Van Gogh Reborn!

307

The Final Showdown (12)

June 11, 2030.

The Kassel Documenta and the Münster Sculpture Project opened.

Since he decided to attend both opening ceremonies, Ko Hun arrived in Kassel last night and stayed for a day. He had breakfast early in the morning.

“It looks like a lot of people came.”

Ko Hun looked around the hotel restaurant, which was bustling even at this early hour.

“It seems so.”

“If you think about Münster, there must have been even more.”

It was the year of the Grand Art Tour, which was loved by art enthusiasts.

And since the Venice Biennale was postponed to August, the Grand Art Tour started with the Kassel Documenta and the Münster Sculpture Project, which was a boon for them.

“Is Münster close?”

Ko Hun asked.

“Yeah. It takes about two hours by car. We’ll attend the morning event and move to the afternoon one.”

Bang Taeho informed him of the schedule.

They had split the schedule into morning and afternoon to attend both opening ceremonies.

“I want to look around here too. There’s nothing else tomorrow, right?”

“There’s nothing special. You can stop by on your way back from Münster.”

“I like that. It’s nice that you can go back and forth and see everything because the distance is not far.”

Kim Jiwu, who was excited to cover the two art festivals, tore a piece of bread and said.

Both events opened on the same day and lasted for 100 days, so the tourists could relax and naturally visit both.

Bang Taeho nodded.

“I guess there weren’t many cases where people only visited one side, so they benefited a lot. I heard that 1.3 million people visited last time.”

“That’s right.”

It was not easy to attract more than a million people to a single art festival.

There weren’t that many art fans, and even the Whitney Biennale, which was the most popular art festival in the world, recorded 3.7 million people in the recent event, which was the highest number.

So it was amazing that 1.3 million people visited a small city with a population of about 300,000 for 100 days.1)

“It’s a good thing that they don’t rely on the names of the artists.”

“That’s right.”

“I agree.”

Kim Jiwu and Ko Hun echoed Kosuyeol’s words.

It was because of the operating method of the Kassel Documenta, which did not reveal the list of participating artists until the day of the event.

The Kassel Documenta was steadily loved without depending on the fame of popular artists, and the increase in visitors meant that art itself was becoming more connected with the citizens.

It was what Ko Hun wanted.

“Then it must be a bit disappointing.”

“What is it?”

“The article is already out.”

Bang Taeho unfolded his smartphone and placed it in the middle of the table.

It was an article that Henri Marso and Ko Hun participated in the Kassel Documenta and the Münster Sculpture Project together.

The article only had a title, which seemed to have been written hastily.

[The two geniuses of the century meet again]

[Henri and Hoon from the Venice Pavilion, also in Kassel and Münster]

[Another display of friendship]

“That’s fast.”

Kim Jiwu exclaimed.

They had just opened today, so they wouldn’t have had time to look around the exhibited works, but they quickly found Ko Hun and Henri Marso and posted an article, which showed the passion of the reporters.

He had worked as a magazine reporter, but it was hard to keep up with the time race of the daily newspaper reporters.

Kim Jiwu lowered his head and looked up.

Ko Hun was eating his meal indifferently.

“Hoon, look at this.”

“I saw it.”

“Aren’t you happy? It came out before the opening ceremony. That’s amazing.”

It meant that the media was paying attention, and the citizens would be interested too, so he couldn’t help but be happy.

But he was annoyed that all the articles linked him with Henri Marso, who had fought hard a few days ago and didn’t contact him.

“Haha. You haven’t made up yet?”

“I didn’t do anything wrong. He should do it first.”

Kim Jiwu, who didn’t know the reason, tilted his head.

The opening ceremony was over.

It took longer than expected, so he didn’t have time to look around the exhibition hall or find the works that were located around the city.

“I guess we have to leave right away. What should we do?”

“There’s nothing we can do.”

We agreed to attend the opening ceremony of the Munster Sculpture Project, so we have to wrap up here today.

“Then I’ll say goodbye here.”

Kim Ji-woo seems to continue his coverage here.

“You’re going to Munster and come back anyway. Why don’t you come with us?”

“Ahaha. I have an appointment. And I want to look around slowly.”

Kim Ji-woo crouched down and stroked my head.

“It would be fun to look for Huni’s work. I’m looking forward to it this time too.”

He nodded with a smile and Kim Ji-woo got up and greeted Grandpa and Bang Taeho.

He used to write planning articles, but now he has to compose a story as a column writer, so he needs some time alone.

I sympathized with him as a creator, so I didn’t bother to stop him.

Kim Ji-woo’s back as he walked into the venue was cheerful and reliable.

“Huh? This reporter.”

“President? No. Teacher and Huni too.”

I turned my head and Lee Inho reporter opened his eyes wide and leaned back. He looked flustered.

Bang Taeho offered a handshake with a smile.

We received a lot of help from him for the Korean Art Association work, and it was nice to meet Lee Inho, who we knew for a long time, in a strange land.

“What are you doing here? Oh, you came for coverage.”

“Uh. Yeah! Coverage. I came to cover. Hahaha!”

“Ha ha. I heard that it’s not common for newspapers to come and cover directly these days. You’re passionate.”

Grandpa also praised Lee Inho.

I think he’s a diligent person.

He didn’t know anything when we first met, but now he can understand what I say.

He doesn’t just change the sentences of other people’s articles, but he comes to cover every time there’s an event, so his passion is amazing.

“Well, then I’ll go.”

“Okay. See you again.”

I was happy to meet an unexpected person and got in the car.

“I see this reporter everywhere.”

“That’s right.”

“It’s probably because it’s a high-profile event. Famous writers can easily access it and it’s good for reporters…”

“Why is that?”

Grandpa asked when Bang Taeho trailed off.

“I wonder if you haven’t seen Huni’s work yet. Or do you still not know that Huni participated?”

“Hmm?”

“If you knew he submitted, you would have asked for an interview. And I don’t see the camera you always carry around.”

He definitely had something on his head that was different from usual.

His outfit was not the tight suit he always wore, but light jeans and a white cotton T-shirt.

He was flustered unlike us who were happy.

“Anyway, let’s go. It might be late.”

“Oh, yes.”

I was worried about lunch at Grandpa’s words.

If we have to attend the opening ceremony as soon as we arrive, it means we don’t have time to eat lunch.

“The opening ceremony was at 1 o’clock, right?”

“Hmm. Should we buy some sandwiches or something on the way?”

I can’t make do with sandwiches for lunch.

Lunch should be rich and warm food.

“Uncle, it won’t take long, right?”

“Yeah. It’ll be over soon. The schedule says it’s until 2:30.”

“Then let’s eat after it’s over.”

“Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Hello, this is Alex.”

Alex Wood, who runs a YouTube channel related to art, visited Munster.

He filmed the city and people of Munster with his broadcast camera and continued his speech.

“Why did I come here today? Because the Munster Sculpture Project is open, but wow. What is this?”

Alex Wood stopped in front of a sculpture.

A strange-shaped statue stood in a small garden.

The marble-carved work was showing a book forward and was painted in various colors.

It was very contrasted with the old-fashioned surroundings.

“Uh… Honestly, I don’t know what it means. Why is he here? Is this a heart? This is a crown. This looks like money. This book has math formulas and uh… I don’t know what it says.”

Alex tilted his head.

The painting on the white marble was too chaotic.

└Is it supposed to represent a modern person?

└It’s so complex that I can see it that way.

└There’s too much information. It seems intentional.

Alex nodded at the chat that said it was a depiction of a modern person who had obtained too much information and became grotesque.

"I guess you can see it like that. It makes me want to subscribe to your channel."2)

└What are you saying lololol

└Are you trying to get more subscribers?

└That’s so ridiculous lol These days, everything is about subscribing or liking.

“Let me live. Can’t you just click it for me? My subscribers are decreasing! They don’t have to increase, but they shouldn’t decrease!”

Alex Wood exploded when a viewer said there were more interesting broadcasts these days.

“What! Who! Who’s more fun than me!”

Alex Wood, who had been running an art-related channel for a long time and had pride in it, shouted.

└Pingu Channel

└Banks

└Jean Francois Future

└I agree with Ko Hun, Jang Mi-rae, and Banks.

└Ko Hun’s broadcast is easy to watch.

└Right. Ko Hun’s broadcast is from the perspective of a learner, so it’s really easy to understand. I’ve been watching it a lot since he added subtitles.

└He surpassed 500,000 subscribers a while ago lol He’s not much different from Alex now.

└Jang Mi-rae’s channel is also really fun. She uploads lectures on art history and her work process, and she also broadcasts in English.

└Banks is the best. He came from SNS and shows his own work and talks about social issues with a distorted voice. It’s so cool.

└Is Henri not broadcasting?

└As expected of our brother! Three questions in a row!

“No. You guys should be on my side, right? How can you do this to me?”

└[Jo is a cat has donated $1]: Let’s be honest. You’re a has-been, bro.

“Get out of here! Ban him! How dare you look at me like that! Hey, I was invited here. I got an invitation to the opening ceremony! You’re the only ones who ignore me! I don’t get treated like this anywhere else! You know that?”

└[Jo is a cat has donated $100]: How about now?

“Right. I’m a has-been. Honestly, I wet my pillow with that thought. Thank you, bro.”

Alex Wood, who had been diligently broadcasting, arrived at the opening ceremony hall and admired it.

Everyone he saw was a person who had made a name for themselves in the art world.

He was also moved by the many broadcasting stations that came to cover the event.

“Wow. The event has really grown. When I came here 10 years ago, there weren’t this many people. Oh, I see Henri Marso over there. He’s participating with Ko Hun this time, right? But he doesn’t look very happy today either.”

“Excuse me.”

An event staff approached Alex.

“Sir, I’m sorry, but you can’t use the camera during the event.”

“Oh, I was invited here. I got permission to film. You don’t know me?”

Alex smiled broadly and looked at the staff.

He thought that the Munster Sculpture Project also needed publicity, so they invited influencers like him.

The staff stared at Alex and then smiled back.

“I’m sorry. Whoever you are, filming is not allowed unless you are from a media outlet that we agreed on beforehand.”

└lololol What a humiliation

└Who do you think you are, broadcasting with only 600,000 subscribers?

└Hurry up and apologize lololol

└So embarrassing

└I’m dying lol Does he think we don’t know him? lololol Celebrity syndrome lololol

└His broadcast is ruined lol He can’t cover the opening ceremony lololol

The subscribers who were watching Alex Factory Channel laughed happily as the Munster Sculpture Project opening ceremony began.

1)In 2002, it recorded 650,000 people. In 2012, it recorded 900,000 people.

2)I was very worried about how to translate this joke into English today, but I couldn’t find an answer. I’m sorry.