I went out for a walk with Bo this afternoon by our neighborhood lake, and realized that today was the final day of the 2020 Nammaeji Sculpture Festival that has been on display around the Gyeongsan lake this past month. For some time I’ve been wanting to start paying closer attention to public art in Korea, and today was my chance to enjoy some fascinating sculptures and neighborhood murals near my home. The weather was pleasantly “warm” today (about 10 Celsius) and not too windy to stay out by the lake.
The sculptures were so interesting that I ended up walking more than half-way around the lake, before deciding to continue all the way around it to reach home. Luckily my dog is a major trouper and loves to walk! He was rewarded with a lot of snacks along the way and a bath later at home.
It was hard to pick a favorite, but I really liked the stylized yellow mountain scene, and the giant green taekwondo kicking figure. I think the latter figure is a reference to taekwondo, because I recognize the axe kick from my own time in the dojang. This figure held my attention with its quirky, exaggerated proportions, sense of movement, and unconventional color. When I first saw the foot, I thought “Jolly Green Giant.”
Our walk ended up being twice as long as I thought it would, but no regrets. We cut through a charming neighborhood to get us back to the campus, and then home. On the way, I spotted some traditional murals. Occasionally, I see murals in the countryside as well as in traditional neighborhoods of big cities in Korea. I’ll have to make a point of getting photos of these murals when I visit, and share with you in a post.
The Frill Seeker 
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