By Korea.net Honorary Reporter John Paul Vergonia from the Philippines
Photos = John Paul Vergonia

“A Korean artist is making a name for himself as a stone sculptor in the small town of Luna, in the northern Philippine province of La Union.”

When I first heard about it, since I'm also passionate about Korean art, I immediately planned to set a date to visit the place where the famous art gallery of the artist is situated.

It was a fine Sunday morning when I finally found my way to check out the place. It is known by locals as the Kamay na Bato, a Filipino term simply translated as "stone hand," an art gallery adjacent to the well-known Stone House of a local noble family that was built nearby on the pebble beach of Nalvo Norte in Luna in the province of La Union.

As I walk toward the art gallery, I was surprised, as the place was crowded with a sea of people in a long line waiting for their turn for admission. With curiosity, I also ended up lining up at the entrance to have my right hand stamped and, with a reasonably environmental fee in return, to get in to the Stone Hand Art Gallery.

It sure is a gallery of stones, as right at the wooden-made welcome you will see pebbles and stones of different kinds carpeted all throughout the art gallery's surroundings. You will be amazed as a stone sculpture of a gorilla will greet you first as you enter the place. After the main entrance, there are a number of stone art pieces, from a stone figure portraying a mother and son, animals and sea creatures in their cutest forms, and sculptures that resemble Korean warriors as if guarding a place are dotted around the open area alongside the wall murals decked with thousands of pebbles and stones as their backdrop. While everyone was so busy to have their photos taken here and there, I was in particular hoping to get an opportunity to meet the master sculptor, so I immediately asked one of the gallery staff if I could meet him for an interview.



A native of Seoul in Korea, the Stone Hand Art Gallery resident sculptor artist Kim Bong graduated with a degree in fine arts, with art specialization in sculpture. "Mr. Kim," as his neighbors call him, is now living with his Philippine wife and two children in the coastal town of Luna, located in the province of La Union, in the northern parts of the Philippines. With a provisional immigrant status, he was previously involved in an export business, but unfortunately the calling of his heart as an artist won out, so he chose to live in the small town that gave him later an inspiration to continue his craft.

As soon as I met Kim, he warmly greeted me and all the other visitors with a big smile. We had a short talk and volunteered to tour around his art gallery, even though he was so busy attending to his work for that day. He's kind of shy and knows a little about speaking in Filipino.

As we head to the first hall of the Stone Hand Art Gallery, it is obvious that you will feel a part of Korean art and traditions through the set of artworks that are on display. One remarkable stone-art masterpieces that you will be captivated by is “Different Faces.” It is actually a wall filled with round stones that were painted with various faces of all types of emotions. Two smiling faces similar to traditional Korean masks that were carved on much bigger stones are also placed in the center of the mural. It was actually Kim who conceptualized the masterpiece to show audiences that regardless of the many faces and life emotions that people are facing, we still all end up with such great smiles.

Based the art gallery’s mood and setting, Kim aims not only to exhibit his flair in fine arts but also to promote at least some Korean traditions through his artworks and to give local artists a chance to showcase their crafts. This shows expressly in the exhibition area in which his stone-made sculptures are displayed along with several paintings made by some of the most elaborate local painters in town and neighboring municipalities.

True to its mission to make works of art more accessible for the benefit of various audiences, the Stone Hand Art Gallery is beyond just that, as it also acquires and preserves natural resources, with colorful pebbles, gray stones and reclaimed drift wood being the most commonly used art medium, which are abundant along the blue coastlines near Luna.



As it catered primarily to the Philippine community, the good craftsmanship that Kim put forth in his masterpieces is evident. You can actually combine art and traditions of two countries. Just like one of the Korean artist’s illustrious sculptures, "Andres de Saya," which is a showcase of his observations and endearment for Philippine traditions. The stone-made art piece is somewhat a representation of an old Philippine slang saying under de saya, or "under a woman’s skirt," wherein it depicts a man who is always under the influence of his wife.

Kim’s dedication to his craft as a promising artist and the encouragement he has from the noble family who gave him the opportunity to hone his talents, through the backpacker hostel that he has developed and made popular today, which houses some of his first stone masterpieces; this all has led him to fame both on the local art scene and across the local tourism industry. It also gave him lots of opportunities to showcase his works on local TV and national media, where it attracted the attention of many and later contributed to him finally expanding his place to become the Stone Hand Art Gallery, which is now a tourist attraction. “I really don’t think that many people will love all the artworks that I did,” said Kim, and emphasized that, “I am just so passionate to express my craft, my observations and the cultures around me that inspire me and a lot of people. All of this is just a bonus of being of help and set an inspiration through art.”

There are many traditional Korea-inspired masks that are hung on the walls, garden pots decorated with seven-colored pebbles, sets of paintings showing the daily life of the natives, stone sculptures as tall as 2 meters scattered across the art gallery, which is nestled in a lush vegetation area of endemic trees and nearby the picturesque seaside. Kim’s passion for stone art has expanded to transforming reclaimed drift wood into yet another form of art creating creatures created by his imagination.

Kim and I only had a short talk, but meeting him in person was a pleasure because he was someone who is so passionate about his craft and he has the heart to share his talents and to help other people with their livelihood, and also to showcase what they have. It was really an honor. “I created this art gallery not just to share my passion for fine arts, but also to give a chance to what the locals have to offer and to lend them a hand whenever possible. We are actually helping our neighbors, the locals, and some local people suffering from addiction, by selling their beautiful handcrafted works in our gallery’s souvenir shop, to help them with their livelihood,” said Kim.

Kim Bong's unique art gallery is an example of a beautiful collaboration between art and traditions between two inviting nations, which truly inspires many lives and society as a whole through the appreciation of art, talent and nature.





wisdom117@korea.kr

* This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.