[KS] English problems or hiring problems?

[matty wegehaupt]

Very interesting comments on the Biennale...

While I can't deny that serious problems exist with the English pedagogy in 
Korea, my observations don't quite square with the explanations offered so 
far.

I was fortunate enough to visit the last Biennale.   I had numerous Korean 
acquaintences who were well acquainted with the art itself, were 
knowledgable about modern and post-modern art criticism (one man was quite 
fluent in English, offering thoughts from Foulcault, Derrida, Barthes, 
Kristeva, etc), and were more than adept at translating written explanations 
that accompanied the exhibits.

I think the comment about the "mini-skirt" wearing ladies is most telling.  
The process of finding the talent that exists is flawed; not so much that 
the talent isn't there (then again, perhaps all of the best English speakers 
are the thousands of Korean graduate students thriving in the USA).  The 
fascination with showing the "prettiest face" to the outside world 
unfortunately outweighs a commitment to accuracy and excellence.

I'll be looking forward to hearing more about the art itself.  Hopefully the 
horrible administrative nightmare will not overshadow what, if anything like 
1998, will promise to be an engaging exhibition.

Sincerely,

Matty Wegehaupt
Ann Arbor, MI
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