-
Events devoted to the 300th anniversary of Magtymguly Fragi held in Seoul
The Embassy of Turkmenistan in Korea held an international scientific conference
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo On May 14, 2024, within the framework of the celebration of the 300th anniversary of birth of the great Turkmen poet and thinker Magtymguly Fragi, the Embassy of Turkmenistan in the Republic of Korea held an international scientific conference and the exhibition in the Yongsan district Administration building of Seoul. During the conference, the speakers noted the consistent and fruitful development of cultural and humanitarian relations between Turkmenistan and the Republic of Korea. It was emphasized that the literary heritage of the classical poet Magtymguly Fragi, his works that call for peace, patriotism, harmony, goodwill and friendship, serve for the benefit of strengthening the relations between the nations. After conclusion of the conference the participants visited the exhibition of paintings dedicated to the life and work of Magtymguly Fragi, where the publications of his works, Turkmen national clothes and handicrafts were also exhibited. A special place in the exhibition was allocated to the books written by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov and the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslahaty of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The book written by President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov “Änew - culture from the depths of millennia” was of particular interest to the visitors of the exhibition. Concluding the events, the guests were offered to taste the traditional Turkmen cuisine. According to the resolution of the Mejlis (Parliament) of Turkmenistan, approved by the President of Turkmenistan Serdar Berdimuhamedov, the year 2024 has officially declared in Turkmenistan as “The Year of The Fount of the Mind of Magtymguly Fragi” - the great thinker and classical poet of the Turkmen nation and all the East. The decision is also influenced by the poem “Pähim-paýhas ummany Magtymguly Pyragy,” crafted by the insightful talent and wisdom of the National Leader of the Turkmen people, Chairman of the Halk Maslakhaty Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov. The decision aligns with the comprehensive efforts aimed at studying and promoting the rich literary legacy of Magtymguly Fragi, a revered Eastern classical poet and thinker, whose contributions have become a treasury of global spiritual culture.
-
Waking up the innocence of childhood in a canvas
Hwang Je-seong is a “dream artist” and his imagination knows no bounds.
UNJournal Jon Lee | Pinocchio sits on a green couch deep in the forest. He is gazing at the distant sky with a slight smile on his face. Perhaps he's remembering a pleasant memory. A soft melody seems to be coming from the speaker of a phonometer poking its head into the forest across the street. The whole forest is filled with a clean energy. Pinocchio looks like an adult. He looks childlike and wary. He enjoys the infinite delusions of his imagination with his delicate wings, which are not yet strong enough to fly. The messengers of his excitement are a couple of lovebirds. Healthy parakeet is playful and sociable, and their conversation on the couch and in the bushes across from it suggests this. It seems to convey the lingering emotion and excitement in Pinocchio's heart. Not only does he not touch the delicious fruit, but the cushioned carriage next to him shows that he wants to go somewhere. In the center of the sky, Pinocchio's dream is unfolding. A healthy white horse with large wings spread wide, ready to reach the sun on Pinocchio's behalf. In his imagination, no one can stop him from doing anything. He can live to his heart's content. Like Pinocchio now, he meets his Idea. Pinocchio or the Little Prince in a natural forest setting, a winged white horse or zebra, a mountain or castle in the distance, a suitcase, an airplane, etc. are the signature motifs of Hwang Je-seong’s paintings. What they all have in common in the paintings of Artist Hwang Je-seong is that they “evoke memories of innocent childhood. He believes that as we grow older, we lose our childlike spirit. At the very least, we are taught to shed our skin and transform into a different person. But that childlike heart is only asleep. Hwang awakens it by transferring the dreams and ideas of the 'adult' who wants to go there again onto a canvas. Like a scene cut from a movie, it is so realistic and surreal that it draws you in deeply. “The cycle of life has been the theme of my work for some time. On the one hand, it also corresponds to the philosophical aspect of 'reincarnation,' but it doesn't mean that I long for the afterlife. Rather, I was interested in the present world in which we live. Gradually, I wanted to depict another “multidimensional world” that touches the present world. That is the beginning of the current “Adult Fairy Tales” series. I try to show a perspective that combines childhood and adulthood in a 'Pinocchio-like' way, so I often introduce materials that remind me of the precious memories of my childhood that I have stored in my heart. In the end, it's a representation of a nomad who sets out in search of a dream idea of the future that I have kept in my heart,” said Artist Hwang. Hwang is a “dream artist. Like Pinocchio's hope to become a human, the wooden puppet, he reflects our hidden self-portrait, wanting to escape reality and regain our innocence. The artist's imagination knows no bounds. Pinocchio must have been thrilled to face a pegasus many times larger than himself, and he must have believed that the countless stories the pegasust told him of his past experiences would become his future. The red light airplane next to Pinocchio catches our eye. It's the Little Prince's favorite airplane. Pinocchio on that red airplane is so exciting and interesting to imagine. Through Hwang's work, we are invited to imagine a fairy tale, not reality. There are also some dramatic effects. The scene changes suddenly, and you feel like you're in the middle of a movie or drama set. The sense of reality is amazing, as if everything could come to life at any moment. Of course, these scenes were born from the tip of Hwang's brush. You'll be amazed at the exquisite compositions and the perfection of the semi-large scale, as if they were delicately printed. The paintings of surrealistic scenes that result from this realistic method of composition are often referred to as dépaysement. The term is originally French for “leaving the country or home. It is a form of composition that utilizes the unfamiliarity of encountering a place that is completely unrelated to the nature of the object by removing it from the familiar order or background (atmosphere) of everyday life. The psychological shock of such an alien situation creates a strange feeling and lingering imagery. It is also a driving force for imagination. Rene Magritte is an example of an artist who has mastered the dépaysement technique. In his paintings, you can see landscapes that are both day and night, clouds in the sky in a cup, or two or three illusions blended into one. It's Magritte's mysterious way of formulating words. Artist Hwang also perfects his surrealistic imagination with his own narrative structure. At times, he invokes Magritte's language. For example, the painting of the little prince and the fox in the red airplane shows how much he admires Magritte. First of all, the little prince on the airplane is looking at the sky with an unreadable expression. The red rose that he loved so much is leaving him. Or maybe the rose he loved so much is coming to visit him. It is Magritte's bowler hat that brings the rose back. In the distance, a gate to heaven opens. Beyond was the night sky. In contrast to the flowery foreground, the landscape in the distance is an endless desert without a single blade of grass. Telling a story from two or three different points of view is a typical dépaysement technique. Dreamlike landscapes and colors. The harmony of materials across time and space, the freshness of life like a spring that never dries up.... There are many aspects that characterize Hwang's paintings, but one of the most notable is his use of space. At first glance, you might feel overwhelmed by the intricate brushstrokes that fill the screen. However, the first thing that comes to mind is a sense of coolness that makes you feel inside. This is because the artist boldly uses empathetic emptiness like the margins of a literary painting. While the near view is usually painted with ultra-precise fine brushstrokes, the far view is painted with soft flat brushstrokes. The left and right sides are filled to the brim, but the front and back are left with as much space and depth as possible. It's a very wise way of composing a picture. The common divisor that runs through the 'Circle of Life' series from the early days and the recent 'Another World in the World We Live in' is the realization of the 'nomad idea'. It is an ideal that can only be pursued in the imagination, but it shows that the exhausting daily life can be healed a little by imagining it. A smile that brings back the innocence that was lost for a moment is priceless. His ideology is one of the things that makes our lives exist.
-
Nowon-gu Mayor Oh meets with Amb. of El Salvador Jaime Lopez
To successfully hold the coffee festival on May 12
By UN Journal Lee Kap-soo Oh Seung-rok, mayor of Nowon-gu, Seoul held a meeting with Ambassador of El Salvador to the Republic of Korea Jaime Lopez at cafe in Nowon-gu on May 9. El Salvador, which has a 100-year history of coffee, has natural conditions suitable for coffee cultivation, and in 1990, the coffee industry was fostered as a national key industry, and currently, about 12% of the entire country is composed of coffee farms. El Salvadoran coffee is characterized by its large beans, light weight, and a distinct blend of acidity and sweetness. Although the flavor varies from region to region, it is synonymous with Central American mild coffee. The meeting took place as the El Salvadoran ambassador to Korea responded to an invitation from Nowon-gu to discuss the operation of an El Salvadoran booth at the 2nd Gyeongchun Line Gongneung Forest Road Coffee Festival, scheduled to be held on May 12 this year. During the meeting, various opinions were shared in a friendly atmosphere, including advice on how to successfully hold the coffee festival, operating the El Salvador coffee culture experience booth, and providing a congratulatory speech for the coffee competition. “We are grateful to the Ambassador of El Salvador to Korea for the invitation,” said Mayor Oh of Nowon-gu. “We hope that this year's Coffee Festival will be a rich festival that expands from tasting coffee beans to experiencing the coffee culture of coffee-producing countries.”
- LH restricts GS E&C, 2 others from bidding on public works for 1 year
- UN rights chief urges Russia to end crackdown on journalists
- Gyeongbuk Gov. Lee Cheol-woo meets with Chinese Ambassador Xing Haiming
- Sona's Room Series - Anat. Blue, Red, and Hope for More Love
- President Tokayev welcomes Azerbaijan, Armenia negotiation process
