Tama Art University Creative Workshop Program Presents Results of Experiments with Toray-Donated Ultrasuede
Gibson Garage - the Ultimate Guitar Experience - Announces Grand Opening Wednesday, June 9 in the Heart of Downtown Nashville, Music City USA
Book Creator and Planet Classroom Network Announce Winner of Global Writing Contest for Youth
Busan International Film Festival and Asian Contents & Film Market Taps New Directors
25th Busan International Film Festival Call for Submissions
The 2020 #COMPUTEXOnlineTalks Keeps the Tech Industry Connected
Busan International Film Festival’s Asian Film Market Changes Name, and Asia Contents Awards Call for Submissions
Asian Project Market 2020 Call for Applications
COMPUTEX 2020 Rescheduled to September
Groups for the FIFA eClub World Cup 2020 confirmed
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FIFA eClub World Cup 2020 to take place in Milan
FIFA and Electronic Arts (EA) today announced the location of the FIFA eClub World Cup™, confirming that the world’s best 24 teams – who secured their berths after five rounds of exciting online qualification matches – will battle it out for the world title in Milan, Italy during 7-9 February. The first champions of the new decade to be crowned by FIFA will be determined following the conclusion of a qualification process where 190 teams were narrowed down to 24. For the first time ever, the FIFA eClub World Cup – the pinnacle event of club team-based competitive FIFA – will take place in Italy and see three Italian teams competing among the 24 qualified sides in Milan. Italian sides Mkers, AS Roma and Team QLASH will battle it out against 21 other outfits from all over the world, including organisations and clubs from Mexico, Germany, England, Spain, France, Japan, USA and other countries. All qualified teams can be found here. The event will also feature some of the world’s best players including current Xbox and PlayStation world ranking leaders Donovan 'Tekkz' Hunt (Fnatic) and Diego 'Crazy' Campagnani (Team QLASH), as well as 2017 World Champion Spencer 'Gorilla' Ealing (NEO). While the event will feature some newcomers, a total of eight clubs have competed at the event before: Manchester City eSports (2017, 2019, 2020) FaZe Clan (2019, 2020) Olympique Lyonnais (2017, 2020) AS Roma (2017, 2020) Mkers (2018, 2020) Hashtag United (2018, 2020) FC Basel 1893 eSports (2018, 2020) Blue United eFC (2018, 2020) Manchester City equalled Brondby IF’s record for the most eClub World Cup participations with their third qualification, having already competed in 2017 and 2019. “We are proud that over 190 teams from all over the world took part in this season’s qualification and we are beyond excited to find the world’s best team out of the top-class field of participating teams. The introduction of team-based 2v2 matches showed a new level of excitement and competitiveness at last year’s event and will undoubtedly spark huge emotions at this year’s tournament as well,” said Adrian Rölli, Head of eFootball at FIFA. For media interested in attending the FIFA eClub World Cup 2020, as well as interview requests and media opportunities, please contact media@fifa.org. Please note following schedule for the FIFA eClub World Cup 2020: • 21 January: FIFA eClub World Cup Final Draw • 7 February: Round 1 – 3 Group Stages • 8 February: Round 4 – 5 Group Stages, Round of 16 • 9 February: Quarter-Finals, Semi-Finals, Finals
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Discover Artists from Around the World at the 15th Asia Contemporary Art Show
Hong Kong, August 15, 2019: Returning this Fall with its 15th edition, the Asia Contemporary Art Show at the Conrad Hong Kong opens on October 4 until October 7. As the longest-running and most intimate hotel art fair in Asia, the Show will present artworks from countries such as the United Kingdom, France, Russia, Lebanon, Australia, Malaysia, South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and many others. Beginning on Friday, October 4th, arts patrons and select guests will be welcomed at the exclusive Private View. This will be followed by an invitation-only VIP Collectors Preview. General admission opens on Saturday, October 5th and continues with regular show hours until Monday, October 7th. “Aiming to present the best of contemporary art from a diverse selection of galleries, the Show responds to a growing trend where galleries are looking for immersive ways of showing art and for audiences seeking something more intimate and experiential. The Show brings a world of art to Hong Kong at accessible prices, giving collectors and art buyers the opportunity to browse and buy original paintings, limited editions, sculpture, and photography from some of the world’s most interesting and promising artists – from emerging to mid-career artists, to those who have already achieved recognition in private and public collections, and at auction.” remarked Show Director Mark Saunderson. “Among other artists, the 15th edition will feature Lee Dongsu from South Korea whose works capture the essence of bigger and higher concepts with very oxymoronic crude and simple visualization, and Chinese sculptor and painter Wu Qiong whose art resonates with the cartoon aesthetic of a generation absorbed by comic imagery, online gaming and computer worlds. His work makes “political stress release” and cynicism, ideals which were once so characteristic of contemporary Chinese art, seem generations away.” The Asia Contemporary Art Show is delighted to welcome back Connecting Myanmar in their charity exhibition and sale of Aung Myint’s works at the Show. A very well-known Burmese artist whose works are collected by notable institutions such as the Guggenheim, the exhibition will include pieces from his famous Mother and Child series, which uses single, unbroken lines of black acrylic to evoke the intimate physical connection between the two figures. Connecting Myanmar, a registered charity in Hong Kong, aims to inspire young people to think critically with an empathetic lens by connecting Myanmar and Hong Kong youths. Proceeds from the exhibition will go toward scholarships supporting Myanmar students in their studies abroad. FEATURED SURREALIST WORKS Lau Chun Tao, Hong Kong — Accidental Art, Room 4221 Lau Chun Tao (b.1994) is an artist born and raised in Hong Kong. Lau is known for distorting objects through texture and pattern by using ink, acrylic and screen print. His artworks are inspired by his observation of everyday life. The artist attended the Academia di Belle Arti di Bologna in Italy and recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Visual Arts from the Academy of Visual Arts, Hong Kong Baptist University. Roger Dean, United Kingdom — Trading Boundaries, Room 4226 Roger Dean (b.1944) is an internationally recognised artist and designer, whose evocative and visionary images with associated graphics, logos, and lettering, created a new genre of work. Best known for his album covers for groups such as Yes, Asia, and Osibisa, Dean has worked in many fields from painting and architecture to typeface, furniture, and stage design, inspiring generations of students and artists. "Pathways" by Roger Dean, Trading Boundaries, United Kingdom, Room 4226 Yoo, Sun-Tai, South Korea — Galerie GAIA, Room 4306 Yoo, Sun-Tai (b.1957) is one of Korea's most widely recognized contemporary artists. While studying in Paris (PH.D), the artist developed his now well-known style of three-dimensional painting. Yoo is obsessed with objects utilised as a means of metaphors of life elements, their meanings depending on personal imagination or interpretation. Yoo’s surreal paintings feature Korean letters that interact with the objects in the works, giving it a meditative and poetic sense. GALLERIES AND ARTISTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD Gao Xiao Yun, China, Room 4322 Gao Xiao Yun (b.1977) pursues stillness and motion, and objectivity and subjectivity. Gao paints spontaneously and flexibly to achieve an effect that appears at once “dense and light, quick and slow, hard and soft, cold and warm”. Gao graduated from the Department of Oil Painting at the China Academy of Fine Art. In the high pressure of modern society, Gao aims to use his art to create a harmonious coexistence between man and nature. Gao participated in the development of the Shanghai Pudong Artist Village and Puxi Art District. Lin Kuo-Wei, Taiwan — All Animal Art, Room 4118 Lin Kuo-Wei (b.1985) uses his own art language to vocalize environmental issues in the series “NO.∞”. By combining human and animal shapes and by using heavy mechanical woodcarving techniques, the artist wants to promote environmental protection in his efforts to contribute to the society and the environment. Aung Myint, Myanmar — Connecting Myanmar, Room 4323 Burmese artist Aung Myint (b.1946) is known for his Mother and Child inspired drawings, drawn with a single unbroken line of black acrylic. A self-taught artist, he works with painting and installation and is regarded as one of the pioneers of performance and experimental art in Myanmar. He experiments with different mediums to explore the themes of cultural identity and personal memories. Elizabeth Langreiter, Australia, Room 4210 Elizabeth Langreiter’s art journey began in a rather unusual way. Langreiter had zero interest in art before being hit on the head with a tennis ball during a competition and then had the sudden urge to start painting. The artist connects this to “Acquired Savant Syndrome” which is a condition where “dormant savant skills emerge after a brain injury or disease...where few such skills were evident before.” Adeline Buenaventura, France, Room 4106 Self-trained artist Adeline Buenaventura (b.1971) is passionate about colours and graphics that are inspired by Pop Art. Buenaventura designs, draws, and paints freehand using bright and eclectic colors on her cheerful resin and fiberglass sculptures. Infused with voluptuous roundness and sensual lines and an elaborate glazed surface, the ultimate originality of her work is in the smoothness of each sculpture, which looks as if they are blown glass or porcelain. Lee Dongsu, South Korea — Khalifa Gallery, Room 4321 Lee Dongsu (b.1965) tries to reconstruct a part of the world; not by reconstructing objects themselves, but by presenting objects as the world. Lee’s works, a simple China and a bowl embodies silence and emptiness, representing winds in a subtle way. Without flamboyant visualization, one could feel the smooth touch of zephyr by looking at his paintings. Jeff Murray, United Kingdom, Room 4126 Jeff Murray (b.1986) takes inspiration from his personal experiences and interests, with the world and its wonders being the main subject matter. His “visual journals” capture the way he sees the world and what it means to him. Focusing heavily on architecture, landscapes, history and nature, his art speaks to all art lovers so that they can connect with each and every piece in a different way. Murray likes to test the viewer by hiding things within each piece. He often hides these things in multiples of 7, which is a unique and personal number to him. These “Easter eggs” show his playful side and how his mind works with wanting to discover more. "New York" by Jeff Murray, United Kingdom, Room 4126 Wu Qiong, China – M & T ART, Room 4315 Sculptor and painter, Wu Qiong (b.1981) creates art that represents the childhood that he and many others of his generation remember and in doing so, creates touching and amusing portraits that are distinctly contemporary in the Chinese art scene. The artist’s fairytale visions of childlike figures against stark backgrounds and pastel skies sets him apart from his contemporaries. In 21st century China, Wu resonates with the cartoon aesthetic of a generation absorbed by comic imagery, online gaming and computer worlds. Coplu, Turkey — V’ Art Space, Room 4203 Coplu (b.1958) is a self-taught artist. Exploring different forms of visual art, he developed his own distinctive style of painting. The subjects of Coplu's paintings are always directly linked to human relationships and the different environments they are connected to, mirroring the feelings, beliefs, thoughts, fears and experiences that we all encounter during our journey through life.
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Asian Film Market 2019 Announces 30 Official Selections for Book To Film and E-IP Pitching
Asian Film Market 2019 selects 30 official projects of Book To Film and E-IP Pitching, the main events of the Entertainment Intellectual Property (E-IP) Market, where 15 original books and 15 web contents will be presented at each event. Official selections will focus more on business meetings slated for the 6th and 7th of October with a grand vision to expand and diversify into a one-source multi-use content platform. From this year onward, Korean English consecutive interpretation services will be provided to support the sale of rights for adaptation. Early registration for business meetings will be open on the official website in early September. New award sponsors have joined: Showbox, a leading financing and distribution company along with Union Investment Partners, a venture capital company focused on content investment. Returning for another year, global web comic platform Tory Comics rejoins as a corporate sponsor. This year, a total of KRW 70 million in grants will be given to winners selected from among all official selections. Winners will be announced at the E-IP Awards Ceremony after business meetings wrap up. Book To Film: Remarkable performance of short stories, eye-catching themes and unique characters The 8th edition of Book To Film is a meeting place for publishers and film and video industry insiders who wish to negotiate contracts for the original property rights of video and film production content. Among last year’s selections, GOSIMAN (Macaron(Kyobo Book Center)) signed TV drama production contract and A Week Before I Die (Goldenbough) made a contract for the adaptation into TV series and film. Book To Film titles will surely ignite interest in the industry with an increased demand for secondary rights. In particular, the performance of short stories stood out this year along with works selected from the many submissions that featured subject originality and unique characters. E-IP Pitching: Envisioning with contents acclaimed for well-structured storyline and a new set of vision The 5th edition of E-IP Pitching, launched in 2015, will serve as a marketplace that introduces original content from web dramas, web novels and web comic adaptable by entertainment industry professionals that can fit across multiple media platforms such as film and media. The accomplishments of last year’s E-IP selections have been astonishing as the story Good Job(All That Story) is set to be published this year, while Devil School (Youthmeans) will be published in series as a web novel. In addition, the web comic Kingmaker (Toyou’s Dream) made a contract for the adaptation into TV series. This year’s selections have a solid story structure and originality in ideas that are clearly fit with film and series adaptation. Thus, these selections are being watched with keen interest to be provided in a variety of platforms.
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FIFA eWorld Cup 2019 to return to London on 2 - 4 August
FIFA has announced today that the FIFA eWorld Cup™ will return to London later this year, confirming that this season’s pinnacle event will once again take place at The O2 from 2 to 4 August 2019. Having already played host to last year’s final, which saw Mosaad Aldossary crowned world champion, 32 of the world’s best EA SPORTS FIFA 19 players will compete once more at The O2. They will battle it out to become the FIFA eWorld Cup champion and to win a life-changing USD 250,000 in prize money, along with a trip to The Best FIFA Football Awards™. As a further indication of the growing interest in competitive FIFA, the total prize money for the FIFA eWorld Cup has also been increased compared to last year’s final, and a total of USD 500,000 will be distributed among the 32 competitors. Building on the profile of competitive FIFA this season, the culmination of this year’s EA SPORTS FIFA 19 Global Series will offer fans an exciting three-day broadcast. Fans will also have the opportunity to experience the excitement and intensity of the broadcasted event at one of the world’s most iconic music and entertainment venues on August 04. On-site guests will be able to meet well-known faces from the EA SPORTS FIFA scene such as Spencer Owen, Mike LaBelle and others, as well as watch the decisive matches of the FIFA eWorld Cup 2019 live in person. Regular tickets will provide access for 4 August, including the two semi-finals as well as the final, while premium tickets will additionally offer exclusive access to the after-show party on 4 August and preferred seating. FIFA is proud to work with its worldwide partner Visa and to offer a discounted Visa pre-sale with reduced ticket prices, starting at £10 for regular tickets and £25 for the premium tickets. Tickets are on sale now on fifa.com/fewc. "After the incredible success of the tournament last year at The O2 in London, we are excited to once again host the FIFA eWorld Cup at such an iconic venue and to create a one-of-a-kind EA SPORTS FIFA event for the community,” said Christian Volk, Director of eFootball & Gaming at FIFA. “With the increased prize money and a world title on the line, the tension will be higher than ever before and will create an incredible atmosphere. This season, we have seen a great appetite for content consumption of the EA SPORTS FIFA 19 Global Series and we are excited to give more fans the chance to witness the greatest competitive FIFA event to date either on-site or at home, as we crown the ultimate champion at The O2 after an exciting season.” The top 32 players in the FIFA 19 Global Series Rankings will be determined after the FIFA 19 Global Series Playoffs, taking place from 5 - 7 July in Hamburg (Xbox) and from 12 - 14 July in Berlin (PlayStation).
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The First exhibition! Latvian architecture unveiled in Seoul
On 18 February, the Soorim Arts Center in Seoul hosted a festive opening ceremony for an exhibition devoted to Latvian architecture, Latvia. Architecture at Convergence. This is the first exhibition on Latvian architecture in the Republic of Korea; it has been organised to mark Latvia’s Centenary and introduce viewers to outstanding achievements of the country in architecture, thereby raising the profile of Latvia in the respective sector in Korea. The exhibition will be on display until 24 March. Ten modules of the exhibition with 40 large scale photographs and annotations reflect the diversity of Latvia’s architecture rich in wooden built heritage, mediaeval buildings included in the UNESCO World Heritage list, Art Nouveau masterpieces – all of which have left their permanent imprint on the development of European culture. The photographs have been complemented with panels featuring a graphic presentation of all those historical, political and economic influences that have shaped the architecture and cultural environment in Latvia. In addition, the exhibition offers three short films about Latvian architecture, and books about Latvia have also been put on view. Alongside information materials on Latvia’s Centenary, the audience can also explore “The Time Line” – a parallel graphical presentation of milestone events in the history of Latvia and Korea – to gain a better insight into Latvia’s past. The exhibition titled Latvia. Architecture at Convergence is part of the public diplomacy programme to mark Latvia’s Centenary, coordinated by the Latvian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The unveiling of the exhibition brought together reporters from the leading Korean media, architecture experts, students and others interested.
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Naomie Harris opens 007 ELEMENTS in Austria
007 ELEMENTS, an exciting new James Bond experience situated within the summit of the Gaislachkogl mountaintop in Sölden, Austria is now open to the public. The cinematic installation was officially opened by actress Naomie Harris who plays Moneypenny (Spectre, Skyfall) and Jakob Falkner Managing Director of Bergbahnen Sölden. After visiting 007 ELEMENTS for the first time, Harris commented: “It’s fantastic to be here today at the launch of the brand new exhibition in this amazing location at the top of the Gaislachkogl mountain in Sölden”. Jakob Falkner said: “It was wonderful to have Naomie here with us to mark this special day. I’d like to thank EON Productions and MGM for their guidance and support. Special thanks go to architect Johann Obermoser and his team for designing and building the perfect mountaintop home, to Neal Callow, Tino Schaedler and the team at Optimist Inc. for bringing the idea to life by creating this unique Bond experience and our partners Jaguar Land Rover, OMEGA and Bogner. “007 ELEMENTS complements the wide range of activities we have to offer and firmly puts Sölden and the wider Tyrol region on the map as a year-round destination for sports and entertainment in the Alps.” At over 3,000m above sea level, 007 ELEMENTS is the highest experience of its kind taking visitors on a journey through a series of nine galleries and an outside plaza with stunning views of the Alps. The dramatic spaces complete with an immersive soundscape showcase the fundamental elements that define the James Bond films placing visitors inside the world of 007 and revealing how that world is made. Construction of the 1,300sqm permanent structure started in May 2017 and was completed just over one year later. Visitors to 007 ELEMENTS will see the original Land Rover Defender and Range Rover Sport SVR from Spectre and learn how the thrilling action sequences were filmed in Sölden. Also featured are four James Bond OMEGA watches including the Seamaster 300 from Spectre, the laser watch from GoldenEye, the Seamaster Quartz from Tomorrow Never Dies, and the Piton from The World Is Not Enough. In addition to the stylish uniforms designed by Bogner for the 007 ELEMENTS team, several iconic Bogner ski suits worn by Bond are on display. EON Productions’ Michael G. Wilson and Barbara Broccoli commented: “We are truly proud to be in partnership with Jakob Falkner and launching our latest experience, 007 ELEMENTS on the very mountaintop in Sölden where we filmed Spectre. Architect Johann Obermoser, our Art Director Neal Callow and Tino Schaedler have created a Bondian lair worthy of a Ken Adam set in which visitors immediately become enveloped in the cinematic world of 007.” 007 ELEMENTS is accessed via the Gaislachkoglbahn Gondola in the resort village of Sölden. Open daily from 09:00 to 15:30, tickets are available online or from the Bergbahnen Sölden ticket offices and cost €22 for adults, €12 for children. For further information or to book tickets, please visit: 007elements.com
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The Asia Contemporary Art Show Returns for Its 13th Edition This Fall
Now in its 13th edition, the Show will take place September 28th – October 1st at the Conrad Hong Kong, and will welcome more than 80 galleries from Asia and the world, including up-and-coming and mid-career artists. The show kicks off on Friday, September 28th with the exclusive UnionPay Private View and the UnionPay VIP Collectors Preview. General admission opens on Saturday, September 29th and continues until Monday, October 1st. “Art is certainly happening right now in Hong Kong. This past Spring we saw record attendance and turnover at art fairs, and record breaking auction results.” remarked Show Director Mark Saunderson, “The recent opening of the Tai Kwun, the restored Central Police Station compound, provides Hong Kong with a series of new art and performance venues allowing people to enjoy and explore art in heritage and contemporary environments right in the middle of Central.” Saunderson continues, “At the Asia Contemporary Art Show, it’s our mission to curate and introduce a wide range of art and artists, both emerging and mid-career to our visitors, many never before seen at our Show. The upcoming Show is no exception. Katherine Filice for example is an exciting emerging surrealist whose detailed drawings question the tension in human relationships and social systems. Seong Taejin, is an established artist whose highly textured and brightly painted wood carvings are popular among collectors. And we are very excited to present one of the pioneers of performance and experimental art in Myanmar, Aung Myint. His acrylic paintings of mother and child painted with a single unbroken black line are instantly recognisable.”
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'Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock' by Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater of Namsangol Hanok Village: Day 1 Event
From April 5 to April 26, Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater of Namsangol Hanok Village (General Director Yoon Sung-jin) will be holding 'Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock' for the daytime visitors at Cheonugak Pavilion in Namsangol Hanok Village Traditional Garden. Welcoming blossoming spring, this performance will present folksongs, Sanjo, and traditional dance by four artists, including Gyeonggi folksong artist Lee Hee-moon, Haegeum player Kang Eun-il, Iron hyun geum player Yu Kyung-hwa, and Hanbok designer and dancer Lee Seo-yun, at Namsangol Hanok Village Traditional Garden in urban center, and it will be free of charge through advance reservations. ▲ Iron Hyun Geum Player, Yu Kyung-hwa The first protagonist of the <Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock>, which was held from 12:20 pm on April 5, was Yu Kyung-hwa, a unique Iron hyun geum player. As an artist who has secured her own original domain through various musical attempts including Korean traditional music as well as world music and free music, Yu Kyung-hwa performed Sanjo by the late Kim Yeong-chul and her own song, 'The Bird of Oblivion', with electric Iron hyun geum. The first performance, 'Iron hyun geum Sanjo (20 min)', composed by the late human cultural asset Kim Yeong-chul, who designed Iron hyun geum, was played in the order of Dasreum-Jinyang-Jungmori-Jungjungmori-Jajinmori-Hwimori. Among them, Dasreum and Hwimori were redesigned by the player with her own movements. The next performance, 'Bird of Oblivion (10 min)', was premiered at the 2004 Yu Kyung-hwa's Iron hyun geum solo concert and it has been later arranged in various versions. 'Bird of Oblivion' means an artist, such as a monk who continuously denies and erases himself and moves toward newness. This song features the use of effectors through electric Iron hyun geum. Iron hyun geum (Iron String on Korean Harp) is a hybrid instrument designed by the late Kim Yeong-chul through absorbing the advantages of Geomungo and guitar by the late 1940s. It is made up of eight iron strings and played with the right hand holding a Sul-dae and the left hand holding a Nong-ok. There are two types of Iron hyun geum; an acoustic type with a soundbox, and an electric type with effectors. ▲ Even in the rain, Korean traditional music lovers and foreign tourists listened carefully to the performance. 'Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock' in April will be held on the 5th, 12th, 19th, and 26th, every Thursday from 12:20 to 12:50 for 30 minutes. This free-of-charge concert will be limited to 100 people per performance for the purpose of creating a healthy viewing environment. Those who wish to watch performance are requested to make a reservation through the Namsangol Hanok Village website until the morning before the performance. On the day of the performance, the entrance is possible on a first-come-first-served basis only when cancellation occurs. The schedule for <Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock> in May will be announced in the middle of April on the website. Meanwhile, <Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock> is a special performance designed as a connected program of <Young Traditional Music Audition 'Impresario'>, which is a newly started young Korean traditional music promotion project of Seoul Namsan Traditional Theater. This 4-week performance will be held from April 5th. It will be designed as a stage where the traditional Korean artists, who are the mentors of participants of 'Impresario' audition, share the smartness and excitement with citizens in the everyday life of the city with the concept of 'Joyful Korean Traditional Music City'. Following the performance in April, in May, new performing groups selected at the 'Impresario' audition will be presenting another 'Young Korean Traditional Music City - Rock' with the same concept.
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Speicla features include focus on Chinese contemporary art and the return of Artist Dialogues
Returning to Hong Kong Art Week this spring is the Asia Contemporary Art Show. Now in its 12th edition, the Show opens on March 23rd and continues until the 26th at the Conrad Hong Kong. As the longest-running and most successful hotel art fair in Asia, the Show will welcome over 80 galleries from Asia and the world, and will include artworks from a host of countries including Lithuania, Lebanon, South Korea, Russia, Peru, China, Mexico and many others. Beginning on Friday, March 23rd, arts patrons and select guests will be welcomed at the exclusive UnionPay Private View, followed by the invitation-only UnionPay VIP Collectors Preview. General admission opens on Saturday, March 24th with fun HK Liquor Store Art Night, and continues until Monday, March 26th. “As the first art fair to kick-off Hong Kong Art Week in the ‘art triangle’ that includes Art Basel and Art Central, expectations are high.” remarked Show Director Mark Saunderson, “With contemporary art gaining in popularity among collectors and younger buyers, there is no better place to discover exciting new artists and unique artworks than at art fairs.” Saunderson continues, “At the Asia Contemporary Art Show, we strive to reflect current trends in the contemporary art market, by presenting a diverse selection of artists from across the world, as well as artists whose works sometimes challenge the status quo. Take for example artists like Zoe Liu who through her art questions the effectiveness of Hong Kong’s parenting and educational traditions by ‘force-feeding’, Korean artist Chung Hae-Cho who pioneered a new way of making lacquer objects, or Allan Banford an abstract artist who gives observers a unique and original visual experience.”
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The Dream Merchants come to Kuhmo
In the last two weeks of July, Kuhmo will be a place of dreams, because the theme of the Kuhmo Chamber Music Festival this year is ’The Dream Merchants’. There will be even more in store this time, as the Festival will actually begin on Saturday 14 July, and for two whole weeks there will be almost a hundred different events. The final concerts will take place on Saturday 28 July. As well as the more traditional major chamber works, such as the famous Trout Quintet, there will be surprises, novelties and exotic experiences. Among the big works on offer are Beethoven’s Fourth Piano Concerto and Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony, both being performed with Historically informed (HIP) line-ups. There will also be a chamber version of the popular opera Carmen. ”Everything has been done with this opera except paring it down; in this version we get to the music’s core,” says Artistic Director Vladimir Mendelssohn about Peter Brook’s legendary version. The dream continues with more than one hundred top musicians from home and abroad, such as pianist Nino Gvetadze, winner of the Sibelius Violin Competition 2010 Nikita Boriso-Glebsky, cellist and conductor Klaus Mäkelä, clarinettists Lauri Sallinen and Christoffer Sundqvist, the bandoneon artist Marcelo Nisinman and the singer Romina Basso. Ensembles include the Meta4, Borea, Danel and Enesco string quartets and the Storioni Trio. As usual, the concerts will be given in the Kuhmo Arts Centre, Kuhmo Church, Lentiira Church, and Kontio School. For the first time this summer the new hall in Tuupala Primary School will also be available for concerts. The Magic Shop and unknown landscapes The very first day of the Festival will be like a storehouse of dreams. First there is a programme of German Baroque music in the atmospheric Lentiira Church, and afterwards a performance of the children’s opera Cinderella. Grieg’s Peer Gynt can be heard at the Kuhmo Arts Centre, and, to round off the evening, there is music on the theme of forests at the Petola Visitor Centre. On the same day Vladimir Mendelssohn will present the Festival programme with Romina Basso. The popular and free ‘Heart of the Day’ events will continue daily. The theme for the second day is Magritte’s Mirrors. The music includes Debussy’s Reflets dans l'eau and Vivaldi’s – and Glass’s – Four Seasons. The music on Monday is connected with different religions. The Song of Songs concert features music from the Italian Renaissance and Baroque periods. The name of the day on Tuesday 17 July is ‘Magic Shop’. We encounter Gulliver, experience swirls and fantasies, catch birds just like Papageno, and hear sirens. Several much maligned composers are to be heard on Wednesday: they include Brahms, Wagner, Chopin, Strauss and Beethoven. Thursday is the Discovery Channel: we will be travelling all day long and we’ll end up in Tierra del Fuego. On Friday we discover that fake news is nothing new: the music of unknown composers has been attributed to the likes of Haydn and Beethoven. The theme on Saturday is Avatar, with self-portraits and the dreams of St. Anthony, one of which is the all-time classic Trout Quintet. Listeners on Sunday 22 July can enjoy some monumental chamber works, such as Bach’s Musical Offering, Schubert’s Octet and Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet. On Monday we recall unknown landscapes, and on the programme are visions and fairyland. On Tuesday we turn our attention to masters and servants, and stories of Bach and Mozart. On Wednesday we explore the fleeting nature of time. As Vladimir Mendelssohn says:”It appears that time has only one thing on its mind: to escape both the past and the present.” July 26 is opera day, with opera variants and a complete chamber arrangement of Carmen. Friday starts with Bach, continues with Handel and Mozart, and ends with Brahms and Beethoven - and some of their variations. The last day is dedicated to dance, and again we have the chance to see Ksenia Parkhatskaya, the dancer who won the hearts of the audience last summer. There will be waltzes, Hungarian dances and, to finish, the Nutcracker Suite, this time arranged for big band by Duke Ellington. Apart from in Kuhmo, chamber music can also be heard in Iisalmi, with music by Piazzolla and Nisinman on 17 July, and in Vuokatti, where there will be two concerts. In addition to the 75 listed concerts there will be performances by students and a chance to meet the artists at 15 free events. Kuhmo Chamber Music is Finland’s biggest chamber music festival and is the ninth largest event in the Finland Festivals series in terms of ticket sales. This will be the 49th time the Festival has been held. A budget of more than a million euros Kuhmo Chamber Music and music courses have a budget of 1.1 million euros. The festival’s principle partner is the OP Financial Group. The other partners are Canorama Oy, the magazine Eeva-lehti, Ilmarinen, F-Musiikki Oy, the newspaper Kainuun Sanomat, the technology company Kaisanet Oy, Kuhmo Oy, Loiste Oy, Metsähallitus, No-Pan Auto Oy and the cooperative society Osuuskauppa Maakunta. The Kuhmo Festival and courses receive financial assistance from the Ministry of Education and Culture and the City of Kuhmo. The other sponsors in 2018 are the Jenny and Antti Wihuri Foundation and the Finnish Cultural Foundation.
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