The Uni-Korea Art Exhibition is the first flower of NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival bloomed after 70 years of division. Not only the assistance from bees and butterflies but also the sweaty efforts of farmer are required to bloom flowers and bear fruits. We, the Organizing Committee of NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival will be farmers to grow and share PEACE with 'Culture and Prosperity' and 'Peace and Unification' as its themes together with all people of the World. We will sow Seeds of Hope to achieve World Peace and Unification of Korea as we sowed to rebuild our country sixty years ago. All Citizens of the World, please, be bees and butterflies and be with us to build a beautiful garden which is filled by Flowers of Culture and Fruits of Peace, starting from Korean Peninsula to all corners of Global Villages.
- Cho, Myung Soo / Chairman of Organizing Committee, NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival
I am very much touched that we have a chance to appreciate art works from both Nothern and Southern parts of Our Mother land in Shenyang, Manchuria where our forefathers shed tears and sweats for Korea's Independence and in Berlin which is the symbolic city of Germany's Unification. Uni Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla' is a step to sow the seeds of PEACE over Korean Peninsula and the cultural movement to share the happiness with all mankind.
- Kim, Hak Soo / Co-President of NANUM the Peace Cultural Festival and Former Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations
70 years has passed since Korea was unwillingly divided by foreign forces after a brief joy of liberation from imperial Japanese occupation 1n 1945 for the first time in the history of Korea. I believe that both sides of Korea need to have more exchanges to pursue the common benevolence and cultural exchanges are the most efficient medium to build trust for each other. Therefore I am certain that Uni-Korea Art Exhibition is the 1st step to the peaceful Unification of Korea.
From this moment on we will start our grand tour to share peace and culture together with IDC (International Delphic Council) and World Art Promotion Association. World Art Promotion Association, which I am in charge of, will especially do our best to promote the cultural exchanges between the North and South Koreas. I am much obliged to all artists who participate in Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla'. Let us go forward hand in hand towards the peaceful Unification of Korea.
- Kang, Suk-Jean / Co-President of the Organizing Committee, NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival and Chaiperson of World Art Promotion Association
from left: PAK, Rae Chon / Mountain Pass - CHOI, Ye Tae / Fantasy on Red Mountain - OH, Jong-ik / Mt. Jangsu
As a citizen of Germany, a former divided country and Berlin, a divided city I know what it means to live in a divided status for tens of years. If positions controversial through a long period of times, even generations, we have to open up to hear with the other ear and to learn to see with the other eye. This is why I see that Uni-Korea Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla' is a substantial sign of the spiritual power of both Koreas - a power much older and more powerful as the present and recent struggle and as a training to learn again to open our eyes to our neighbors, friends, families as well.
- J. Christian B. Kirsch / IDC Secretary General and Co-President of NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival
As we mark the seventieth anniversary of Korean Independence and separation I sincerely congratulate opening of the Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla'. Cultural art events like this will help fill the gap between the both Koreas. As the North and South rarely have occasion to share bond of sympathy, this exhibition will help establish peace in the Korean peninsula, North East Asia and furthermore a World peace. The object of this exhibition is to create defense of peace in men trough cultural events, which coincides with the charter of UNESCO.
Economical and political situation between the two Koreas does create sharp conflict. But if we can stay away from the conflict and into each other's heart and communicate trough cultural arts, I believe that we can again share the bond of sympathy which we have as one nation.
Korean National Commission for UNESCO will support world peace celebration such as this.
Again, I sincerely congratulate the opening of Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla'.
- Dong, Seok Min / Secretary General of Korean National Commission for UNESCO
We have been aching for last 70 years, being devided unwontedly, though birds are freely flying back and forth between North and South. Now is the time to break the chain by art and move forward towards Peaceful Unification of Korea. I am so pleased to hear that Uni-Korea Art Exhibition "From Baekdu to Halla" is held in Shenyang and Berlin to celebrate 70th Anniversary of Korea's Independence and 25th Anniversary of Germany's Unification. I pray this kind cultural activities between North and South become more and more vivid, so that the Day of Korea's Unification comes sooner.
- Koh, Hak Chan / President of Seoul Art Center
As we mark the seventieth anniversary o separation of Korean peninsula on spring of 2015, I am truly happy to see the opening of Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla', a collaboration of artists from the North and South Korea.
For long, Koreans have been known for superior artistic abilities. However, seventy years of separation led to two Koreas walking different paths in the field of fine arts.
While the North inherited traditional Korean painting, the South pursued variety of medium and has made impact of world's artistic communities. Video is a fine example.
Cultural art exchange between two Koreas is very important because it will help ease the sence of conflict that stems from long separation. It will also expedite the peaceful unification. It's never too late to hope that 'From Baekdu to Halla' will be the stepping stone to the unified artistic community. Furthermore, I hope we artisans play the key role in peaceful unification of the Korean peninsula and world peace community movement, thus leading into peace and happiness in mankind.
- Chul, Kyung Ha / President Korean Federations of Arts
from left: SHIN, Hyun Kook / Echo of Mountain - KIM, Sang Jik / Valley in Mt. Keumgang - OH, Sok Jin / Shinpyong Valley after Rain
As Chairman of the board of Korean Fine Arts Association, I have a fantastic dream. The dream is to see artists from both sides of Korea reach out into the global galleries with world class master pieces, proudly displaying superior artistic side of our great people.
There is no fire barrier or cease-fire line in art. Although it has been seventy long years since the Korean peninsula was divided in half, artists from both sides of border silently drew and painted lives of our people and lovely landscape of our great land.
As we kick off South and North Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla' in Seoul, I am certain that this exhibition will tour Berlin, New York, foot of Halla mountain, and further into Pyongyang and foot of Baekdu mountain. The tour such as this will expedite the peaceful unification of Korea through art and artists from both sides of border will carry on like the two cows plowing the field side by side.
I would like to congratulate and welcome the Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla'.
- Cho, Kang Hoon / Chairman of the Board Korean Fine Arts Association
70 years ago Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world after a brief joy of Liberation. Nothing was left but ashes after Korean War, however, today Korea turns into one of 10 economic powers of the World thanks to tremendous help of friends from the global community. Now is the time for Korea should return and lead the campaign to share Peace and Culture with global community. At the same time the peaceful unification of Korean Peninsula is not only the mission for Koreans but also the first step towards the Peace of the World.
I pray that artists of South can draw at Mt. Baekdu, while artists of North can draw at Mt. Halla, depicting the beauty of our Mother land in the near future though today South and North meet trough the exhibition by artworks only. Congratulations to the Organizing Committee of NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival and Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla'.
- Chung, Eui Hwa / Speaker of the National Assembly, Republic of Korea
Trough the Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla' both North and South open minds to each other and become happy together. Now is the time for both North and South Korea to share our outstanding culture with all citizens of the world. I deeply congratulate the Organizing Committee of the NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival and the Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla' which will bear the fruit of Peace over Korean Peninsula and happy global community.
- Park, Won Soon / Mayor of Seoul
70 years ago Korea was one of the poorest countries in the world after a brief joy of Liberation. Nothing was left but ashes after Korean War, however, today Korea turns into one of 10 economic powers of the World thanks to tremendous help of friends from the global community. Now is the time for Korea should return and lead the campaign to share Peace and Culture with global community. At the same time the peaceful unification of Korean Peninsula is not only the mission for Koreans but also the first step towards the Peace of the World.
I pray that artists of South can draw at Mt. Baekdu, while artists of North can draw at Mt. Halla, depicting the beauty of our Mother land in the near future though today South and North meet trough the exhibition by artworks only. Congratulations to the Organizing Committee of NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival and Uni-Korea Art Exhibition 'From Baekdu to Halla'.
- Chung, Eui Hwa / Speaker of the National Assembly, Republic of Korea
People say that when you live in a foreign land you become patriotic towards your own country. I believe that we and seven million Korean people overseas have one common dream, and that is the hope that our country is reunited as soon as possible, to keep peace within the Korean Peninsula and contribute to the international society as one strong nation with a great pride.
My wish now is that the culture and arts of South and North Korea can achieve the same goal and spread the spirit and soul of our ancestors, so that our culture and arts can be extended to society internationally, becoming one of the factors of Korean wave and celebrated as a touching peace sharing culture that can last forever in the hearts of everyone in the world.
- Rhee, Jhoon Goo / Honorary Chairman, Organizing Committee NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival
70 years have been passed since Korea, which had been one country from the ancient times, has been divided by foreign forces. Koreans are outstandingly talented in arts as we find in the wall paintings of tombs from Goguryeo age. Fine arts have been well developed in the Northern part of Korea including "Molgol" technique of Korean painting based on socialistic realism and reviving the traditional method of Goryeo Celadon. I very much hope the divided history of Korean art is recovered and the cultural exchanges between civilians of North and South become more vivid from this historical event of Uni-Korea Art Exhibition which art works from both sides of Korea are gathered in one spot on, so that the Day of Unification comes sooner.
- LIU CHENG BAI / Advisor to NANUM The World Peace Cultural Festival Committee
Uni-Korea Art Exhibition through which we can enjoy outstanding paintings by well known artists of North and South Korea is a really historical event that recovers the divided art history of Korea. I pray artists of North and South can meet one another face to face very soon, though they gathered by their paintings only this time.
- CHOI, Sang Kyun / Curator of Uni-Korea Art Exhibition
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