New Horizons

Boundaries were something we lost on our first study abroad trip to Italy. It was also the title of our first post-study abroad student exhibition. After the tour of Rome, Florence, and Italy, the students of Oogie Art were given the opportunity of exhibiting their own works inspired by the program. The exhibition was held in Wook and Lattuada, our Founder and Director Wook Choi’s own gallery in New York City. Holding an exhibition in a respected art gallery is a privilege that not too many students get to have, so many of the students were overwhelmed with excitement.

The First Student Exhibition
The exhibition was viewed by fellow students, parents, and many others. Students eagerly explained their works and experiences in Italy, while parents and fellow students proudly observed. To many, this was the first time where they could view an exhibition and also feel a personal connection at the same time. The exhibition ended up being just as successful as the study abroad program itself, as students gained valuable experience for college and the art world.

Opening Reception-
Saturday, September 29th, 2008. 5:00PM-6:30PM

Artists-
Lily Kim
Peggy Park
Christine Pak
Adriana Hong
Timothy HyunSoo Lee

Organizers-
Peggy Park
Timothy HyunSoo Lee

In 2009, we held our second Artist Assistantship Program. Student’s flew to Korea to help Angiola Churchill with her exhibit at the Incheon Women Artists Biennale.

International Event
The Incheon Women Artists Biennale is a week long event that features the work of female artists from all around the world. From participating in the Biennale, students were able to experience first hand the inner workings of gallery operations  by helping to display installations and even participating panel discussions held by other artists.

The Artist
Angiola Churchill is an esteemed and internationally established artist that frequently contributes to Wook and Lattuada, our founder and director’s gallery in New York City. Churchill is also the former head of New York University’s Art Department.

“Pandora’s Box II”
The students helped set-up “Pandora’s Box II”, which is a large 8′x10′ paper installation. The name refers to the well-known Greek myth where Pandora, the first woman on earth, out of curiosity opens a box containing all the evils of the world. All the evils are released and therefore woman are labeled as the fall of man. However, “Pandora’s Box #2″ gives a different perspective, stating that women do not bring evil, but things like spontaneity, virtue and compassion to the world.  The piece’s outer uniform and rigid boxes create a beautiful contrast with the soft shapes on the inside.  The main material used was imported Florentine paper and gauze, creating a delicate and feminine look. Our students assisted Angiola Churchill in ironing, measuring, cutting, and hanging the materials to create the installation.

Outcome
The students that participated in the Assistantship Program went back home with valuable knowledge and experience of art exhibitions. Helping create and exhibit an installation in a respected international art biennale allowed students to have a look behind the scenes of art shows. After participating in the program and speaking to Angiola Churchill, Eunah Kim, one of out students, chose to apply early decision to New York University and ended up getting accepted.

School Building Project in Thailand
In June 2008, Oogie Art worked in association with the Rong Rien Khong Noo, or RRKN, and the Build Foundation to help create, in the remote village of Fang, situated in the hills of northern Thailand, a modestly-sized, three-classroom school, where children of the village could expect to learn everything from the fundamentals of reading and writing the Thai language; to basic science, history, and arithmetic; to the importance of boiling water prior to consumption, and other life-preserving and prolonging techniques unknown to the nescient hill-tribes of rural Thailand.

Upon arrival, volunteers quickly came together to assemble desks and booshelves, to build imaginations, Ms, Choi, our Director, hand-picked three unique themes, on for each of the classrooms: a cityscape bustling with storefronts, crowded intersections and planes; an underwater scene filled with bubbles, coral reefs and sea creatures; and a space theme depicting our solar system draped in a sea of stars. Our director then quickly arranged and outline each individual element to be colored in by the rest of the Oogie Art and school-building team. In addition, The RRKN and the Build Foundation provided children with boxed of books, pencils, and crayons; water tanks and electric generators; fresh uniforms and sacks of clothes; toys and candy; washrooms, and playground equipment to brighten the futures of these great kids.

In 2008, we held out first Artist Assistantship Program at Oogie Art. Students helped Raymundo Sesma hold his solo exhibition called “Campo Expandido (Expanded Landscapes)”  at the Wook and Lattuada gallery.

Quest for Social Architecture
Raymundo Sesma is a revered Mexican artist that works in our director Wook Choi’s gallery in Milan.  He works extensively in Milan and Mexico and has been inducted to the Venice Biennale an astounding two times. His philanthropic efforts can be seen all over parts of southern and western Mexico. Sesma has been on a mission to create “social architecture” since the early 90′s. “Social architecure” is an idea and belief of Sesma’s that he can
invigorate public spaces through applying art to forgotten architectural structures with the inner-city youth.

Collaboration
Raymundo Sesma was able to bring a piece of his vision to New York City through the artist exchange show. With the help of our students,  he created his installation “Campo Expandido (Expanded Landscapes)” at the Wook and Lattuada gallery. As the name suggests, the installation creates the illusion of the gallery space expanding. Raymundo and the students utilized chalk lines and paint to create various shapes to alter the perception of space within the gallery. The installation along with the Artist Assistantship Program truly reflected Raymundo Sesma’s vision for social architecture and collaborative efforts with the community.

Outcome
Through Artist Assistantship Program, students were able to forge a strong relationship with Raymundo Sesma and recieve the many pieces of advice he had to offer through personal conversations. This was also the first time our students were able to directly contribute to a major exhibition, learning the fundamentals of gallery operations. The program greatly helped our students hone their artistic skills, as well as their management and networking skills.

In early august of 2010, we held our fourth study abroad program in London.

Saatchi’s Collection
Charles Saatchi is a well known advertising executive, co-founder of Saatchi and Saatchi, a global advertising agency. He is also a well known art collector. The Saatchi Gallery, located in London, used to exhibit Saatchi’s expansive collection of contemporary art, is so large that it could be considered a museum in itself. In our visit to the gallery, we were able to see why it has been such a major influence on modern art in Britain. An important part of the gallery we viewed is the work of the Young British Artists, a group that Charles Saatchi is known for supporting and sponsoring.

Out of the Ordinary
The Young British Artists (YBA) are a group of contemporary artists that known for using shocking elements and unconventional materials in their works, often bringing up the question of if their works are considered art at all. For example, Damien Hirst’s “The Physical Impossibility of Death in the Mind of Someone Living” is a dead, preserved shark in a glass tank.

The work garnered much criticism, but also defines the ideals of the influential movement of the Young British Artists. Other artists like Sarah Lucas, Chris Ofili, and Tracey Emin have all been known to stir up controversy through their unconventional, often taboo subjects. Students were able to gain a different perspective in defining art, opening their minds from any limits of tradition. As for every other Study Abroad Program, students gave presentations of an artist, work, or movement they found interesting.

London
Besides absorbing the rich culture of contemporary art the city had to offer, we also made many stops to London’s most famous tourist attractions. We visited the British Museum, one of the largest museums in the world, which houses over 7 million works that show the history of general human culture. We also visited the London Eye, the third largest ferris wheel in the world. Students were able to achieve a bird’s eye view like none other, as they were looking down at one of the most architecturally famous cities from 443 feet up in the air. Architecture students especially excited to see the 30 St Mary Axe, also known as the Gherkin, the famous building designed by Norman Foster, Britain’s most prolific architect of landmark office buildings. Our trip concluded with a visit to Stone Henge, one of the most famous architectural wonders of the world.

Aftermath
After our stay in London, students were able to exhibit their art influenced by the trip at a group show in Korea via our director’s network of gallery operators. This was similar to our Boundaries exhibit after our program in Rome, Florence, and Venice. However, unlike the more conventional pieces showed at the Boundaries exhibition, the pieces after London displayed a more bold and daring approach to art that students have not explored before. The exposure to more avant-garde works by the Young British Artists really helped to broaden the students’ horizons.

In 2010, we held an Artist Volunteer Program called Fashion for a Cause. Fashion for a Cause was a fashion show to raise money for Rumah Wawasan, an orphanage located in Ipoh, Malaysia.

A Cause
Since 1997, Rumah Wawasan, a registered member of the Social Welfare Council of Perak, has provided shelter and care for underprivileged, abused, abandoned, and orphaned children in Malaysia. It is managed by a seven-member committee, and is supported by caring individuals and professionals with good standing in the local community. Although the orphanage provided the children with sufficient food and shelter, we wanted to enliven the shelter through painting murals and donating books, art supplies, and money for scholarships.

The Fashion

Held in our Manhattan center, Fashion for a Cause proved to be a big success. We had eight corporate sponsors, each donating a significant amount of funds to benefit the orphanage. Broadcast networks came to cover the event and interviewed our director and our students. The event even featured live music provided by our own DJ. The main focus of the fashion show however, were the t-shirts, each designed by our own students. Our students learned to design t-shirts using design programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.  After we got the designs printed on t-shirts, students were able to be their own models in a show coordinated by alumni of the Parsons School of Design. Students had a blast putting on the show as they sprayed their hair with fluorescent make-up and walked the runway under blacklights wearing pieces they had just designed. After the show, the audience was able to buy the t-shirts; 100% of the proceeds going to Rumah Wawasan.

Success
Although the weather was not too favorable, the event ended up having a huge turnout. Fashion for a Cause raised enough funds to successfully provide Rumah Wawasan with education materials and a complete makeover. Furthermore, the event was not only beneficial to the children of the orphanage, but the experience of our students as well. In addition to receiving community service hours, our students learned many hands-on skills through designing t-shirts and putting together a full fashion show with alumni from the Parsons School of Design.

After the successful fundraising at Fashion for a Cause, we brought laptops, art supplies, and academic scholarships to Vision and Rumah Wawasan, orphanages located in Ipoh, Malaysia. This was our 2010 Artist Volunteer Program, sponsored by the luxury furniture company BoConcept. Being from Ipoh, Malaysia himself, the CEO of BoConcept sponsored our efforts and provided us with all the paints to create our murals.

The Cause
Every year, several children in Ipoh, Malaysia are victims of abandonment or abuse. Many are born without a birth certificate and dropped off at orphanages by their parents. Some parents come back to pick them up at a more convenient time, and some do not. This puts the children at a very unfortunate situation, because the strict laws require that in order to go to school in Malaysia, one must have a birth certificate.

Because of this predicament faced by many children of this town, orphanages like Vision and Rumah Wawasan provide a safe place where the kids can eat, sleep and learn. The orphanages hold fundraisers to provide sufficient food, shelter, and homeschooling. In these orphanages, children can expect to learn vital skills such as English, sewing, playing instruments, and cooking. The orphanages provide such training and education for the real world, as the children may not stay at an orphanage past age eighteen.

Our Mission
When we arrived at Vision and Rumah Wawasan, we were able to provide them with laptop computers. We were overwhelmed with joy, as the directors of the orphanages expressed their  innermost gratitude. It was understood that computer skills were another essential skill for living life as an adult, as most jobs of the ever-changing digital world require employees to be computer literate.

We also provided Vision and Rumah Wawasan with art. Hoping to provide inspiration to the current and future children of the orphanages, we painted murals with specific themes: Happiness, Challenge, and Dreams. Furthermore, our director gave the children free art lessons. The children had a blast creating their own works of arts and crafts, using paints and colored noodles from the local market.

Outcome
Beyond volunteering and acquiring community service hours, our students truly had life-changing experiences. Finding a new use of their artistic skills, students were able to see first-hand the positive impact they can have with their art. Far from simply looking for the approval of others for their work, the students approached painting and working with the children with a true sense of selflessness. When we were done with our work, we left Ipoh knowing that we made a direct and positive impact on the lives of several orphans, which in turn made a positive impact on our own lives.

Find out more on how to help Rumah Wawasan

In the summer of 2009, we held a Study Abroad program in Barcelona and Venice.

A Different Architect
Our first destination was Barcelona, where we explored the architectural works of the famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi, known for his angles and curves inspired by nature. We saw iconic works such as the curved balconies of Casa Batllo and the various pieces in the Park Guell, sparking the special interest of our architecture students. One of the highlights in viewing Gaudi’s work was visiting Sagrada Familia, his monumental church that is unfinished to this day.

Escape from Reality
Our next subject of study was Salvador Dali, the renowned Spanish surrealist. We visited the Dali Theater and Museum in the town of Figueres, where we were able to view many of his original works and even visit his crypt. Reflecting Dali’s works, The Dali Theater and Museum is known to hold some of “the most surreal objects in the world.” After our tour of Northern Spain, students gave presentations on either the architecture of Antoni Gaudi or the art of Salvador Dali, sharing with each other their own views and experiences of the works.

Our Second Venice Biennale
After Barcelona, we flew to Venice for the 53rd venice biennale, taking our second trip to the world’s largest contemporary art festival.

Students were able to immerse themselves in the various international exhibitions and discuss the various issues concerning the state of contemporary art at the time.

Outcome
Our trip to Barcelona and Venice proved to be yet another successful Study Abroad  Program. Students built a foundational understanding of the roots of modern art in Spain, and were afterwards able to apply that understanding to analyze the works of contemporary art at the 53rd Venice Biennale. Upon returning to classes at Oogie, many students started to incorporate more abstract and contemporary elements into their portfolio pieces, clearly displaying the influence of the trip.

In December of 2007, the Chair of Collegeboard’s Art Committee, Leonard Lehrer, came to speak to our students about how one can better leverage her artistic talents to gain admission to Ivy League schools.

Being a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania himself, Leonard shared his own experiences with the admissions process, tips for getting into the Ivies and the monumental potential an art portfolio or art home test can have in tipping a final admissions decision in your favor.

We’re sorry to those who had to listen in on the seminar from the rooms outside of the main seminar space; the turnout exceeded even our own expectations.

Leonard Lehrer has served as the Dean of New York University’s Art Department and as the Chair of Collegeboard’s Art Committee for more than ten years. You can learn more about Leonard Lehrer at www.leonardlehrer.com.