BRIDGING CULTURAL DIVIDES

seated from left to right: back row - Chuck Scalin, Mim Golub, Brad Birchett
Mark Bryant, Jorge Benitez and John Pollard. front row- Kirsten Kindler,
Amie Oliver, Hee Ja Sung, Cynthia Erdahl, Melissa Burgess and Cynthia Fraula-Hahn.

ARTIFICIUM OF HUMANITAS WILL OPEN IN SEOUL AND BEIJING

RICHMOND, VIRGINIA—On June 25, 2007 22 artists from the United States will join artists from Korea, France, Germany, Russia, Mogolia and China in an exhibition of paintings, sculptures, drawings, and mixed media pieces at the Seoul Hae-Tae Gallery in Seoul, South Korea. Known as Artificium of Humanitas VI, the Show continues through June 22, 2007. It will move to the Shang-Shang Main Gallery in Beijing, China, with the same pieces, except those from the French artists. It will be installed at the Shang-Shang Gallery from July 5 – 11, 2007. Overcoming cultural and linguistic barriers lies at the heart of Artificium of Humanitas. Now in its’ fifth year, the Show is a continuation of a dialogue about the sharing of cultures, manners, and artistic expression from distinctive and different cultures. The concept was developed by Hee Ja Sung, a Richmond, Virginia artist who is originally from Korea. The Show has been growing strong since its inception in 2002.

According to Hee Ja Sung, Chairman of Artificium of Humanitas, “The intention of this series of exhibitions is to facilitate dialogue between different cultures, especially between American and Korean culture. The increasingly rapid globalization taking place in the world today is bringing about many changes. Too often there is miscommunication, misunderstanding, and mistrust in the world but, this exhibition offers the promise of art providing a unifying force and common ground for positive dialogue through its universal roots in human experience…”

Artists participating in the exhibition include: Bill Fisher, James Miller, Mark Bryant, Anne Savedge, Fiona Ross, Sara Clark, Brad Birchett, Chuck Scalin, Mim Golub, Kipp Green, Solomon Isekeige, Melissa Burgess, Cynthia Fraula-Hahn, Amie Oliver, Kirsten A. Kindler, John M. Pollard, Cynthia Erdahl, Barry Roebuck, Robert L. Tarbell, Jorge M. Benitez, Don Crow and Hee Ja Sung.

Exploring cultural messages and breaking down the barriers that separate peoples is the essential mission of Artificium of Humanitas. And, for the artists who are contributing pieces, the show reflects personal and social sensibilities. James Miller, a painter born in Scotland, states that he has been making paintings and print images of walls. “Walls support, enclose, divide and protect. I find the image of the wall compelling as metaphor, symbol and point of departure for my work.” Miller is theChair of the Department of Communication Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia.

Chuck Scalin, another contributor, is a professional artist, professor emeritus and teacher. His award-winning exhibitions have graced public and private galleries throughout the world. He creates collages and assemblages of found materials. The juxtaposition of materials and the composition of the pieces create a provocative discussion about our frame of reference.

Like its predecessors, Artificium of Humanitas VI will prove to be another fascinating and illuminating exploration of American and Korean Cultures.


For more information, please call Heeja Sung at (804)405–8349 or email her at Sungheeja@hotmail.com