Pop artists make splash in Seoul

Adding to the festive spirit of the season, there are two exhibtions of fun and cheerful pop art underway in Seoul.

Love-themed artworks by five world-renowned pop artists including Robert Indiana, Andy Warhol, Keith Haring, Tom Wesselmann and Roy Lichtenstein are on display at the exhibition "Love and Pop Art" in 63 Sky Art Gallery, situated on the 60th floor of the 63 building in Yeouido.

The exhibition is divided into five sections, one dedicated to each artist.

Indiana`s sculptured or painted letters of "love" fill the "Writing Love" division, Warhol`s diamond sprinkled works can be found at the "Longing for Love" section and Haring`s bold and child-like prints are showcased at the "Drawing Love" section.

Some of Wesselmann`s sensual paintings at the "Feeling Love" section are showing in Korea for the first time at the exhibition.

Wesselman, much influenced by French artist Henri Matisse, often painted nudes of his wife, who was a model, with vivid colors.



Lichtenstein`s "Telling Love" room with his comic-like paintings is also fun. The artist`s paintings are placed on top of a glass floor, which offers a dizzy view which penetrates 60 floors, all the way down to the parking lot on the ground floor.

If one is seeking to see a great number of pop arts at the exhibition, however, he or she will be disappointed as the exhibits are relatively few in number.



But the view of Seoul from the museum and some original experience zones for kids are entertaining enough to spend several hours there.

The other pop art exhibition is at the Seoul Museum of Art featuring works by Andy Warhol.

More than 400 works that are lent from The Andy Warhol Museum in Pennsylvania are on display in this exhibtion called "Andy Warhol, the Greatest."

Organized in 19 different divisions, the exhibits cover Warhol`s lifetime of works from his famous Campbell soup can silk screens to works featuring deaths and portraits of famous figures like Marilyn Monroe, Michael Jackson or Mao Zedong.

"This is probably the biggest Andy Warhol retrospective exhibition ever in Asia. It covers all his works from his early days to the finals," said Yoo Hee-Young, director of Seoul Museum of Art.

The most notable part of the exhibition is the "Time Capsule, Mirror that reflects the Era of Warhol" section. Visitors can take a peek into the person Warhol instead of the artist Warhol.

According to Tom Sokolowski, the director of The Andy Warhol Museum, Warhol as a person was actually a very different from Warhol as an artist, whom many remember today.

"Throughout his entire life Warhol had only about five who he could`ve called friends. Even they found out some things about him only after his death," said Sokolowski.

"Two months after his memorial service, we found out that Warhol, instead of celebrating on holidays like Christmas with his friends, rather made food for the homeless and donated money. And that he was Catholic, and went to a Catholic mass everyday. Nobody knew this."

Warhol`s personal articles like comic books, photos, documents with Warhol`s handwritings and even a Warhol mannequin can be found at the time capsule section.

Although the mannequin is a bit cheesy, the wig and clothes on it are all authentic items that Warhol actually used to wear.

"The wig is a symbol of how Warhol liked to cover up. The man used camouflage. Outside, he was Andy Warhol, the great artist, but not many knew who the man was inside. `If you want to know me, look at my pictures,` he would say," said Sokolowski.

"Love and Pop Art" runs through March 7 at 63 Sky Art Gallery in Yeouido-dong, central Seoul. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, 11,000 won for adolescents and 10,000 won for kids. For more information, call (02) 789-5663 or visit www.63.co.kr

"Andy Warhol, the Greatest" runs through April 4 at Seoul Museum of Art in Seosomun-dong, central Seoul. Tickets are 12,000 won for adults, 10,000 won for adolescents and 8,000 won for kids. For more information, call (02) 548-8690 or visit www.warhol.co.kr



(claire@heraldm.com)







By Park Min-young