popped into Manila Town to warm up a bit.  Any time spent at Manila Town is time well spent because of the warmth and hospitality offered to guests.  

I like the fact that there are places that I can visit to get my feet back on the ground.

Memorias: A Solo Exhibition by Joe Wabe at PDG Gallery in Gwangju

Joe Wabe is a fixture in the city of Gwangju.  He is a dynamic mover in several different facets of life and living.  I've had the good fortune to know Joe for the past few years here in South Korea, and it is an honor for me to present this bit of news about him here. 

Joe will be hosting his first solo photography exhibition beginning Saturday, August 10, 2013.  The exhibit will be at the increasingly popular PDG Gallery in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.  There will be an opening reception at the gallery from 5:00pm to 8:00pm, and this will be a great opportunity to meet and greet the artist.  The theme of his show is Memorias. 

   

The following is the exhibition statement as posted on the event page over at Facebook:

"Memories are the only real treasure that we can keep forever. I'll like to share with all of you my first solo photo exhibition. A small walk into my past memories, without leaving the present. A nostalgic visual recount of my time here in wonderful Korea. Each photograph will have a story to tell, a story that requires no verbal form. This is just a small expression of gratitude for the land that has giving me so much."

Joe Wabe's photographic style is one that connects well and resonates well with my view and outlook on life.  Here are two photographs that will be on display during the event:

Old Love

© Joe Wabe

By the Sea

© Joe Wabe

Paul Kerry from The Korea Herald has taken note of Joe's photographic work, too.  Read the article written by Paul Kerry about Memorias here.

As I mentioned above, the exhibition begins 2013/8/10, and it will conclude some time in the middle of September.  

For those who are not familiar with Gwangju be assured that it isn't difficult to find PDG Gallery.  In fact, it is just across the street from the U-Square express bus terminal in Gwangju.  It is important to note that the building that has the gallery is on the Shinsegae department store side of the bus terminal.  

Exit from the Shinsegae department store itself directly outside, not in the terminal itself but rather outside of the store, and look across the street for the Mr. Pizza sign.  The gallery is on the 5th floor of that building that displays the Mr. Pizza sign.

Here is the address of the building:

460-33 Nong Sung Dong, 

Dana Medical Arts Building

Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do

KoreaMaria Announces: Self-Defense Seminar in Gwangju

The news of the abduction and rape of a 22 year old female expatriate by a taxi driver in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea has motivated many expats living in the province to raise awareness and to provide services to increase the safety of foreign residents.

For example, KoreaMaria has posted on her blog some information about a self defense seminar that will be held regularly in Gwangju.  Her post also includes helpful information regarding how one can increase personal safety.  To read her article, please visit her site here.

As KoreaMaria mentioned in her post, the Jeolla Safety Alliance has a Facebook page, and it can be accessed here. 

Please help spread the word.  Thank you.

Photographs from the Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk Event - Gwangju

Yesterday, Joe Wabe led the 2012 Scott Kelby Worldwide Photo Walk in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do, South Korea.  It was a well attended event with a diverse group hailing from many different countries.  There even was an artist who sketched and drew as she walked along the event route with the photographers.

Joe did a fantastic job leading this walk, and everything went smoothly with the help of others whose expertise and contributions were essential.  It was a wonderful learning experience.  It was also fun for me personally as I caught up with some dear friends during the after-event social.

The timing of the photo walk happened to coincide with other events occurring simultaneously along the walk route.  As is my custom, I was looking for scenes and compositions that featured my appreciation for the design elements, water, and the often overlooked behind the scenes aspects of life.

 Urban Jungle

© 2012 Mark Eaton

 Abandoned and Forgotten
© Mark Eaton

I usually shoot in black and white mode; however, Hot Peppers Drying begged for the color composition.

Hot Peppers Drying

© Mark Eaton

The pair of gloves in Abandoned and Forgotten provides a poignant symbolism of those who are discarded so readily.  Just moments after I took this shot, a participant kicked the gloves under the seats where the awaiting participants rest before being called to line up for the parade.  Out of sight and out of mind as fast as one can imagine. 

Marilyn Monroe is at the U-Square Gallery

My wife and I received a very generous gift from our middle-daughter's boyfriend.  We took advantage of our time off due to the South Korean 추석 holiday to cash in the gift at the U-Square located in Gwangju-si, Jeollanam-do.  We took the express bus to Gwangju, and it just so happens that U-Square is the home of the express bus terminal in Gwangju.  It was very convenient for us.

We bought something special for my wife, which used up the alloted gift amount in one fell swoop.  She decided she needed to visit one of the hair salons in the square, and that left me with the opportunity to wander.  There is plenty to see and do at U-Square, so I decided to visit the U-Square Gallery.

Marilyn, Forever is the current exhibition at the gallery, and it is simply an amazing presentation of one of the most famous of all pop culture icons in modern history.  I wonder why this event wasn't advertised or highlighted more thoroughly.  Regardless, the event began September 26, and it will conclude October 22, 2012.

There are a large number of smaller sized photographs in the large display cases that face out into the square itself.  Inside the gallery are about a dozen large sized photographs by Bert Stern and Lawrence Schiller, with the majority being Mr. Schiller's work.  While a visitor takes in the large number of photographs and images of Marilyn Monroe in various forms of display within the gallery, an LP (long playing) record spins out Ms. Monroe's songs on a traditional record player.  A separate room showed movies that starred Marilyn Monroe.

Among the large photographs exhibited on the gallery walls, a visitor can read the poignant words that she uttered during her too short life. 

I enjoyed the artistic approach Bert Stern took when he photographed Marilyn Monroe.  Lawrence Schiller is well known for taking a more dynamic, maybe a more candid type shot of his subjects.

Of interest to me, and I'm sure to other photographers, are the contact sheets that are also a part of the exhibition.  To see the markings and notes on the sheets made by the photographer is an interesting lesson to learn about what was important to highlight and to publish.  Seeing an aide holding up the white balance card to Marilyn Monroe's face in some of the frames was very interesting to me.  The professional at work getting it done correctly before, during, and after a shoot.

To learn more about the photographer Bert Stern, visit this website:  Bert Stern: Original Madman.

To learn more about the multifaceted Lawrence Schiller, visit this website:  Lawrence Schiller.