Elastic Taboos

I went to an art exhibition yesterday. It was Korean art, the concept behind the exhibition was supposed to be how Korea went straight into the post-modern era without experiencing the modern era. I didn't really get that from it, kind of too high falutin' intellectual for me.
It was amazing though. When I first went to Korea I didn't know anything at all about the culture, and as I walked around this exhibition I realised just how much I'd experienced Korea on my own terms because of that. Although sometimes, I must admit, my ignorance just meant I didn't 'get' things like I might have.
But I was really touched by what I saw yesterday, I really got a sense of the country and was gripped by the desire to go back again. There was one painting in particular (I didn't note down the artist - sorry - just not that much of a culture vulture, yet...) which was very full on, it was about 10 metres long and represented Korea's history. It was very disturbing, a lot of it was very graphic and violent and it showed the way the country has been influenced by western culture, which was sobering for me because as an English teacher (spreading the good old English bug) I was undoubtedly a part of that. It really contextualised just how alien we were there, the background of suffering and invasion and how that might have caused some of the attitudes which coloured my more negative experiences of the country.
Or maybe I'm just talking out of my arse... a distinct possibility!
Anyway, outside the art gallery there was music, and outdoor cafes. They also have these seats, which are like blocks carved into a slanting U-shape, they're big enough for two people to sit in. There were a lot of people chilling out in these seats, even though it was raining a bit. There were also kids using them as assault courses, and a really cute couple in one who just made me go "ahhhhh....". Young love!
After the gallery I went and sat in a cafe (which I think has to be the best caf in Wien, it's called 'phil' and it's just off Theobaldgasse, in case you're interested). It's really cool, they have a DJ playing all the time, wireless internet and a consistently funky, interesting looking crowd. Plus, they do a really nice bowl of muesli, fruit and yoghurt for a couple of euros. I was particularly taken with an entrancing young lady who sat opposite me wearing bright red lipstick and a retro hat, she had something of the Scarlet Johanssen about her.