02/19/2015 8pm
Poet’s Den Theater and Gallery
309 E 108th St, New York, NY 10029

In an effort to promote cultural exchange and harmony in increasingly diverse community in Harlem, East Harlem Presents and Koreanflute.com, with sponsorship from Arts Council Korea will host 2015 Lunar New Year “Seol” festival at the Poet’s Den Theater and Gallery, a performance and exhibition venue at the heart of the second Harlem Renaissance.

This cultural event (Feb 19) will showcase both art and music, kicking off with the opening reception for “Key to the Universe”, a collection of “OM” mandala paintings by artist and visionary Hee Sung Lee (www.om-artstudio). Famous Indian poet and art critic Keshav Malik once described Lee’s kaleidoscopic play on sacred Sanskrit letter “OM” (ॐ); “like a play on one syllable in grandiose classical vocal music, putting us in trance.” At this show, Lee will introduce her “Turtle” paintings for the first time. Turtle or Tortoise is widely used in Korean and Chinese culture as a symbol for longevity and prosperity. Lee’s turtles carry the universe and its creative and regenerative energy on their backs, bringing auspicious New Year to the viewers.

The evening will close with concert by renowned Daegeum(Korean big bamboo flute) and Sogeum(Korean small bamboo flute) player Han Chung Eun and his band “The Forest.” Han is the 2013 recipient of KBS Gukak Award, a prestigious national award given to those with distinguished contribution to Korea’s traditional music and performing arts. Han performed for Korea’s first woman President, Park Geun Hye at her historic inauguration, and at the closing ceremony for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. Han returns to the Poet’s Den after his popular “Starlight Forest” concert in NYC last summer. Han created uniquely beautiful and energetic program celebrating the New Year and Harlem’s colorful and diverse heritage and history through fusion of Jazz and Blues with traditional and contemporary music of Korea.

The exhibition, “Key to the Universe,” will feature spiritual mandala paintings by artist and visionary Hee Sung Lee. Lee will premier her “Turtle” series for the first time, a perfect start for the new year as Turtle or Tortoise is symbol of longevity and prosperity in many Asian culture. (February 19th ~ March 5th)

For more information, please visit
http://www.koreanculture.org/?document_srl=548605