Arts And Culture - Steampunk art

And now it's time for our daily arts and culture segment. Good afternoon Yoonhee. I understand you have an exhibition featuring art from a relatively newer art movement. Good afternoon. Yes, we're talking about the Steampunk art movement. It's only been around for eight years, but it is growing fast. Seoul is hosting one of the biggest collections of steampunk art to have ever been put together. I'm sure you're curious what steampunk art is exactly. But for that, I think you'll have to see for yourself to get a better idea. Let's take a look. Where the wild west meets the Victorian Era...with a touch of the futuristic. This is steampunk art... a relatively newer form of art, but still one that's not afraid to push the boundaries of the imagination. "Steampunk emerged eight years ago and exploded because of the internet. Artists had access to different art works from around the world. Steampunk is simply mixing the West with Victorian with the future." Art Donovan is one of the forerunners in the steampunk realm. In one of his earlier works, he recreates the astrolabe, one of the world's earliest navigational tools. Combined with the complexity of clock work against the primitive aspect of the skull -- the result is a work of art -- steampunk art. As one of the most comprehensive collections of steampunk art yet, artists have gathered from around the world to share their works. The hard metals are reminiscent of a scene from a sci-fi movie, while influences from ancient cultures are visibly present.. These works are all part of the steampunk art movement. "I always loved motorcycles, but I wanted to create something different. Originally, I didn't intend to create a steampunk piece. I was inspired by the panther -- a powerful animal -- and then I began making every piece by hand -- including the sewn leather horse saddle. I combined the mythological with science and technology and now, I guess it's got a little bit of steampunk." Since it's still in its earlier stages of development, steampunk art has some surprises up its sleeves. Some pieces are intended to be functional, while some look more like a prop from a movie. But that's the thing about steampunk. Ranging from all different styles and mediums -- steampunk art has an unbridled freedom, enjoyed by the artists. "Steampunk is an extremely messy process. It's laborious and you work with all different types of mediums -- wood, paper, metals. You see here the pretty final product, but it doesn't look like that in the workshop." Whether it be from the ancient Persian empire, or the Industrial Revolution, steampunk art doesn't discriminate. But the result is a vast expanse of diverse works, fun for the viewer, and fun for the artist. The possibilities are virtually unlimited with this new art form -- only the future will tell what steampunk has in store. With all art movements, different countries respond differently. But what about steampunk art? How is it being received in Korea? It's yet to become as popular as some of the more established art movements, but there is excitement here in Korea. At the gallery, nine Korean steampunk artists have work on display, which shows that steampunk is definitely taking hold in the Korean art community. What about the future of steampunk art in Korea? Is it something that's expected to expand? The artist you just saw in the clip, Art Donovan, is a steampunk expert. He was telling me that he is also steampunk's biggest fan. He said that Korea is the perfect place for steampunk art because there's a respect for and appreciation of the past, yet there's still a sense of modernity,... which is what steampunk is all about -- mixing past and present with a touch of the future.