ON EXHIBIT
COURTESY ARTWORK
Byung Sik Hwang is among the Incheon, Korea, artists exhibiting in "Aspiration for Unification" at Koa Gallery. His "Clear sea at dawn" is an oil on canvas that's included in the show.
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Visions of unificaton
In the art world, Honolulu and Incheon, Korea, consider each other "sister cities," which means audiences on both ends of the globe gain exposure to art from each other's city.
At Kapiolani Community College, the ties bind even further. The college has a longstanding relationship with a university in Incheon, and "there's a lot of exchange between our students and theirs," says David Behlke, KCC art instructor and director of the campus' Koa Gallery. Through June 13, the gallery is exhibiting "Aspiration for Unification," a group show by Incheon artists exploring the topic of Korea unification.
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Eight artists from Korea, plus one Honolulu artist, are featured in the show. Above is "Butterfly" by Ok Soon Kim.
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For the past several years, KCC has hosted group shows that have included many of the artists in "Unification." Behlke says the quality of this year's show is especially high, thanks to the participation of painter Byung Sik Hwang.
"He's the Tadashi Sato of Incheon," Behlke says, referring to Hawaii's late home-grown painter, who holds iconic status in the local art world.
"Unification" dedicates an entire section of the show to Hwang's large, dramatic works, which Belhlke says depicts Korean landscapes without boundaries.
Koa Gallery's hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays to Fridays and to 2 p.m. Saturdays. Call 734-9374.
COURTESY ARTWORK
"Retrospection" by Chul Myung Lee.
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"At Dawn" by Yong Il Chung.
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"The Springtime of Hometown II" by Young Dong Park.
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