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Published on 20 Apr 2017
광화문 국제 아트 페스티벌, 미술전시의 대중화를 꿈구다
Gwanghwamun Plaza.
A must-see tourist point, more recently celebrated as a gathering place for political demonstrations.
It's also set to host of an annual international art festival in the coming weeks.
Gwanghwamun Plaza.
A must-see tourist point, more recently celebrated as a gathering place for political demonstrations.
It's also set to host of an annual international art festival in the coming weeks.
Hwang Hojun outlines what to expect in this year's event.
It's the 13th year of the Gwanghwamun International Art Festival,... or GIAF for short.
The opening ceremony on Thursday afternoon was celebrated by politicians and cultural figures of all stripes.
GIAF started as a way to bring together Seoul citizens and talented artists from Korea and abroad to enrich people's experience of various arts.
And it's now become a place to promote international cultural exchanges. "We have put countless hours into our work to reflect this year's theme. I hope people will be able to spare just a minute to appreciate the effort ."
This year, more than 140 renowned artists from all around the world have used the medium of art and their own notions of beauty... to answer the question -- and the theme of this year's festival -- "What makes life an art?"
To some, it's the convergence of different cultures...
The beauty of the human body itself...
The tragedy of suffering...
Or the joy that comes after...
GIAF also features artwork by 39 rising stars of the next generation, not only to cultivate and discover enthusiastic young artists but also to replenish the art world with fresh ideas and a new paradigm. They're also trying to bring the audience and the artists closer together.
For example, the organizers broke the language barrier by working with a crowd-sourced translation platform called Flitto.
That means visitors can easily understand the statements the artists have made about their work.
All you need to do is download the app.
In addition to the main exhibition, there are master classes and lectures by veteran artists, a movie night, and even a live concert, allowing visitors to participate directly. "Usually, art festivals would put the audience into two groups -- those who can buy, and those who can't. But GIAF is about really letting people enjoy art, tyring to show how it's no longer the purview of a small, privileged class."
All the events, which will run until June 7th,.. are free of charge, proving once again, GIAF is an art festival for everyone.
Hwang Hojun.
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