Bulgasari Aotearoa – 불가사리 Experimental Music and Performance from South Korea

Audio Foundation is very pleased to announce Bulgasari Aotearoa – a major project which brings leading South Korean sound artists and experimental musicians to Aotearoa.

The featured group of artists gravitate toward Yogiga, a music venue and art-space in Seoul where regular events take place as part of the ‘Bulgasari’ series. At these events, the Bulgasari community present new works of music and performance art which reflect current experimental practise in the region.

Throughout June and July, Lee Hanjoo (이한주), Lee Bong Gyo (이봉교), Yukie Sato, Taekyung Seo (서태경) and Soojung Kae (계수정) will be in residence at the Audio Foundation HQ in central Auckland where they will collaborate with local musicians – producing concerts and recordings while working toward an exhibition for the Audio Foundation gallery.

Travelling with the Korean artists as key collaborators are renowned NZ musician John Bell (vibraphone/percussion) and sound artist Ian-John Hutchinson (prepared harmonicas). These two artists have been based in South Korea for over 5 years and are established figures in the Korean experimental music scene.

Throughout New Zealand local musicians and artists will be invited to collaborate with the Bulgasari group, resulting in unique and compelling artistic and cultural exchange

After the Audio Foundation residency the group will travel around Aotearoa, collaborating with local musicians and artists in a series of events in Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin before returning to Auckland for the exhibition opening.

Artists:

Lee Hanjoo (이한주) is the founder of Yogiga Gallery and a music/sound art event-organiser in Seoul as well as a singer and player of stringed instruments.

Lee Bong Gyo (이봉교) is a master Janggu (traditional Korean hourglass drum) player in both a traditional and expanded/experimental sense.

Yukie Sato is a Japanese national who now lives in Korea. He co-founded the monthly event ‘Bulgasari’ (불가사리) for improvised music in Seoul in 2004. Sato is a highly individual guitarist/noise musician/improvisor who has worked extensively in Japan and Korea.

Taekyung Seo (서태경) is a painter, installation and performance artist at the cutting edge of experimental performance in Korea

Soojung Kae (계수정) is an improvising pianist who traverses the worlds of improvised music, free jazz, experimental music and sound art.

Ian – John Hutchinson is a Seoul based New Zealand sound artist whose primary sound sources are harmonicas, which he repurposes and prepares as radical noise makers.

John Bell is a renowned vibraphone player and percussionist well known in the NZ jazz and improvised music scenes through his pioneering bands Spoilers of Utopia, the Dominion Centenary Concert Band and Lippazanas.

Tour Schedule:
17 – 26 June – Artists in residence at the Audio Foundation, Auckland. A process of collaboration with local musicians and artists making new work
23 June – Bulgasari Aotearoa at the Fale – Public performance, Samoa House, Karangahape Road, Auckland more info
24 June – Bulgasari Aotearoa at the Audio Foundation. Daytime and evening performances featuring solo and collaborative work. 4 Poynton Terrace, CBD. more info
26 June – Bulgasari at Vitamin S – improvised music meeting with Auckland music collective. The Wine Cellar, St. Kevins Arcade, Karangahape Road
28 June – Bulgasari at None Gallery, 24 Stafford St., Dunedin more info
30 June – Bulgasari at The Gym, Christchurch Arts Centre more info
1-2 July – Bulgasari at the Pyramid Club, Taranaki St. Wellington more info
6 July – Bulgasari Exhibition Opening at Audio Foundation, Auckland more info

Video Links:

딱지#2 / Ddakiji#2 from Ian-John on Vimeo.
Lee Bong Gyo (Janggu)
Won Jooyeon (Flute)
Ian-John (Harmonicas)

Ddakji#5.1 from Ian-John on Vimeo.
Lee Hanjoo, Ian-John, Passing Josh at Yogiga

Bulgasari founder Yukie Sato, solo at Yogiga: noise music performance from April 2016

Lee Bong Gyo plays the Jangu drum at Bulgasasri 2009.12.27 from Michael Oakley on Vimeo.

Soojung Kae’s composition 60s 60m @ Moers Festival, Germany

For further information email admin@audiofoundation.org.nz

The Bulgasari Aotearoa project is made possible by funding from Creative NZ.