Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Korea. Show all posts

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Flowers From Korea, With Love!

Ggotggozi (or Ggotgozi) may be difficult to pronounce, but what it stands for is sheer beauty. It is the Korean art of flower arrangement!


The gallery at the Inko Centre in Chennai played host to an exhibition of this art from June 18 to 20. Inko Centre is an entity that is established with an aim to promote inter-cultural dialogue between India and Korea. This flower exhibition was one of their various activities.


As I entered the gallery, several cheerful arrangements greeted me with their colours and a faint, sweetish scent.


They stood elegantly in simple vases lined along the white walls. Leaves, twigs and flowers creating open, flowing designs that not only appeal to your senses, but also calm them.


Each arrangement soothes you, trying to hold your attention for just a wee bit more time, the tall twigs in them literally standing out proudly.


Sure, there are bright colours, but they are not overbearing. There is space, and a delicate lightness about the creations on display.


Talented artists representing different flower associations in Korea had put together this show in Chennai.


Flowers were especially flown in from Korea. Barring a couple of arrangements that had some dyed elements, all were natural.



Not much information is available on Ggotggozi. I wish the organizers had provided some, introducing this art to visitors in Chennai.


It would have been wonderful to meet the artists in person and get to know more about their art directly from them. But that was not possible.


However, their names are Lee Jong Im, Chairman, Im Flower Association--Jang Eun Ki, Chairman, Chang Hyun Flower Association--Kim Jung, Chairman, Ye In Flower Association--Kim Young Ae, Chairman, Bloomy Flower Association--Choi Myung Sook, Chairman, Korea Ggotggozi Association--Choi Jin Ok, Assistant Chairman, Korea Flower Arrangement Association and Chairman Ka Hyang Flower Association--Kivak Eun Joo, Chairman, in Chennai, India Git Bi Flower Association--Kim Joong Ae, Chairman, Git Bi Flower Association and Kina Eun Hee, Chairman, Eun Hyang Flower Association.

Photos by Lata
It was lovely seeing their charming creations! Hoping to see more of their art in times to come!!

Wednesday, January 28, 2015

Playing With Clay!


Kalakshetra Foundation is hosting Earth Matters II, a month-long Indo-Korean Ceramic Residency in its sprawling campus in Thiruvanmiyur, Chennai from 19 January to 23 February 2015. It is being organized by the InKo Centre in association with the Arts Council Korea (ARKO), Lalit Kala Akademi and the Kalakshetra Foundation. This project is the second in the series in India. The first edition took place in January 2012.

The residency has brought together 12 ceramic artists--six each from India and Korea. They are Kim Seungtaek, Kim Jaegyu, Jung Hyesook, Kim Younghyun, Yoo Euijeong, Son Jinhee, Zaida Jacob, Phalguni Samanta, Srinia Chowdhury, Nidhi Chopra, Ashish Chowdhury and S Potrarasan. The residency will be followed by an Indo-Korean Ceramic Exhibition at Lalit Kala Akademi in Chennai from 25 February to 5 March 2015.

I was happy to be able to spend some time and see the artists at work at the studio in Kalakshetra. They looked happy to be working there too. There was friendly banter, laughter and sincere work, all happening at the same time in the serene locale on a bright January afternoon. Here's wishing all the artists a great time at the residency!

Since their work holds a visual appeal, I decided not to write about it in words, and let some more pictures from the studio speak instead. Take a look!