Joseph Beuys - The Multiples in Seoul (SOMA Museum of Art)

Seoul Olympic Art Museum welcomes a collection of "Multiples" by the late German artist Joseph Beuys : works on various media from the mid 60s to the mid 80s, and from the Bild-Kunst museum of Bonn.

Frankly, I prefer his installations, or even better : installations from Louise Bourgeois, whose story sounds a bit more sincere than the alleged wrapping (in felt and animal fat) of Beuys by Tatar nomads.

Anyway, the visit is supposed to be a walk in the park. The Olympic Park, of course.

JOSEPH BEUYS - The MultiplesJune 16 - August 28, 2011
SOMA Museum of Art (Seoul Olympic Art Museum) - somamuseum.org
88-2 Bangi-dong, Songpa-gu, Seoul, ROK
Tel +82.2.452.1077

Seoul Village 2011
NEW : follow Seoul Village on Facebook and Twitter

Tour de Korea

Last stage* for the 2010 "Tour de Corée" : tomorrow in Seoul, starting with a 5.1 km parade between Olympic Park and Mongchontoseong Station (between 9:50 and 9:59 AM).

A 49.2 km race will follow, with a finish planned at 11:04 at Sejongno Sageori, where the barnum shall pass 8 mn earlier for a loop around Gyeongbokgung and Jongmyo via Cheonghwadae, Samcheong-dong, and Jongro. Don't even think about driving your car in the area : come by subway and enjoy the show.

For the 10th edition, this finish on Sejongno mirrors Tour de France finishes on the Champs Elysees (even if in Paris, there's much more than one loop). Last year's winner came from Switzerland (Roger Beuchat).
Seoul Village 2010

* 10 stages overall :
- Jeju (177 km + 1 km parade)
- Gangjin-Yeosu (138.6 km + 4)
- Yeosu-Gunsan (219 km + 6)
- Gunsan-Dangjin (149.7 km + 1.4)
- Dangjin-Cheongju (162.2 km + 9.7)
- Cheongju-Gumi (198 km + 7.5)
- Gumi-Yeongju (144 km + 9.9)
- Yeongju-Yangyang (225.2 km + 9.5)
- Yangyang-Chuncheon (145.5 km + 9)
- Seoul (49.2 km + 5.1)

Bob Dylan knock knock knockin' on Seoul's door

Tired of K-pop ? Longing for the times when pop music used to mean something, when lyrics used to mean something ?

No one can tell today how Robert Allen Zimmerman will perform on that one night in Songpa-gu*, but you're more likely to hear an intriguing version of a great classic than to see sexy dances, and not just because the man will turn 70 next year : Bob Dylan was simply not that kind of teenage wonder (he was over 20 when he released his first single anyway).

OK. 68, talking about a slow train coming... and just for one night in Korea, compared to twelve in Japan... but that's a first. Eleven days earlier, Jeff Beck will haunt the same spot**, and it tells a lot about changes that have a'comed to Korea in matters of musical tastes (among others : world class connoisseurs abound in any field - arts, food, wine...).

OK. Bob Dylan is also an institution, and the concert tells also a lot about the power of Korean entertainment industry. But Seoul Fringe Festival has been around since 1998 and last July, two indie festivals were competing against each other (Jisan Valley Ski Resort in Icheon taking a shot at established Pentaport Rock Festival in Incheon). And if Whitney Houston "paid" a visit earlier this month, groups like Muse are enjoying gigs here.

So enjoy this rare moment.

Seoul Village 2010

* Dylan : March 31st - Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Olympic Park (organizers : Access Entertainment).
*** Beck : March 20th - Olympic Gymnastics Arena, Olympic Park (organizers : Private Curve, Dream Factory Club)