Colombia organizes a book fair to promote cultural exchanges with Korea
By Vice Chairperson Joy Cho
A book fair commemorating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Colombia and Korea was held in Seoul from June 1 to 5.
In this regard, both countries agreed to participate as guests of honor in the Bogota Book Fair (FILBO) and the Seoul International Book Fair.
Vertigo Graffiti art collective have worked on a mural project at the skate rink of Ttukseom Hangang Park in Seoul.
Vertigo Graffiti is a cultural organization formed by its director Camilo Fidel Lopez, and artists Ricardo Vasquez and Santiago Castro, which since 2009 has been creating, producing, and executing projects related to the practice of graffiti and urban art.
The ribbon cutting ceremony was carried out by Minister of Culture Angelica Mayolo of Colombia, Ambassador Juan Carlos Caiza Rosero of Colombia in Seoul, and the First Vice Minister of Culture Jeon Byung-geuk of Korea.
After that, Vertigo Art Collective gave their remarks about the mural, its objective and meaning.
A group of people from Colombia and Korea also made a fashion show to present the traditional clothes from both countries. This event has been possible thanks to the support of the Korean Culture Association.
The “Colombia tierra querida” dance show was introduced to Korean people, showing off traditional dances and rhythms from Colombia like cumbia, salsa, among others.
At this opportunity, they performed a show with Colombian and Korean Dancers, which introduced the cultural variety, the beauty of dances and the joy of people, but also the bonds of friendship between Colombia and South Korea embodied on a join dance performance.
Julio Victoria Live Band Concert was held. Julio Victoria is a musician specialized in house and techno music. Merging electronic rhythms with indigenous instruments, he crafted experimental new sounds; a sonic ride that goes from 80 to 126 bpm, across multiple musical genres and cultures.
Having researched traditional rhythms from Colombia’s diverse roots, Victoria was inspired by the sounds of the pacific coast and eastern plains. Afro-Colombian instruments, such as the marimba, have been blended with the harp, a staple of Joropo country music. The concert lasted around 50 minutes.
