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Korea Sports Art 2012 runs through August 15 at MOKSPACE Gallery, London in conjunction with the 2012 Summer Olympic Games (photos courtesy of IADG).

As the torch relay continues its journey around the British capital, Korean visual artists have gathered together for Korea Sports Art 2012, a group exhibit in celebration of the upcoming London Olympic Games, slated from July 27 to August 12. Beginning on July 20, Korea Sports Art 2012 welcomes Londoners and Olympic travelers across the globe to the world of sports art, introducing Korean talents who have pioneered and developed a relatively new genre at one of Europe’s centers for the contemporary arts and design. Visitors are welcome to discover an inspiring mix of sports art at MOKSPACE Gallery (33 Museum Street, London WC1A), only a few steps away from the British Museum until August 15. Fourteen emerging Korean artists bring collections of their works executed using diverse media to share the global spirit of sports. The works on display range from traditional genres including video installation, photography illustrations, and paintings that capture the thrill and emotion of athletes in action to more cutting-edge objects like figurines, custom sneakers, and a bicycle saddle wittily redesigned as a reindeer head sculpture.

“Sports art may not have drawn much attention so far, yet is one of the universal genres sharing cultural values that can be easily enjoyed by a wider scope of audiences beyond borders”, remarked Jung Jisuk, artistic director of the International Art Directors Group (IADG), who organized the show. “While curating the whole exhibition, the most exciting part was to reinterpret the different roles sports play in our lives, and turn the energy and beauty it bears into artistic creations in various media. We expect this exhibition would further gain momentum in raising awareness of both the genre and Korean contemporary culture under the common theme of sports, and as the first official event of its kind. Those outside of London are also invited to explore the virtual exhibit offered free-of-charge through Hexa Gallery, a smartphone and smartpad application, which brings a real-life gallery to your fingertips. Participating artists include Kim Min-seok (a.k.a. KWANG), Kim Younsung (a.k.a. Gaeko), Kim Sungkug, Park Kyeongho, Sakiroo, Shin Dongjin (GFX), Shin Heungwoo, Yoon Seohee, COOLRAIN, Won Chunho, Saemi Cho, Youchang Jung, Zooki, and Lee Jungmin. For more information, please visit www.mokspace.com/korea_sports_art_2012.php or to view a video clip, click here. By Hwang DanaKorea.net Staff Writer