Animation director Ahn Jae-huun, owner of the studio Meditation with a Pencil, works at his desk in Korea. Ahn will visit the Wexner Center for the Arts later this September. Credit: Courtesy of Meditation with a Pencil
The Wexner Center for the Arts will host a five-part event series dedicated to the work of Korean animation director Ahn Jae-huun throughout September.
According to the center’s website, Ahn is known for his work on American shows like “The Simpsons” and “Family Guy,” as well as founding his own Korean film studio called Meditation with a Pencil. The studio’s main goal, according to the center’s website, is creating “drawings that cure and colors that touch one’s heart.”
The upcoming event series — presented in conjunction with Cartoon Crossroads Columbus, or CXC — is set to begin with a 7 p.m. Tuesday screening of Ahn’s “The Shaman Sorceress” — a film about a shaman whose son returns to his family a converted Christian after many years away, causing family conflicts to arise — at the center.
Melissa Starker, creative content and public relations manager at the Wexner Center, said working with CXC to bring influential artists like Ahn to Ohio State is really important for the center.
“[This event] illustrates the mission of Cartoon Crossroads — and by extension The Wex — of bringing important, and inspiring and influential artists to Central Ohio,” Starker said.
The series also includes a Sept. 24 screening of “The Road Called Life,” which is based on Korean short films and follows two market vendors who discover they share more commonalities than they initially thought. Notably, Ahn will attend this screening, according to the center’s website.
A discussion event with Ahn and Kyoung Lee Swearingen, an Ohio State associate professor of design and moving-image production, is scheduled for 5 p.m. Sept. 26.
On the same day, a 7 p.m. screening of “Green Days” — another Ahn film that centers around a group of children and their respective career aspirations — and corresponding Q&A will unfold, according to the center’s website.
The series’ final event is a screening of “The Shower” — a film that follows the story of a young boy who befriends a girl while walking to school in the rain, sparking a bond — on Sept. 29.
Swearingen said she became aware of Ahn’s work after meeting him in Korea.
“I watched ‘Green Days’ and I was absolutely blown away,” Swearingen said. “It was such a beautiful story. I absolutely loved everything about it, so I approached him and said, ‘Hey, can you come to Ohio State?’”
Swearingen said Ahn jumped at the opportunity to come to Columbus.
“He heard about [Ohio State], and he was curious. He was very curious about the animation community, the Korean community and the art community here,” Swearingen said. “He was also interested in connecting with [United States] audiences. He’s shown his films in the U.S., but not much.”
Swearingen said Ahn will also visit numerous Ohio State classes, including those focused on animation and Korean studies. She said Ahn wants to be as involved with the Columbus community as possible during his time in town.
“This is probably the biggest event he’s participated in the U.S.,” Swearingen said. “He’s excited to meet as many students and as many faculty as he can.”
Beyond its partnership with CXC, the event series is supported by an Ohio State visiting artist grant, according to the Ohio State Office of Academic Affairs website.
Starker said the importance of CXC providing free events for the local arts community cannot be understated.
“One of the great things about CXC is that they have tried to stick to a mandate that everything is free,” Starker said. “Not only is it a no-risk opportunity to hear about creatives like Ahn Jae-huun, who is very little known in the U.S., and to see those artists who are really well-known, but also to go to the marketplace and check out what’s being made locally.”
Tickets for Ahn’s Wexner Center for the Arts events can be reserved for free on the center’s website.
