First a note about the importance of multi-cultural jamborees in all fields, and then a guide to “which artist makes which work” that we see in the promotional poster.

Lee Hye Seong, who put this show together after her excellent “President Noh Memorial Exhibit” closed in Seoul, knows every nook and cranny of the art scene in Gwangju, and has assembled a decent representation in this show. Not bogged down by being all from one “art group,” and with the determination to use an exhibit to launch multicultural dialogue, Lee found enough foreign talent to balance Gwangju’s over-abundance of artistic masters.

In a time when local actions may be what helps us survive the onslaught of global economic malaise, the hope is that a huge multi-cultural turn-out an help to raise awareness of the many talents Korea’s English teachers posses. There is a chance this quality citizen diplomacy will lead to more, art projects, and creative bridge-building, just at a time when a cohesive neighborhood can provide shelter from unappealing realities.

Beauty trumps all, right?

Here is the poster I am referring to in the following mini-write-ups.

Here are the creators, with #1 starting in the top left corner, to # 18 at the bottom right, as if reading a book:

1. Sook-nam Song , Human in a Human, Print

Suk Nam Song expresses turbulent relationships using motion to underscore emotional motifs, resulting in dramatic narratives.

2. Anjee Disanto, Barefoot, Dirty & Magical, Digital print

Ms. Disanto, so painterly with her photographs, it makes you wonder what would happen if she had a paintbrush in her hand, uses her work to express what she finds as a self-proclaimed anthropologist in quest of cultural knowledge everywhere.

3. Choi, Jae- young, Korean Wrestling, Acrylic on Canvas

Choi’s alluring doll figures mix the immediate impact of caricature with the technical prowess to examine all aspects of human life through his characters interplay. Large realistic heads cause viewers to stop to figure out which part of human experience is being portrayed.

4. Ju-hee Kim, Flora, Rosestone, Gold, Jade

This hand-carved jewelry arranges petals of gemstones in a vase of gold the way that grabs the eye like an Ikebana flower display.

5. Oh, Byungwuk, Chair11-1, Silver & Gumboo

Classic lines, and a professional attention to detail make Professor Oh’s recognizable sculptures

a highlights of the exhibit.

6. Nadine Bouliane, Under Cover, Mixed media

Nadine Bouliane, who is as adept at photography as painting, uses the recurring patterns found in nature, 60’s pop posters and paisley to create a dreamscape that can be interpreted in many ways.

7. Jo, Yongshin , Touch in Between, Video Installation

“Touch in Bewteen” invites viewers to look at how a universal experience, touch, can create bonds between extremely diverse cultures. Can art create intimacy strong enough to save the world?

8. Doug Stuber, Avatar Transportation, Opus 1792, Acrylic on Canvas

My work expresses how I feel. Narrowing to pure expression is the goal, and occasionally recognizable subject matter pops up post facto. Preserving what is left of nature is a daily goal.

9. Kwang Suk Park, In Jido's Mist, Watercolors and Ink on Rice Paper

Kwang Suk melds her lifelong interest in shamanism into paintings that attest to her dedication to themes that expose the inner workings of women.

10. Gilda Sénécal Wilson, Ewer, Oil on wood

An adept classical approach to art serves to remind viewers that Gilda’s paintings succeed in teir goal of making a permanent statement in an era disposable consumerism. This triggers the thinking that in order for all cultures to survive, reducing life’s frivolities while adding substance contributes positively, no matter the field of endeavor.

11. Byun, Kyung-Sup , Yellow Cross, Acrylic on Canvas

Byun attempts to break down the barriers of one’s inner life, and the world outside, while leaving the narrative open to interpretation in “Yellow Cross.”

12. Mark Eaton, Afternoon, Digital Print

Mark Eaton’s photography, often nudes, reminds us that beauty remains an integral part of art, while also an area that can unite diverse cultures.

13. Cho, Kang Hyun, Landscape08, Acrylic on Canvas

The softness of watercolor achieved in acrylic in “Landscape08,” moves the traditional watercolor onto canvas. By mixing classical style with a contemporary medium, Cho reminds us how much of the important concepts of the past can be applied to make a better present.

14. Evelyn Curry, Forbidden City, Photo Collage

This wide-angle take on one of the most familiar Asian tourist meccas is an excellent example of how Evelyn Curry uses photo collage to make paintings. I can’t wait to see if she paints with the sensibilities of a photographer, or not.

15. Nate Rood, Inuit Girl, Mixed Media

Appropriately, Rood uses mixed media to construct the complex life of a polar existence. Cubist underpinnings (Kwang Suk Park also has this element) challenge viewers to see an ancient culture through a modern lens.

16. Na Myung Kyu, Existence-Composition, Mixed Media

Questions swirl as to what the subject is doing. Uncertainty, and the frailty of paper secured by Plexiglas and bolts combine to make us remember that existence is in need of a bodyguard.

17. Mi-Hee Ju, Karma, Thin Wire

When toothpaste turns into a martini glass, then a skate then a guitar, then all are used as the border of a woman, and it happens without forethought, twisted from Ju Mi Hee’s fine tuned karmic spinning wheel, many conversations will start. It’s also mannerist pop art for those keeping score at home.

18. Jae-won Yoon , Lily-2011-07, Silver & Copper

This sublime piece uses ancient Japanese Mokumegane style, brought forward by CAD/CAM techniques mixing the past and present in elegant wearable art.

Sung Woo Kim, The Paradise Engine, Installation

This installation, though not pictured in the poster above, is another highlight of the exhibit. Can manual labor cause one’s mate to do handstands? Playfulness and diligence, two of Korea’s lasting cultural norms, come to life in this clever sculpture.

Eunam Museum, Gwangju 은암미술관, 광주 광주 동구 대의동 32 번지 우)500-050

The phone number:

062-231-5229

The museum website:

Eunam Museum of Art