WEBZINE ACC

# Iconic pavilion and Art Market unveiled at Asia Culture Plaza

The ACC played host to a cultural festival under the theme “Love & Peace” from October 7 to 23. The event showcased diverse aspects of Asian culture across the center’s Asia Culture Plaza, offering an opportunity to reflect on ways to build a harmonious and prosperous Asian community.

Swing in Asia Carpet Space

One of the exhibits that caught visitors’ attention was an art pavilion symbolizing the Asia Culture Week. It created a visually engaging contrast of colors, installed against the backdrop of the center’s Media Wall and grey building. The structure sits on top of a decorative pattern inspired by Asian tapestries and includes a swing with colorful ropes. Visitors sat on the swing, enjoying the view of the ACC building and how the structure blends in with the environment.

From October 15 to 16, several events were held on the sidelines of the Asia Culture Week, such as the Asia Art Market where festive stalls lined up the plaza, selling handcrafts from different Asian countries and works by local artists.

A total of 33 main programs were organized during the week, including performances, exhibitions, forums, and training programs. Among them were ACC original productions, such as Knotting the Time and Pilgrimage to Far East Siberia, and Picture a Vacuum, an ACC international original production 1. Others included events based on the center’s flagship projects, such as the 4th Asia Literature Festival; the Asia Dance Community Committee meeting; the Asia Culture Forum; the Asian Storytelling Committee meeting; and the Asia Creative Space Network Invitational Exchange Seminar.
A wide range of exhibitions and a book talk were organized to commemorate the establishment of diplomatic relations between Korea and Asian countries.

# Solidarity and Hospitality: Celebrating 60 years of Korea-Jordan diplomatic relations

A special exhibition titled Solidarity and Hospitality was held to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between Korea and Jordan from October 5 to 23 in the hallway connecting the International Conference Room at the ACC Archive & Research and the ACC Creation. Featured artists included Kim Hyunsoo, An Seeun, Oh Junghyun, Lee Jueun, Jeong Chanmin, Jung Choulgue, Chae Jungbyoung, Choi Soojung, Ghadeer Saeed, Nahla Tabbaa, Nour Taher, Samer Tabbaa, Zaid Shawwa, Amina Mango, Dodi Karim Tabbaa, Dina Haddadin, Fadi Haddadin, Juman Nimri, Raya Kassisieh, Shaikha Ibrahim, and Wedad Alnasser.

Jung Choulgue, How's tomorrow?, 2021

Jung Choulgue, Unrequited love lab_Jordan, 2022

The Korean and Jordanian artists were paired up and swapped their works to create a new piece of collaborative work through 45 rounds of exchanges from 2020 to September 2022. Coordinated by Ahn Se-eun, a Korean artist based in Jordan, the project featured over 60 works including drawings, installations, and videos.

Aside from the collaborations, visitors were able to view photographs and videos capturing scenes and everyday life in Jordan that are largely unknown to a Korean audience.

During the exhibition, visitors also had a chance to meet and talk with the artists on October 14. Two of the Jordanian artists, Nahla Tabbaa and Zaid Shawwa, presented portfolios of their work and shared their artistic views and experiences. Tabbaa talked about her practice of dyeing fabric with natural, chemical, and metal substances that are closely intertwined with our everyday life. Shawwa discussed his bull painting collaboration with Ahn, followed by the reoccurring theme in his bull series - the relationship between man and bull.

Guided tour of Solidarity and Hospitality on opening day

The visit to Korea and Gwangju was the first for both Jordanian artists. They found the exhibition meaningful in that it brought together artists from either end of the Asian continent through the common thread of visual art and expressed their hopes to return to the host city of Gwangju again in the future.

The exhibition and the talk with the artists offered a contemporary take on Asia’s cultural diversity, bridging the two countries together.

# Central Asia Storybook Concert: Celebrating 30 years of Korea-Kazakhstan diplomatic relations

As part of its Asia Story Community project, the ACC hosted a book talk to mark 30 years of diplomatic relations between Korea and Kazakhstan on October 16 at the Book Lounge in the Library Park.

Children participating in the Storybook Concert

The book presented was the Kazakhstani children’s book A Brave Rabbit, published by the ACC as part of its decade-long efforts to work with Central Asia to discover Asian storytelling resources. The book was written by Central Asian writer Zhylkbay Meiirzhan with illustrations by Korean artist Nam Seong-hun.

It follows the adventure of a rabbit, as he meets a squirrel, a fox, and a snake across the vast grassland in Kazakhstan. The story highlights strength, courage, possibility, and challenges.

An instructor sharing Kazakhstani culture with participants

The session was led by Shin Eun-mi, an instructor specializing in book activities, and Zhlamanova Symbat, a Kazakhstani instructor who introduced aspects of her culture to the audience. Participants enjoyed the book and chocolate treats contained in the kit they received, while playing a board game and creating a traditional Kazakhstani hat. Toward the end of the event, they were given a chance to share their takeaways and take a group photo.

This year’s Asia Culture Week sent a simple yet powerful message - Love & Peace - at a time of escalating global tensions. It underlined the importance of promoting shared prosperity in Asia and provided a time of comfort and joy.

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