Last year’s Korea International Art Fair (KIAF) and Frieze Seoul were a battle against time. With only a few days to explore, there were over 300 booths to visit. It wasn’t easy to navigate through the crowds of 150,000 people and carefully view the desired artworks. This year is no different. To fully enjoy the masterpiece exhibition, one must organize the booths that must be visited, even if it means splitting the time. The KIAF this time features 206 galleries from 21 countries. Galleries from around the world, such as the German Die Gallery with works by Pablo Picasso and Max Ernst, and the US On Art of the World Gallery with works by Fernando Botero and Marc Chagall, are worth visiting for those interested in Western masterpieces. The Korean art scene is also changing with a variety of unique artists showcased at local galleries, reflecting the recent trend of discovering and nurturing emerging and mid-career artists in the domestic art scene.
The Frieze Seoul, now in its third year, features over 110 galleries primarily showcasing multi-million-dollar works by contemporary art survival artists. This exhibition reflects the consumption patterns of Korean collectors who have experienced the global art market. The standout feature is the participation of prestigious international galleries showcasing a wide range of works by artists like Derek Adams, Maurizio Cattelan, Nam June Paik, and many more. The Seoul Yongsan-gu Amorepacific headquarters building is already hosting exhibitions by Derek Adams and Elmgreen & Dragset. The Hoam Art Museum in Yongin has prepared an exhibition featuring Nicolas Party and national treasures. At the White Cube Gallery in Samseong-dong, visitors can see Gabriel Orozco’s latest paintings. International galleries exhibiting Korean artists’ works are also worth noting, such as the Tokyo Gallery +BTAP highlighting major works from the 1960s avant-garde movement by artists like Park Seo-bo, Choi Myoung-young, and Lee Jin-woo. Limon Muffin is presenting works by four Korean artists including Kim Yoon-shin, Lee Bul, Suh Do-ho, and Sung Neung-gye.
Gallery Hyundai has set up a solo booth for artist Jeon Jun-ho, marking his first solo exhibition in a decade, showcasing new works created through computer programming. International Gallery introduces monochrome master Park Seo-bo, along with contemporary artists like Ha Jong-hyun, Lee Kwang-ho, Yang Hye-gyu, and Kang Seo-kyung. Arario Gallery highlights photographer Park Young-suk. The “Frieze Masters” section, featuring masterpieces from ancient to modern times, focused on Asian galleries. The Uson Gallery presents a solo exhibition by female artist Lee Myung-mi, while Hakgojae introduces works by seven Korean artists, including Byun Wol-ryong, Jung Chang-seop, Kim Hwan-ki, Lee Jun, Nam June Paik, Park Young-ha, and Ryu Kyung-chae. Gana Art lists works by Jang Wook-jin, Choi Jong-tae, Oh Soo-hwan, and others.