PDF; 7,6 MB - ORCO Germany

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BY Patricia Jaenisch
The KIAF art fair in Seoul, Korea has developed into the hotspot of the Asian art
world within only a few years. ORCO sponsored the joint stand of the Association
of Berlin Galleries in spring 2007.
The stress and hectic pace of daily life are far behind me. I lean
back in the seat of a Korean Air Boeing and nine hours later, I
enter another world, one that is completely new to me: Asia,
Korea, Seoul.
The first stage of my trip is not actually the hotel, but the KIAF
– the Korean International Art Fair – Asia’s answer to »Art Basel«.
ORCO sponsors the BERLIN LOUNGE here as part of a
joint exhibition by Berlin galleries. The Lounge forms the centrepiece
of the presentation by 10 Berlin galleries and offers an
interesting insight into the creativity and wide variety Berlin has
to offer as a home for art, particularly with regard to the latest
debate on a Kunsthalle for Berlin.
In one of the »daily talks«, ORCO underlines its involvement
in Berlin as an artistic and cultural metropolis, under the motto
»creating urban spaces«. ORCO not only wishes to provide the
artists with space in its own properties, but also wants to offer
the opportunity of presenting the artworks created here in a
public space. Inside out – outside in/Art Under Construction
and Art In Construction!
To this end, an artists-in-residence programme is being launched
in 2008. ORCO will be making studios available to five young
Korean artists for a period of one to two months. The works created
in Berlin will then be shown afterwards at an exhibition.
Travelling Through the Art Cosmos – On the hunt for tradition,
I make my way into the city. In the subway I am able to find my
way quickly, thanks to excellent signage. During the trip across
the River Hang in the afternoon sun, the view is breathtaking.
As I look at the city map, a friendly passer-by offers help. I am
the only European woman and their curiosity is enormous. Almost
as enormous as Seoul itself. The roads are long. One is surrounded
by six- to 12-lane roads lined with high-rise blocks. An
endless stream of cars provides a permanent backdrop of noise,
above which one can hardly hear oneself think. The waiting
time at the pedestrian crossings is in keeping with the volume of
traffic and I spend this time staring in awe at the gigantic lines
of high-rises or enjoying the beauty of Korean characters. A few
steps further on, one sees splashes of green: a man-made canal
running through the heart of the financial district invites one to
take a break. Children, meeting their own personal challenges,
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