Says Chairwoman Choi Myung-sik of Korean Art and Life Association

By Sion Khan with Reporter Ms. Son Da-som

In an interview with The Korea Post, Choi Myung-sik, chairwoman of the Korean Art and Life Association, remarked that she will strive to promote artistic exchanges with foreign entities. She said she will work for artistic exchanges with Russia. Mrs. Choi became very interested in Russian living art after participating in a Korean Embassy (Russia) event. The Association has plans to multiply its regional chapters and membership. A summary of the interview follows:

Artist Choi at work at her atelier. She is working on Sotong(Communication).

Question: When did you become interested in art? What is the reason?
Answer: I was in the first year of elementary school that I first encountered art. I took part in a school art contest at the recommendation of my art teacher and I was lucky enough to win an award. This made me more interested in art and my enthusiasm toward arts did not wear off when I was in the secondary school.
I wanted to advance to an art college or a teachers college, but failed to enter the college of my choice due to a lack of tuition fee as our family was in financial straightjacket at that time. Instead, I gained admission to a nursing college to earn money later, and met my present husband in my second year. "I will help you concentrate on art if you marry me," he said one day after seeing me study art and work hard as a nurse. After getting married, I began to make my dream come true. At long last, I entered an art college when I was 37 years old, and completed a highest degree course in graduate school.

Chairwoman Choi Myung-sik of the Korean Art and Life Association is delivering a speech at the inaugural meeting of the Association on March 1, 2018.

Q: What is the vision and mission of Korean Art and Life Association?
A:
Just as we need air in our lives, 21st century living art is necessary for our living. Our management policy is to ensure that only artists who participate and act together will gain equal labor costs and other income. It is the Association's belief that artists, who tend to remain passive, will be unable to succeed without taking action. No amount of good work and no good ideas can ever bring about fruitful results only by thinking.

Association members frequently discuss on how working with creative ideas than fine art can be incorporated into living art. We will try to promote the Korean Art and Life Association as a global entity based on creative ideas and open mind. Research activity means meeting with people frequently to exchange opinions. In addition to meeting with the Association’s representatives once a month, l very often interacts with chapter chiefs and endeavors in various ways, including one-night and two-day meetings. Currently, there are only a few participants, but
I believe they will grow into the frontrunners in the nation's living art.

Commuication (Water-purifying plant, 0811)

Q: What led you to take the initiative to create the Korean Art and Life Association?
A:
In addition to artists who have been active in arts for 10 to 30 years, I think artistic activities that everyone can enjoy are also necessary for contemporary men who are stressed out in their daily lives. This is the reason that new genres of art, such as duling, graffiti, and healing art, have emerged.

Q: Are there any plans to promote international exchanges?
A:
We will look into the living art activities around the world and promote exchanges starting with nearby countries. Personally, I am very interested in Russian living art. My interest in Russian art grew after I participated in a Korean Embassy (Russia) event. We will strive for artistic exchanges and exhibitions with Russia. Moreover, we will endeavor to host global living art and cultural festival events in coming months.

Artist Choi is explaining her work, Sotong (Communication), to the students of Asan Middle School at the Midam Culture Space.

Q: Would you like to talk about the future activities of the Korean Art and Life Association?
A: I registered my license as a living art consultant with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and am currently undergoing related education. After getting a license, you can teach at cultural centers, lifelong education centers, or government offices, and open workshops. For the first time in Korea, we are trying to create new genres of living art with prenatal art, healing art and senior art consultant certificates being pursued. The Parasol (free art market) activity is for the generation who values the unique characteristics of the world over the mass-produced industrial products. It is a space for producing and selling unique and handmade products of Association members so that they can open their market anytime and anywhere.

Chairwoman Choi Myung-sik(Right), Mayor Oh Shi-deok of Gong-Ju.


Q: What are special features that differentiate your Association from other art entities?
A:
The living art covers everything from home to the world and from head to toe. So, how much work do you have to do? The living arts will be the mainstay of the Fourth Industry. For example, prior to the development of machines in the 50s and 70s, the era of customization was first developed and then industrialized in the 80s and 90s, with people preferring ready-to-wear, cheap and easy to purchase. If it is a unique, beautiful, and convenient life art product, who would not like it? Living art is an art that is fun and happy in the present and future, where everyone can engage in art together.

Although there are now only a small number of members, the Association aims to multiply its membership in coming months. If you look at the households’ daily necessities, you will know they are machine-printed. But most people clearly prefer unique handmade products. Contemporary men, who value individuality, are convenient in terms of practicality and have high self-esteem as they make and use the only thing they can use in the world. As a result, we also happily witness a rise in our self-esteem.

The Korean Art and Life Association

Closing Remarks:
Currently, our Association has six branches in Seoul, Gyeonggi-do, Daejeon, Incheon, Chungcheongnam-do and Gyeongsangbuk-do. However, we plan to open more branches in cities and provinces within this year, and will show what living art is and why it is necessary while participating in all major festivals and events.

As a first step toward expanding the range of global activities, the Association is planning to host a Russian life art exhibition. Participation in the event of the Korean Embassy in Russia arose my interest in Russian arts. I am sure that the exchange exhibition will materialize. In coming months, we will interact with various countries to globalize our activities. While fine arts are confined to paintings and exhibitions, living arts aim to be integrated into the daily lives of people. This is the reason that the Korean Art and Life Association will seek to create a framework for a happy human life in a convenient and beautiful environment, as art is used in daily living.

The Parasol (free art market)

March 1st is the first anniversary of the Korean Art and Life Association
We will take care of our step, but stay healthy, as we will walk straight proudly taking a look at every direction. The Association held a group scarf painting event in its head office as a commemorative performance. Under the guidance of Song Mi-rim, head of the hand painting team, all Association members participated in painting scarves and put them on their necks and shouted, “Unity, Communication, Sharing and Creativity”

This is the road that our Association will walk along. This is definitely our cherished goal to create new art activities by sharing and communicating with a spirit of unity and creative ideas.

Chairwoman Choi Myung-sik (second from right)of the Russian Embassy in Seoul participated in the "Day of Diplomacy" event.

PROFILE:
1963 Born in Gongju, Ghungam
Graduated from Culture & Art Management in Graduate School of Culture and Arts.
Sangmyung University(Master of Culture & Art Management)
Completed the highest course of modern art in Graduate School of Art, Hongik University BFA University of Incheon

Casting of Dong-A TV"ART COOLLECTION"/2008
Awarded 2times of special selection and 28times of contest in figurative section of Korean Fine Arts Festival

Solo Exhibition
The 1st solo Exhibition(Qingdao Museum of Modern Art/Qingdao Art Fair/China)
The 2nd solo Exhibition(Pyeongteak Arts Center/West Sea Art Fair/Pyeongtaek)
The 3rd solo Exhibition(Sejong Center/Seoul)
The 4th solo Exhibition(Insa Art Plaza/Seoul)
The 5th solo Exhibition(Seoul Arts Center/KPAM/Seoul)
The 6th solo Exhibition(Marine Gallery/Chicago, USA)
The 7th solo Exhibition(Culture and Arts Center/MIAF/Incheon)
The 8th solo Exhibition(Woonsong Exhibition Gallery/Yangpyeong)
The 9th solo Exhibition(Gallery Soo/Seoul, Pangyo Station Completed Memorial Exhibition/Seocheon)
The 10th solo Exhibition(Tokyo Korean Council/Tokyo Art Fair/Japan)
The 11th solo Exhibition(Invitational Exhibition of Speedom Gallery/Gwangmyung)
The 12th solo Exhibition(Invitational Exhibition of Court Gallery/Cheonan)
The 13th solo Exhibition(Seoul Arts center/MIAF/Seoul)
The 14th solo Exhibition(Seoul Arts center/MIAF/Seoul)
The 15th solo Exhibition(Invitational Exhibition of Hwa Gallery cafe/Cheonan)
The 16th solo Exhibition(Jisan Gallery Exhibition of Cheonan Oriental Hospital, Daejeon University/Midam Art/Cheonan)

Group Exhibition
3 Artists exhibition of Media Art(Sangmyung Design Art Gallery/Seoul)
Korean, Russia Art Fair Exhibition and Asian watercolor league exhibition and many international exhibitions
Korean Figurative Artists Exhibition and 180 times of invitational and group exhibitions

Present
President of Midam ART, Committee of Korean Fine Arts Association Chonan Branch, invited artists of Chungnam Fine Arts Exhibition, Korean Fine Arts Association, Chonan Fine Arts Association, Sihyeonghoe, Hongmihoe, Korean Professional Artists Association, IACO, Singihoe of contemporary art organization, Chungnam Female Artists, Chungnam Society Watercolor Association

저작권자 © The Korea Post 무단전재 및 재배포 금지