Thames to Tama Exhibition

Date: 3 - 24 March 2011
Venue: Thames to Tama Exhibition, Unit 6, 34 Star Lane, Great Wakering, Essex SS3 0FF
Email: chalkwell@metalculture.com
Tel: 01702 470 700
Web: http://www.metalculture.com/
Fee: Admission Free
Opening Hours: Monday - Friday, 11am - 2pm

Organiser: Metal

Metal, presents Thames to Tama, an exhibition inspired by the journey of the legendary William Adams, who set sail from the Thames Gateway in 1598 and became the first Briton to set foot in Japan.

His entry into Japanese waters was via the River Tama, a Japanese gateway river important for its trade.

The exhibit is the creation of artist Lee Baker, it consists of 5 huge wall-size line-drawn images based upon both ancient and modern Japanese graphics, paintings, and maps.

Each image is made up of portraits created by pupils from 25 schools in Southend on Sea. Over 4000 pupils have taken part in this town-wide project in association with Southend Education Trust.

Cutting the Cord

Date: 21-26 February 2011 (Mon - Wed: 8pm, Thurs - Sat: 6.30pm and 8.30pm)
Vanue: Tristan Bates Theatre, 1A Tower Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9NP
Box office: 020 7240 6283
Email: info@flyingeye.org.uk
Web: http://www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk/ http://www.flyingeye.org.uk/
Admission: £10/£8(Concession)
Organiser: Flying Eye

Inspired by true stories, Cutting the Cord is an intimate and heart-warming physical theatre piece.

This is the kind of theatre that engages and touches its audience long after they leave the venue. - The Brighton Magazine

Where do you come from?
Where are you going?
When you are miles away from the place of your birth, can you ever feel truly at home?
This one- woman show tells the story of Sachi, a young Japanese woman, and her comedic, yet sincere struggle to find a ‘home’. Set in London and Tokyo, Sachi playfully relates the story of what it means to leave one place and put down roots elsewhere. Accompanied by live music and presented with magical theatricality, Cutting the Cord is a touching and poignant tale that invites people of all backgrounds to celebrate their own journey in finding home.

Cutting the Cord is supported by Arts Council England, Great Britain Sasakawa Foundation and the Japan Foundation. Co-produced by The Basement and Brighton Festival.

RHIZOSPHERE: Directions in Motion (4th Annual Exhibition of 4482, SASAPARI)

Date: 24 – 27 February 2011
Venue: Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, Bargehouse Street, South Bank, London SE1 9PH
Nearest Tube Stations: Southwark, Waterloo
Web: www.4482.info
Fee: Admission Free

The 4th 4482 (sasapari) exhibition is the annual showcase for Korean contemporary artists living and working in London. This year, entitled "Rhizosphere: Directions in Motion" (curated by Gyeyeon Park), it presents the latest work from 60 artists at the Bargehouse, Oxo Tower Wharf, a cavernous 4-storey building located in London’s South Bank cultural quarter by the River Thames.

A ‘Rhizome’ is a subterranean stem spreading out in any direction. It is a system of connections with no hierarchy and no order. With its features of connectivity, heterogeneity and multiplicity, the concept of rhizome was explored by Deleuze and Guattari in their book, A Thousand Plateaus. 4482 is a continually evolving voluntary group of artists and the works cover a wide variety of themes, ways of expression and mediums. ‘Rhizo + Sphere’ refers to both the space and time of the exhibition.

Many of the works reflect both the artists' internal (philosophy and faith) and external (social and environmental) influences intertwined. In this group exhibition, seemingly disparate artworks are linked by themes or materials and these connections suggest an endless network of possibilities and ideas.

The artists are each on a long personal journey, but for a short period, they share time and space together which may affect their individual future directions. Curator Gyeyeon Park who has organised the exhibition since 2010, states that “these artworks are not only inspired by being made in London, but as rhizome transforms the soil, by its very existence, this exhibition alters London.”

4482 has continued since 2007 to highlight an increasing number of South Korean artists in London and document their artistic activities. All participants created their works within a new cultural base in Britain with Korean emotion and artistic talent. It aims to represent the cross-cultural dialogue in which the artists are inevitably engaged. This meaning is connected to the name of this artist group, 4482, that is the combination of international dialing codes of the two countries. Through calling 4482 as (sasapari) which is the pronunciation of 4482 in Korean fashion, the interest for Korean art can be increased on an international level with the hope that this name will be developed into a representative cultural brand of Korea.

(Participating Artists)Jinkyun Ahn, Gyeong-Yoon An, Je Baak, Chan-Hyo Bae, Youn Joo (Dari) Bae, Kyeongmi Baek, Soo Yeoun Baek, Kyungsoo Byun, Nadia Kyung Chae, Haeree Cho, Kaneumiah Choi, Mi-Young Choi, Yoonsuk Choi, Joo Hee Chun, U Jae Chung, Seungpyo Hong, Sookyoung Huh, Jeong Mun Hur, Shan Hur, Ilsu Hwang, Sooim Jeong, Sangeun Joo, SoYoung Jung, Woon Jung, Seokyeong Kang, Chinwook Kim, Dong Yoon Kim, Gemini Kim, Ingeun Kim, Jay hyung Kim, Minae Kim, Terry Kim, YoonJung Kim, Rae Koo, Hyeyoung Ku, Soon-Hak Kwon, Bommsoon Lee, Eunkyung Lee, Jaeyeon Lee, Luna Jungeun Lee, Junghwa Lee, Locco (Jung-woo Lee), Sunju Lee, Yeon Lee, Ilsun Maeng, Jung Wook Mok, Sejin Moon, Hyemin Park, Hyung Jin Park, Jihye Park, Jinhee Park, Kye Jung Park, Kyunghee Park, Yeojoo Park, Changwoo Ryu, Kiwoun Shin, HeeSeung Sung, Jiho Won, Seoyeoung Won, Hyesoo You

Discover Korean Food #50: Dr. Sook-Ja Yoon's "Tteokjjim, Braised Rice Cake Rod Stuffs"

Tteokjjim is a dish of rice cake rods, beef, and vegetables braised with seasonings. It is said that in olden days, the court kitchen ladies prepared tteokjjim for the king, who lacked physical exercise and sometimes suffered from indigestion, because it was thought to ease stomach troubles.

[Ingredients & Quantity]
300 g white rice cake rod, 40 g beef (top round)
60 g carrot, 400 g (2 cups) water, 1 g (¼ tsp) salt
60 g (4 ea) chestnut, 5 g (1 sheet) brown oak mushrooms
3.5 g (1 tsp) pine nuts, 16 g (4 ea) jujube, 25 g (12 ea) gingko
60 g (1 ea) egg, 15 g watercress, 2.3 g (1 tsp) wheat flour, 4 g (1 tsp) edible oil
100 g beef (shank), 800 g (4 cups) water
* Sesame soy sauce : 3 g (½ tsp) soy sauce, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
* Seasoning sauce ① : 6 g (1 tsp) soy sauce, 2 g (½ tsp) sugar, 2.3 g (½ tsp), minced green onion, 1.4 g (¼ tsp) minced garlic, 1 g (½ tsp) sesame salt, 0.1 g ground black pepper, 4 g (1 tsp) sesame oil
* Seasoning sauce ② : 27 g (1½ tbsp) soy sauce, 12 g (1 tbsp) sugar, 7 g (½ tbsp) minced green onion, 5.5 g (1 tsp) minced garlic, 2 g (1 tsp) sesame salt, 6.5 g (½ tbsp) sesame oil

[Preparation]
1. Cut the white rice cake rod into 6 cm-long, and put knife slits on 4 places, taking care not to apart both ends. Season them with sesame soy sauce (280 g).

2. Clean blood of beef (top round, shank) with cotton cloths. Mince the top round finely and season with half of the seasoning sauce ①.
3. Cut the carrot into 2.5 cm-square and trim the edges (46 g). Skin the chestnuts (40 g). Stir-fry the gingko and skin. Soak brown oak mushrooms in water for about 1 hour, remove stems, wipe water with cotton cloths and cut it into 2~4 pieces (12 g).
4. Remove tops of the pine nuts, wipe the nuts with dry cotton cloths. Wipe the jujube with damp cotton cloths, cut the flesh and roll up (14 g).
5. Panfry egg for yellow/white garnish. Pan-fry watercress after coating with wheat flour liquid and beaten egg, then cut into 2 cm-long of diaper shape.

[Recipe]
1. Insert the seasoned beef into the slits of the rice cake rods.
2. Put the shank and water in the pot and heat it up on high heat. When it boils, reduce the heat to medium, simmer it for 30 min. Take out the meat and cut then into 2 cm-wide, 3 cm-long and 0.7 cm-thick. Mix them with remained half of the seasoning sauce ①. Strain the broth through cotton cloths (300 g, 1½ cup).
3. Pour water in the pot and heat it up for 2 min. on high heat. When it boils, scald the carrot with salt for 2 min.
4. Put the shank, carrot, chestnuts, brown oak mushrooms, broth and half of the seasoning sauce ② in the pot. Boil it for 5 min. on high heat, add the rice cake rods, jujube and remained seasoning sauce ②, reduce the heat to medium and boil it for 13 min. Put the gingko and pine nuts.
5. Place in a dish, garnish with yellow/white egg strips and fried watercress.

[Tips]
* If the rice rod is dried hard, scald it in boiled water to be soft.
* Do not put the rice rods in the pot from the beginning, or it may be burst.

Oxford University Korea Society “Soul of Seoul” at Oxford Union

Date: 23/02/2011, 19.00 - 23.00pm
Venue: Oxford Union Chamber, Oxford

Every year, the historical Oxford Union Chamber, having been graced with the presence of the most eminent scholars, politicians, and celebrities over the years, hosts an unforgettable Korean night, SOUL of SEOUL.

On 23rd February 2011, the Chamber will again be filled with the cultural landmarks of Korea, from the immensely popular bibmbab and traditional alcohol to taekwondo and hanbok showcases.

SOUL of SEOUL is “THE” Korean night in Oxford, aimed at promoting awareness of Korean culture amongst the future leaders at Oxford. It is truly an extravaganza, featuring the very best of Korea: Bibimbab, Korean snacks, Taekwondo, Korean alcohol, Korean B-boy, K-pop, Korean Calligraphy, Traditional Costumes, Traditional Music... and so much more.

The event is indeed a celebration befitting of our nation’s beautiful culture and has been serving as a milestone in entrenching the presence of Korean community.

Last year’s festival was a great success, with the tickets selling out well before the event. This year, the Oxford University Korea Society aims to make it even better.

Keeping Pace with Technology- the Nissan Experience, Professor Andy Palmer, Senior Vice President The Nissan Motor Co.

Date: 28 February 2011, 12:00pm (Please note that the lecture will begin promtly at 12.00pm and guests are asked to arrive by 11.50am)
Venue: JETRO London, Midcity Place, 71 High Holborn, London WC1V 6AL
Tel: 020 7828 6330
Email: events@japansociety.org.uk
Web: http://www.japansociety.org.uk/
Organiser: The Japan Society

Keeping pace with fast-changing technologies, environmental demands and global developments is a challenge for all companies but particularly for those whose markets and manufacturing bases are entirely global. In this business group lecture by a distinguished Japan-based UK citizen, we will hear about Nissan’s experiences. Being responsible for some of the company’s most advanced products, Professor Palmer will be covering topics which have immense relevance for many members.

This is an important topic, particularly for those involved in long-term decision-making on developments and investment. Keeping pace with technology has particular challenge for those countries where the level of manufacture is not as high as it was and where developments are heavily regulated and yet in which competition remains very keen. Professor Palmer will use the Nissan experience to explore these challenges and help us understand how his company has remained a world leader and continues to invest heavily in the UK.

Prof Palmer is one of Nissan’s top 10 executives and sits on the company’s executive committee with global responsibility for its product axis.

He has global responsibility for Planning (Corporate & Product) and Program management; Marketing & Communications; the companies Business Units, such as LCV, Luxury and electric vehicles; and the group IT division. During his distinguished career in Nissan, he personally devised the LCV breakthrough strategy which led to a 5 fold increase in global sales between 2002 and 2010. More recently, he led Nissan’s product launch offensive, launching vehicles such as the new Micra, the Qashqai and the 2011 European Car of the Year, the Nissan LEAF. His experiences have always been along the interface between engineering, and management.

To book your place please contact the Japan Society office on tel: 020 7828 6330 or email: events@japansociety.org.uk. Please remember to state your company position when applying.

'Dynamic Korea' Event - 23rd February

Date: 23rd February Arrival: 6.15 for 6.30pm
Screening: 6.30 to 7.30pm, follow by drinks and snacks, to end at 8.15pm.
Location: Korean Cultural Centre, Northumberland Avenue, London, WC2N 5BW
Nearest tube station: Embankment or Charing Cross (Northern, Bakerloo, Circle and District)

The evening event, on February 23rd, is an opportunity to discover about advances in the field of energy by Korean companies, in particular new fields such as nuclear fusion.

In this hour long talk, followed by traditional Korean drinks and refreshments, KSCPP (Korean Spirit and Culture Promotion Project) presents a side of Korea that may well be unfamiliar to you.

Alongside the hidden treasures of its past, including the invention of the world's first printing press and extraordinary feats of combined human achievement such as the Tripitaka Koreana, present day Korea is exploring new technologies to solve the dilemma of the world's growing energy needs.

The documentary will take viewers through the evolution of power in Korea, into the exciting and unknown territory of the future.

To register for entry, please reply to this email or register here.

Come and Play Korean Samulnori (Drums & Percussion) #3

Date: Saturday, February 12th, 3.00pm-4.30pm (for everyone interested) / 4.30pm-6.00pm (for those have some experience)
Venue: Goldmine Studios, 269 Poyser Street, London E2 9RF
Fee: £9 (all instrumens provided)
Contact: Jeung Hyun Choi (07981 298 638 / jeunghyunk40@gmail.com)

Samul nori is a genre of traditional percussion music originating in Korea. The word samul means "four objects" and nori means "play"; samul nori is performed with four traditional Korean musical instruments:

* Kkwaenggwari (a small gong)
* Jing (a larger gong)
* Janggu (an hourglass-shaped drum)
* Buk (a barrel drum similar to the bass drum)

The traditional Korean instruments are called pungmul.

Samul nori has its roots in nong-ak (literally "farmers' music"), a Korean folk genre comprising music, acrobatics, folk dance, and rituals, which was traditionally performed in rice farming villages in order to ensure and to celebrate good harvests. Specifically, samul nori music derives from utdari pungmul (the gut, or shaman ceremony rhythm of the Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheong provinces of South Korea), as well as the genres of Yeongnam folk music and Honam udo gut, combined with more contemporary improvisations, elaborations, and compositions. Such nong-ak is steeped in traditional animism and shamanism, but also shows influences from Korean Buddhism. While nong-ak often features the use of wind instruments, samul nori only features the aforementioned four percussion instruments.

Each of the four instruments represents a different weather condition: the janggu represents rain, the kkwaenggwari thunder, the jing the sounds of the wind, and the buk clouds. The idea of yin and yang is also reflected in these instruments: the buk and janggu (leather) represent the sounds of the earth, while the jing and kkwaenggwari (metal) represent sounds of the heavens. Although generally performed indoors, as a staged genre, samul nori depicts the traditional Korean culture, an agricultural society rooted in the natural environment.
Samul nori is characterized by strong, accented rhythms, vibrant body movements, and an energetic spirit.

Samul nori has gained international popularity, with many samul nori bands and camps worldwide. Since the 1980s in South Korea, there has been a marked increase in the amount of fusion music, combining samul nori and Western instruments.

Jeung-Hyun Choi is a Korean traditional percussion player and currently working as managing director of DULSORI, the Korean traditional music group. She has taught Korean traditional percussions and songs for over 20 years. Shae has led many international workshops in Korea and abroad, including SOAS World Music Summer School 2008.

Yoonjung Han: Piano Concert Presented by STEINWAY & SONS

Date: Wednesday 9 February 2011 (7.00pm)
Venue: Steinway Hall, 44 Marylebone Lane off Wigmore Street, LONDON W1U 2DBPROGRAMMEBACH - BUSONI Chaconne in D minor
HAYDN Sonata in E flat Major, Hob:52
I. Allegro II. Adagio III. Presto
GRANADOS Goyescas V. El amor y la muerte
SCHUMANN Carnaval Op.9

Born in South Korea in 1986, Yoonjung Han graduated from the Yewon Arts School and Seoul Arts High School with highest honours. In 2003 she graduated from the pre-college division of Juilliard, having studied with Victoria Mushkatkol. She received her Bachelor’s degree from the Curtis Institute of Music as a student of Eleanor Sokoloff and her Master’s from Juilliard as a pupil of Robert McDonald. She is currently pursuing Doctoral studies at Stony Brook, State University of New York, with Christina Dahl and her Artist Diploma at Université de Montreal with Jean Saulnier.
She won her first gold medal at age nine at the Samick Piano Competition in South Korea and went on to capture further gold medals at other events in her country. She then became a prize winner at the Helsinki Maj Lind and other international competitions, including the Milan Concorso Pianistico Ettore Pozzoli, and in 2008 First Prize at the Gina Bachauer Competition at Juilliard. The Korean Ministry of Culture named her ‘Most Promising Young Artist’, followed by the grand prize at the Korea National Music Competition, and in 2009 she obtained the Gawon Music Award as ‘The most brilliant pianist aged 17-31 of any nationality who possesses the most promising potential for global prominence’. In 2010 she was awarded the Keyboard Trust – Gala Career Development Prize at the Santa Catarina International Competition in Brazil.
She made her solo debut at age 13 with the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra, since when she has performed in major cities in the USA, Asia and Europe; at New York’s Alice Tully Hall and Carnegie Hall, the Myra Hess series in Chicago, the Phillips Collection in Washington, San Rocco Theatre in Italy, Finlandia Hall in Helsinki, Se-Jong Concert Hall in Korea, and the Villa Bertramka Mozart Museum in the Czech Republic.
She has appeared as soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Helsinki Philharmonic, I Pomeriggi Musicali in Milan, and the Symphony Orchestras of Mississippi, Houston, Fort Collins, Shreveport and Jefferson, and the Banff Festival Orchestra, with conductors of the stature of Joann Falletta, Leif Segerstam and Lior Shambadal.
She has broadcast on WQXR New York, National Public Radio’s Young Artist Showcases, WHYY Philadelphia, Houston Public Radio, WFMT Chicago, WRR Dallas, TV-Polmusic in Poland and CBS, EBS in Korea.