My artwork is mentioned in the Guardian's review of the Gwangju Biennale...

A grand canvas for Gwangju's role in dawn of South Korean ...

www.guardian.co.uk

Gwangju Biennale artworks deal with popular resistance from Asia to the Arab spring and the Occupy movement ...The market workers themselves, snoozing in the sun after the morning rush, are represented in murals and the cobalt-hued portraits, adorned with Hangul script, of William Andersen.

Portraits of local artists and traditional market workers in the Daein Market that reflect on the consolidation of multinational corporations’ hegemony over the shaping of peoples’ tastes and sense of identity around the globe, a topic especially pertinent now in South Korea where the highly divisive Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the United States just went into effect March 15, 2012. The portraits combine photography with Korean calligraphy and are mounted as traditional scrolls. My solo exhibition, entitled '…occurrences in dislocation' will be at Han Pyeong Gallery and the Mite-Ugro Archive in the Daein Market, Gwangju, South Korea from September 5 to October 4, 2012.

getting ready for the show...

My solo exhibition titled ... occurrences in dislocation opens tomorrow and runs through October 3, 2012 to coincide with the Gwangju Biennale.  Work will be displayed in the Han Pyeong Gallery and the Mite-Ugro Archive both in the Daein Market, Gwangju, South Korea.   Open hours are 10am - 6pm Monday through Saturday and the galleries will be open 10am - 12 midnight on September 7 and 8, 2012 for the Daein Market's Artists Night Market.

my solo exhibition opening in Korea...

My solo exhibition titled ... occurrences in dislocation opens tomorrow and runs through October 3, 2012 to coincide with the Gwangju Biennale.  Work will be displayed in the Han Pyeong Gallery and the Mite-Ugro Archive both in the Daein Market, Gwangju, South Korea.   Open hours are 10am - 6pm Monday through Saturday and the galleries will be open 10am - 12 midnight on September 7 and 8, 2012 for the Daein Market's Artists Night Market.
 

behind the scenes of our post-nuclear apocalypse film set in Korea...

We started shooting our post-nuclear apocalypse film, YEOK, on Monday night, August 6 (the same day that in 1945 the United States dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan - we did not plan this, just a weird coincidence). As a thunderstorm rolled in, we began shooting. Here are a few of my photos of behind the scenes footage (for more photos and a video click HERE). Enjoy!

Artists Night Market Gwangju, South Korea!

The best thing so far about our artist residency program has been to meet the other artists working in Gwangju, South Korea.  MITE UGRO is set within a short of dying old traditional market. The local artists, with some support from the government, has set up a number of artists spaces - galleries, studios, workshop areas, etc., as well as once a month they have this rather exciting night market with art,  handmade crafts, lots of food and drink, Korean traditional drummers, a DJ, emerging bands, etc. (watch the video above).  I was surprised how much it was a real blend of the locals that work in the market everyday and lots of young people, artists, etc.  Since the market is rather slow and kind of depressing usually, it was really encouraging to see how much it could change with some new added energy!

Anyways, less than 2 hours to go on the kickstarter to support our film project.  Donate if you can!  (click here to donate)

getting our studio ready in Korea...

Painting over the so-called Museum of Graffiti Art

Seungki Cho and Jonah Whipp repairing our studio furnishings

Almost complete after the painting, repairs, and hanging up some traditional Korean sun blinds

It has taken a lot of time and work to get our studio ready for our artist residency program at MITE UGRO.  The two "artists" before us had turned the studio into what they called a "Museum of Graffiti Art" so we had to use four cans of white paint to cover it all (btw: when one of the graffiti artists got back to the US he was immediately arrested and put in jail, we also saw a news report that they both are wanted on a $10,000 fine for painting graffiti over some other artist's work here in Korea).  Much of the rest of our time has been spent cleaning, figuring out where to purchase items, get relatively decent food that is not too expensive, and even where to get our clothes washed... this has all taking a lot of time and energy, especially in such hot and humid weather everyday (it was only 88 degrees today but the humidity got up to 98%)!!!!

Anyways, only 5 days left to donate to the film we are shooting in Korea!  Spread the word and donate if you can, if we don't reach our goal we don't get anything:  역 Yeok ( The Station)

video welcome at artist residency, Gwangju, South Korea

Finally made it to Gwangju (kind of magically on 7-7-at 7pm) and moved into the Mite-Ugro artist residency later that night. Check out this video of the art directors Seungki Cho and Mingon Oh welcome me to the gallery: (watch video)

Mr. "O"

Korea: some of the best food in the world?

First meal in Korea - Haejangguk or "hangover soup," a coke, and kimchi.

Second night - Udon noodles, tea, Korean "sushi" rolls, and kimchi.

Third night - Samgyupsal or Korean pork BBQ, a beer, and of course more kimchi.

The food has been the best part of Korea so far.  Since I have recently been called a bon vivant, I think I can have something to say about good cuisine around the world.  If you asked me a few years ago what are the best destinations that I have been to for good food and drink, my list would be something like:

1. Taiwan
2. Italy
3. Spain
4. Singapore
5. China (would be higher on this list but NOT with all of the food contamination stories)

...but now I would put Korea right up there at number 3 or 4.  I still will be in Korea for almost two more months so let's see what happens...

I am in South Korea doing an artist residency at  Mite Ugro ZaZa. Besides producing an exhibit of new artwork, I will be assisting a friend and former student, Jonah Whipp, create a film. Please pledge to help produce this unique film that could potentially launch our creative careers! Any amount small or big will help and there are rewards for donating too including a Zine, DVD of the final film, and one-of-a-kind artwork by ME! Click on the links for more info:

역 Yeok ( The Station)

www.kickstarter.com

역Yeok is a remake of Chris Marker's La Jetee. Set in Korea, it tells the story of a post-nuclear war experiment.

Artist Residency Program in Korea

street vendors in Daegu, South Korea

Just arrived in South Korea last night, July 2, around 5pm, then took a 4 hour bus ride down to Daegu after about an hour of clearing customs and picking up my luggage at Incheon International Airport. Arrived in Daegu around 10:30pm and met up with my friend and former student Jonah Whipp. He is still teaching English for a few more days so I am sleeping on his floor in his tiny studio apartment until we can both move into the artist residency space at Mite Ugro ZaZa in Gwangu. He is staying longer but my residency runs through September 9th.  We are collaborating on a film, an art exhibition, as well as I am also working on some of my own artwork. 

Click on the link below for more info on our film project:

역 Yeok ( The Station)

www.kickstarter.com

역Yeok is a remake of Chris Marker's La Jetee. Set in Korea, it tells the story of a post-nuclear war experiment.

help support our film shot in South Korea!

 

This is one of the project that I will be working on during my artist residency at MITE UGRO ZAZA in Gwangju, South Korea. Besides producing an exhibit of new artwork, I will be assisting a friend and former student, Jonah Whipp, create a film.

Jonah Whipp is a smart, sensitive, and promising young film maker. Pledge to help produce this unique film that could potentially launch his creative career! Any amount small or big will help and there are rewards for donating too including a Zine, DVD of the final film, and one-of-a-kind artwork by ME! Click on the links for more:

역 Yeok ( The Station)

www.kickstarter.com

역Yeok is a remake of Chris Marker's La Jetee. Set in Korea, it tells the story of a post-nuclear war experiment.