Keimyung University was Invited to Participate in 2024 International Festival of Fine and Applied Arts in Uzbekistan
- Keimyung University, College of Fine Arts Corps, and Keimyung University Taekwondo Demonstration Team invited to Uzbekistan 2024 International Festival of Fine and Applied Arts
- ‘Keimyung Day’ was celebrated alongside the ‘1st Keimyung International Art Competition.’
Keimyung University students were invited by the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan to participate in the Uzbekistan 2024 International Festival of Fine and Applied Arts. The event lasted for five days, from April 15 to April 19, and students were given the opportunity to engage in various art activities.
This is the third year the university has participated in the event, and artists from many countries, including Azerbaijan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Turkey, France, and India, have joined this year as well. The Uzbekistan 2024 International Festival of Fine and Applied Arts is a national event where art festivals are held nationwide, and teachers and students from art education institutions, including members of the Creative Association of Artists of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, can participate.
To commemorate its third participation, Keimyung University held the ‘1st Keimyung International Art Competition,’ designating one day of the event as ‘Keimyung Day’ at the request of the organizers. At the opening ceremony held at the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, Nuriddinov Akmal Vahobjanovich, Director of the Uzbekistan State Institute of Arts and Culture, Mirzorahimov Abbosjon Shodmonovich, President of the National Institute of Fine Art and Design, Guk Janghyun, Deputy Ambassador of the Embassy of South Korea in Uzbekistan, and Amir Saeed Karami, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of Iran in Uzbekistan, attended and expressed their congratulations. Additionally, special lectures were given by Keimyung professors, and 68 works were exhibited, including 51 works by students from 10 departments of Keimyung University's College of Fine Arts, and 17 works by professors. The event received significant attention through local media and was an opportunity to showcase the artistic capabilities of Keimyung University, including a fashion show prepared by students from the Department of Fashion Design. The Keimyung University Taekwondo Demonstration Team performed a congratulatory performance during the festival as well. This performance, held at the request of the organizers, further elevated the atmosphere of the festival by showcasing the beauty of Taekwondo for four days.
The ‘1st Keimyung International Art Competition’ received 502 works from high school and college students across the nation, with a total prize money of $5,300. At the award ceremony, 21 winners were recognized, with the grand prize and $600 awarded to Sapoev Mutapo, a senior at Bukhara Arts High School.
Jeong Jae-eun, a painting major at Keimyung University who exhibited her work at the event, remarked, 'Communicating with Uzbekistan students helped me understand that despite our different nationalities and appearances, our love for art remains the same. The beautiful and intricate crafts, exotic paintings, and colorful fashion designs of Uzbek students inspired me, suggesting a new direction for my artistic journey.'
Kim Yun-hee, Dean of College of Fine Arts, stated, 'Participating in Uzbekistan’s International Festival of Fine and Applied Arts for three consecutive years provided an excellent opportunity to promote artistic exchange between different cultures and foster the development of our students' artistic perspectives. We are committed to continuing this exchange and endeavor to promote Korean culture and art globally.”
Meanwhile, Keimyung University has continued to have a strong relationship with Uzbekistan through continuous exchanges. In 2019, Synn Ilhi, President of Keimyung University was appointed as an honorary member of the Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, which is unexpected for a foreigner. In March 2022, Keimyung University has continued to have active exchanges, awarding Nuriddinov Akmal Vahobjanovich, Chairman of Academy of Arts of Uzbekistan, an honorary doctorate in art, for his contribution to the spread of Korean Wave culture through a cultural exchange project with Korea.