Art at the Yeosu Expo in South Korea

Unlike far too many previous Olympics, Expos, and other international events with extravagantly constructed stadiums and buildings only to be abandoned and unused following their concluding acts, the Yeosu Expo, which was held in 2012, continues to be a dynamic and vibrant venue that regularly features many different activities and events.  I almost always travel to the Expo from Suncheon by train, and the line conveniently ends at the train station that is located directly across from the Expo.  

I went to the Yeosu Expo yesterday, August 15, which was Independence Day in South Korea.  The train was very crowded, and the Expo was also crowded, too.  Amidst all of the hustle and bustle of the day, I couldn't help but see that there was a sculpture exhibition in one of the event rooms.  The exhibition room is very noticeable, because just outside the entrance is a very large sculpture that commands one's attention.  The artists involved created the sculptures from discarded metals and plastics that otherwise would have been thrown away in some manner.  The sculptures vary in size from the large piece that I mentioned above to a small piece about the size of my thumb.  

The exhibition will end on Sunday, September 14, 2014, so there is plenty of time to travel to the Expo in Yeosu to see it.  The following photographs show some of the sculptures that are showing at the event.

Sculpture at Yeosu Expo

© Mark Eaton

Sculpture at Yeosu Expo 2

© Mark Eaton

Sculpture at Yeosu Expo 3

© Mark Eaton

You might want to bring a change of clothes to the Expo.  Why?  Well, you just might get a bit wet when you paddle the kayak around near the Big O.  There is a brand new guesthouse on the premises for those who travel far from home.  I hope the event planners continue to feature other works of art in the future.

 

Landscapes of Korea -- A Photography Book by John Steele

John Steele is one of the nicest people anyone can hope to meet anywhere in the world.  In January of 2014, I interviewed him about his photography.  Take a look at the interview here: John Steele -- The Man with Heart and Soul.  Based in Seoul, he travels the country with his trusted four-legged assistant, Holly.

Recently, John self-published a photography book from blurb.com that is titled, Landscapes of Korea.  From the bustling metropolis to the quiet rural areas, he shows many of those areas not frequented by tourists.  I like his style.

To preview and purchase the book, visit John's blurb page here.  It is my opinion that considering the quality of his work, the pricing for the photography book is very good.    

The image below shows the photographs used for the book covers.

Landscapes of Korea

© John Steele

Congratulations to John Steele.  I look forward to seeing his photography for many years to come.

The Fifth Jinan International Photography Biennial to be Conducted in November 2014

Jinan, which is the capital city of Shandong Province in China, appears to be an important place for photography.  Beginning November 1, 2014, the Fifth Jinan International Photography Biennial will be held in Jinan.  Unfortunately, I cannot find a reference as to where the event will be held.  If anyone does know the specific location, please inform me.


Update - 2014/10/27:  Chunyang Zhang, who lives in Jinan, informed me in the comments section below this article that the biennial will be held at Shandong University of Art and Design.  Thank you very much for sharing this information!  This is what she wrote:

"It will be held at Shandong University of Art & Design, in Chinese 山东工艺美院..."

Photography submissions are being accepted until September 20, 2014.  There is an academic theme, and there is an exhibition theme, though I'll have you read all about it for yourself.

To learn about the biennial, to read how submit images for the photo competitions, and to find out who is involved in this, please visit the English language website here.

To access the main website that is written in Chinese, please click this link.  There is an "English" button at the top of the page; however, it didn't work for me.  If it works for you, please let me know.

At the first website I shared, there is a brief mention about Shandong Province being the birthplace of pinhole imaging.  I did a bit of research about that claim, and I found an interesting article written by Jon Grepstad about the history of pinhole imaging and pinhole photography.  His article can be read at photo.net located here.

I'll see you there!

Art In Suncheon

Though a beautiful city, Suncheon doesn't have a large collection of art galleries in the city proper.  A few can be found near the fashion district, and there are a couple here and there outside of the city.  

My favorite art gallery to visit in Suncheon doesn't look like a gallery, nor is it near the fashion district.  It is located along the Dongcheon, which is the river that cuts through the city.  After the building was erected a few short years ago, I decided to go into the place after taking a long walk on the river walk, because all the signs said that it was a restaurant and a cafe.  I thought I would catch my breath and have something cold to drink.  The art hit me as soon as I walked through the doors.  All along the walls some sort of art can be found.  There were even a couple of small installations, too.

To make a long story bearable, I was able to meet the artist and his wife who own and operate the restaurant/cafe/gallery.  He has done a lot of work both inside and outside of the building.  Once the couple learned that I like photography, they said that they would show me their gallery located downstairs.  It is nice, and the work that is exhibited is very, very nice.  I won't spoil it for you, so you will have to take a look for yourself.

I've taken some of my Korean friends to the gallery, and they have asked me how I found out about it since it isn't obvious.  I replied that I found out about it the same way I learned about many places in this area:  I walk to it, bus to it, or have someone drive me to it, and I start talking to people.

Here are a couple of photographs of the gallery.

Resto Cafe

© Mark Eaton

Resto Cafe II

© Mark Eaton

It is located on the eastern side of the Dongcheon.  If you walk along the river walk, be it northward or southward, you will see it for this simple reason:  the river walk was constructed in such a way that it raises out of the river basin to the front of the building.  And then it drops back into the basin.  You can drive there, of course.

I would ask about seeing the art in the gallery only after the hostess seated me, and only after I ordered coffee or a meal.  It is a nice way for everyone to become familiar with everyone. 

The Artifacts of Teaching

A teacher can collect a lot of things over the course of a career.  These are just some realia, props, visual aids, gadgets, and gizmos I have used while teaching all manner of students in South Korea.  If I had a favorite, it would be the rabbit skeleton.  

Unknown to me, a rabbit had died in our flower garden; however, I didn't discover it until I cleaned and prepared the garden for winter.  It is possible that it clashed with one of the feral cats that frequent the neighborhood.  I cooked and cleaned the rabbit.  It is covered until I teach a science component to my students.  My students have never seen anything like it.

The Artifacts of Teaching

© Mark Eaton

I was a licensed private teacher in Suncheon, but that is all but finished at this time.  I shall move to a different exotic land in the not too distant future.  To be honest, it is time to move on.

A person who is knowledgeable about Korean culture will appreciate the one symbolic feature in the image above.