What is 'Art Theory'? In the western sense, the term poses a cague ambiguity, and in the eastern, it is rather an abstract and metaphysical concept. As for etymology, theory is dericed from theoria and theoria from theoros. It refers to and act of viewing or seeing, of xourse not in a metaphysical sense. Plaro understood it as 'eida'. During the time of Plotinus, theoria encompassed gazing at every possible reality, and this gazing, that is theoria, is closely related to reality as aunit that theoriacan perceive. However, we trend to distinguish, as other scientists of dualism have done, studio art from theory since a pre-modern approach to art has been particularly tuned ro studio practice, set apart from theory. THerefore, in studio classes, students are expected to learn the subject based on the foundational curriculum methods such as medium, genre, technique, rather than bringing oue their own interpretations and discussing theories. As a result, students have become artist, who are not able to understand their own art. art proffessors who conduct class in studio are required to proceed with specific 'theories' as well as 'intellectual reflections'. In this respect, this thesis presents poieses and an idea of 'acting out'. Although art history and aesthetic theory tend to view art as a finished product, actual art-making and related theories should not only be acknowleged as 'completion' finition) but also be accompanied by theoretic interpretations of the act itself and process. Accordingly, it is to accept and appreciate art as finished result in view of current theory and aestheties thus boils down to aisthesis. Likewise, poietics starts from a point where an artist is related to studio and examines the 'work process' that extends as far as to the exact end of work. THrough the study of such relationship, it is possible that theory understands 'studio' and 'process', and an artist can grant an independent meaning to studio where s/he pours her/his heart aout creating a worl of art. THeory is a study on artistic discovery thus should be equipped with functions that can accomodate fortuiry, imitation, thinking, culture, and surrounding.

Art theorists support art productions by, introducing them to the public, explaining their meanings, and playing a critical part in the development of art. These tasks seem like theire opus. Because the principles of art production and the artistc languages are quite different from the ordinaries, we need 'interpreters' who can medoate us and the artists. Art works need interpretation. And the interpretation includes not only the characteristics of the given art work, but the customs, history, and the unique qualities of the race that procuved the art work. THe former director of the Korean National Museum, Choi Soon-woo wrote on the characteristics of Korean art as those that stem from the poised, arbitrary and non-elaborate state of mind. THe statement of the former Director of the National Museum has its weight far greater than just a personal opinion. In fact, we encounter the same resonance of this statement over and over reproduced in the mass media,. The problem lies on that it deals with not only a single art work, but the entire Korean art. And going further, this kinf og remarks are alreadt infused into every sector of our thought on art appreciation. In this paper, I argue for a re-reading of the characteristics of Korean beauty based on two reasons. First, the characteristic of art work is contemporary, thus we cannot define the characteristics of entire Korean art in a few words without the context of the period of its making. Seconf, Director Choi defines the characteristics that I pointes out above as 'natural' and 'nature-friendly'. Nature or beibg natural is nor an usual word that defines the characteristics of art work, which stands for the opoosite side of the nature in the binary opposition of nature/culture. To delve into these misunderstandings of Korean beauty in the popular notions of Korean Art, I suggest the re-reading if three major articles on Korean Art: Ryoo Jong-yeol's "Korean race and its art", Ko You-seup's reterarion of Ryoo's thesis called "Discourses in Korean Art History and Aesthetics," and Yoon Hee-soon's antithesis of Ryoo Jong-yeol titled "Studies on Korean Art History."

The aim of this thesis is to evaluate visual art policy during Kookmin government period(1998-2002). In the beginning, many artists had expected president Kim Dae Jung to enlarge arts support But the evaluation of them was very negative vecause the government was only interested in the development of cultural industry. First, I analysed the government expenditure in the visual arts. Department of Culture and Tourism took the responsiblity of visual arts policy. The budget of art and culture increased to 1% of total government expenditure in this period. But the main factor was the increasement of cultural industry and tourism expenditure. The budget of visual arts in 2002 was only 6,600million won. Second, I analysed visual arts support programs. (1) The government introduced studio programs for the first time. For 5 years, 2 mational studios and 23 public studios were established. (2) The number of art museum was increased to 62. (3) It introduced alternative space supported 200million won annually. (4) percent for art scheme reduced from 1% to 0.7% of total construction cost, but still 27 public sculpture gardens were built. (5) Business support for visual arts reduced because of IMF. (6) Also arts marker froze and many commercial galleries were closed. (7) In order to revitalize region through arts and to promote international exchange of culture, Gwangju Biennale was created. Third, I analysed Arts Plan 2002. It had a radical Limitaion because it was established in the last year of Kookmin government period. Also it showed special favors to some arts organizations. In general, I think that positive outcomes are the introductions of the studio program and the alternative space support program. Especially alternative space support program enforced the diversity of visual arts, and encouraged creative young artists. But policy of art market failed because of IMF and visual artists had to go through rough times.

Orientalness is a concept that express the collective identity of the Orient in relation to the West. THe concept itself is mutable and defined by the relationship between the two regions art different points in time. Changes in the concept depend on a number of factors, such as cultural influence, the political balance of power between the two regions, and on the interpretative sheme that defines the relationship. In addition, the geographical notion of the concept evolves culturally, socially and politically. During this process, Oriental-ness becomes Oriental-ism art times. I will attempt to survey and measure the progression of Orientalness from its emergence in early 17th century to its subsequent tranformation in modern Korea as reflected in art theory and art works. The recognition of the comparative characteristics of Oriental art began when the Orient was exposed to the art of the West in the late Ming dynasty during the early 17th century. The changes in the artistic climate in China affected the late Chosun. I will start with a brief introduction of this time and the birth of Orientalness. The concept gradually changed during the period of Enlightenment(開化期) towards the end of the 19th century, and during the colonial period(1910-1945) it took on a new form. Establishment of the concept of "Orient" as a single, unifying concept spanning across cultures and national boundaries has been attributed to late Meiji period Japan, whose intention at that time is believed to have been to build a pan-Asia(亞細亞) empire with Japan at its commandinf center. IT has been stressed that the real motive behind the formation of one single cultural unit, where the shared common written language was Chinese and Confucianism and Taoism were the common metaphysical traditions, was to build one political unit. WHen the notion of a geographical unit of Asia was replaced by the cencept of Asia as a cultural and political unit, a massive growth of interest and discourse were provoked around the concept of Orientalism. When Orientalism was being formulated, Korea automatically became member of "one Asia" when the country became colonized. For Koreans, the identity of the Orient had ti be defined in ciltural terms, as the political notion of a nation was non-existent at that time. THe definition if udentity was pursued at two levels, pan-Asia and local. If Orientalism was an elite discourse centered in pan-Asian philosophical and religious trditions, localized Orientalism was a popular dis-course emphasizing locality as the byproduct of natural geographic condition. After the liveration in 1945 from colonial rule, a thrust of movement across towards political nationalism. Two types of discourses on Orientalism, elite and popular, continued as central themes in art. Despite the effort to redefine the national identity by eradicating the cultural language of the colonial past, the past was enduring well into the present time. As discussed above, even when the paintinf themes were selected from Korean history, the tradition of usinf history paintinf as a manifestation of political policy to glorify the local identity had its founding during the Meiji period. THe elevation of folk art to the level of high art also goes back to the colonial promotion of local color and local sentiment. Again, the succession of the past (colonial) ideal was defended as the tradition assumed a distict modern shape that was abstract in style. The concept of the "Orient" is of relative and changing nature. It was formulated in relation to Western culture or civilization. Whatever the real motive of the adoption of them had been, the superiority of the Orient was emphasized at all times. The essence of the Orient was always perceived as the metaphysical tradition as a way to downgrade Western culture as materialistic. This view still prevails and the principle of Orient was always sought in Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. Even when Orientalism was employed by imperialist Japan in an effort to establish her position as the center of the Orient, the spiritual source was still in Chinese philosophy and religion. In art also, the Chinese literati tradition became the major platform for elite discourse. Orientalism was also degined locally, and the so-called local color was pursued in terms of theme and style. Thus trend continued despite the effort to eradicate the remnants of colonial culture long after the aesthetic ideal of the modern Korean art.

Im 18. Jahrhundert stritt man um allgemeingültige Kriterien für die Kunstkritik, welche ebenda aufzblühen begann. Im Zent ru, dieser Auseinandersetzung die uns als "Laokoon-streit" bekannt ist, befanden sich Johann Winckelmann einerse its und ein französischet Bildhauet Etienne-Maurice Falconet(1716-1791) andererseits. Die beiden waren von gamz unterschied lichen Kunstideen überzeugt. Obwohl sie niemals zusammentraf, fielen sie in eine hegtige schriftliche Diskussion. Wie bekannt, vertrat Winckelmann den aufkommenden Klassizismus. Er setzte die griechische Kunst auf die höchste Rangstufe auf und bezeichnet sie als Träger der sogenannten "edlen Einfalt und stillen Größe, doe sonst in der Natur verborgen bleibe. Nach Winckelmann sollte der Künstler die griechischen Vorbilder wie Apollo von Belvedere und Laokoon nachahmen, um das wrsentlich Schöne zu erlernen. Falconet übte eine scharfe Kritik gegen die Meinung Winckelmanns und die Diletantismus in der Kunstkritik aus. Selbst als Theoretiker warf er vor, dass die Klassizisten um ihr dogmatisch struktuiertes Lehrgebäude willen alle andere Eigenschagten der Kunst sowie Kunstwerke übersahen und ihre Apotheose der klassischen Kunst auf die Entwicklung der Kunst eher als Hindernis wirkte. Im besonderen Hinblick auf den Aus druck der menschlichen Leidenschaft distanzierte Falconet sich von der Lehrmeinung des Klassizismus, nämlich Zurüakhaltung derselben Leidenschaft wegen der idealen Schönheit. Vor dem Laokoon teilten Falconet und die Klassizisten ihre Meinung unüberbrückbat coneinander. Für diese war der Laokoon die Repräsenta- tion des erhabenen Menschen, der leidet, ohne seinen Affekt zu en- thüllen. Im Gegensatz sah Falconet in demselben Werk einen erlungenen Ausdruck des menschlichen Gefühls. Sein Debütwerk <Milon von Croton> ist also die Visualisierung seiner Kunstauffassung. Unter Einfluss Pierre Pugets sowie seines Lehrers Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne bemüht er sich darum, den Ausdruck der menschlichen Leidenschaft durch kunsttechnische Lestung und wissensch aftliche Forschung zu erstarken. Daraus ergab sich die expressive Ausdrucksform des Affekts. In diesem Fall verband sich Falconet mit der Tradition des barocken Kunstwollens, aber er ging einen Schritt weiter, indem er die Ausdrucksweise noch realistischer und lebendiger zu machen vermag. Faconet war vielleicht der einzige Künstler, der Vorteile der barocken Kunst ausnut zen konnte, ohne dabei die klassische und realistische Formensprache zu verlieren. Dutch sein Werk und seine theoret ischen Schriften eröffnete er neue Prinzipien sowohl für die Kunstpraxis als auch für die Kunstkritik, deren wesentliche Sinn jedoch erst in der Romantil anerkannt wurde.