Director of the Belgian Kunsten festival des arts, Frie Leysen defines the word "contemporary" as everything expressed as a means of this age out of things witnessed and chosen by artists belonging to a same era. The concept is still an uncharted spatiotemporal realm for Seung Hee KIM, the director of Festival Bo:m. One thing is clear to her: It represents the meeting of artists pursuing new form and attitude, and their own artistic visions. For her, artists are the motivation for initiating festival Bo:m and the festival is the direct channel for this type of meetings.

Hot Pepper, Air Conditioner, and the Farewell Speech Directed by Toshiki Okada Festival Bo:m 2011		The Forsythe Company Additive Inverse Festival Bo:m 2010 ⓒJulian Gabriel Richter
Rimini Protokoll Karl Marx: Das Kapital, Erster Band Festival Bo:m 2009 ⓒSebastian Hoppe

Starting her dance career at age five, Kim had built up the artistic ego long before. One day at age 30, she happened to come across the domain of art management, and got immersed in it from that moment on. Art management meant artistic attitude for Kim. As artist, Kim constantly felt about being contemporary, and got attracted to avant-gardism in high school days due to its advanced nature. The more she works, the deeper her world becomes, she argues. This "maxim" of hers, therefore, has long been predictable, considering her background. Understanding art history as history of overthrow, Kim exudes her belligerent disposition.

"Actually, I''m not that inclined to widen and repair the road already taken. I desire to take and blaze the untaken trail. The road is tough for someone seeking something new. It''s natural. One has to fight to overthrow traditions, customs and conventional wisdom. That''s not the end of story. You have to fight well. What I like is clear-cut from what I don''t like. It''s my shortcoming. I refrain from meeting numerous people and watching numerous shows. I rather concentrate my activities on what I deem qualified and necessary at some point. Then, when Festival Bo:m begins, I stay on the site all day long. Including rehearsals, I appreciate a show at least four times. This is the very moment that thrills me."

Introduced to Koreans as international performing and visual arts festival of multiple genres, Festival Bo:m should be accepted, Kim wishes, not as a multidisciplinary arts festival, but as that of avant-garde arts incorporating all contemporary characteristics. Kim avoids the former for its vagueness. She is pursuing unclassifiable art pieces and collaboration with artists unfamiliar to Koreans. This approach more fits her disposition of seeking things new. Kim cherishes those audiences who are entering into a new path through new art works and artists. This is the demographic group that carries the highest possibility of sharing the artistic vision and attitude of Kim. She believes that those audiences are capable of the play of intellectual conflicts of the moment, since they actively absorb the force of "contemporariness" as art of interpretation.

"I''ve run through lots of trials and errors as director. The process is a process of learning and developing. In the past, I thought a good director should be capable of attracting numerous audiences. But, unlike iPad 4G wipes out previous products, a director can''t consumes artists. On the contrary, a director serves writers. We should await the completion by a writer, when her work, although unknown, seems to carry a promising future. Moreover, we should consider timing. I''ve lately realized it is not always good to introduce a writer to the public as fast as possible. It is a game of timing. That''s what really matters. As matter of fact, budget and resources problems restrict Festival Bo:m. Thus, despite our intentions, it is impossible to fill it up with our own created pieces. Actually, I don''t brood that thought. I just hope the writers introduced at our festival should be favored by other festivals and theaters, and produce more good works."

Seong Hee KIM

In 2000 when she returned to Korea, completing her master''s program at the NYU, the notion of art management was foreign in Korea. She had to define the value and meaning of "program director," working as director of the MODAFE (International Modern Dance Festival) from 2002 to 2005. People did not even deem it a professional job. Resetting her art viewpoint at the coordinates called "art management," she constantly asked endless questions. Looking at the MODAFE programs under her directorship, one can easily realize how her thoughts were reflected in them. She asserts her artistic vision does not change, despite different methods she may adopt from time to time. In this respect, her present artistic goal is identical with that of 10 years ago.

So far, Festival Bo:m has produced more than artists. Numerous colleagues, producers and directors have eagerly participated in the venue arranged by director Kim. Realizing how much experience and know-how she could acquire from running the festival even for a relatively short period of time, she could not help feel the duties as administer of an organization. Agreeing to one''s own vision is one thing. The vision and future of an organization is another. She does not know when, but she indeed expects a new director to emerge and take her place. Preparing for her unknown departure, she knows and deems it necessary to have a new director for the future of the festival. Although aware of her departure, she is concerned about how to provide better conditions for its operation. She is not afraid of her uncertainty. Rather, she cares about those who enjoy it.

"Those who are standing on the border between ''already'' and ''yet,'' it is them who can catch the cracks of ''now.'' They are waiting for a certain time and space of the future. In this context, contemporariness is not what is done at this moment, but what is to come and how to read it. It''s a very intellectual play arising out of uncertainty. These processes, I realized, are very similar to emotions long experienced as creator. As dancer and choreographer and as director, I think I''m treading the same extended path. They are not distinct from each other. Creating art pieces and art management go through identical processes. Understanding that is the biggest asset of mine as director. Only with that realization, did I begin to talk about what I wanted to. It came in 2008 when I programmed the opening program of the Nam June PAIK Art Center.

People often believe I pull my strings through my personal and business networks for operation of the festival. Actually, my network has a handful of people inside it. I don''t stretch myself too thin. I rather contain myself. I always look back on myself whether I am pushing the envelope. That''s who I am. If asked to choose, I opt for a small-sized theater with about 300 seats. I don''t like big ones. I like being in the minor leagues."


The experiences and careers of the past decade have made her one of the business figures in the Korean arts field. (It was extremely difficult to arrange this interview.) She is working on the master plan and creation of programs for the next year''s festival. The notion and domain of multidisciplinary arts is expanding in Korea through a series of performances like The Whales, Time Diver at the National Theater of Company Korea and the shows played at the Nam June PAIK Art Center. Of these changes, she has greater expectations than any other person. She is glad, since the pool of contemporary artists, producers and managers is growing, who can share thoughts and ideas with her.

Throughout the entire interview, she frequently blinked her big, appealing eyes, and, looking at them, it felt as if she talked with her eyes. Everything discussed above may seem to have been voiced in a very sincere tone. As matter of fact, Kim''s dialog was very colloquial and casual. She was like a person who proudly showed off a fun pastime to friends. Enduring the past decade, she remained full of energy. She seems to feel, learn and enjoy every minute she has, and that was why. And that is why people pay attention to her and think highly of her.

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