Opera Gallery Launches in Seoul
By Sa Eun-young
Staff Reporter
There is no longer a need to go all the way to Europe to purchase or enjoy the art work of renowned masters. Opera Gallery, an international art gallery with branches in major art capitals around the world, now acts as a gateway to top art pieces after recently opening its glass doors on a ritzy street in Cheongdam, Seoul last Wednesday.
Opera Gallery showcases a wide collection of art by celebrated artists including Chagall, Renoir, Gauguin and Picasso, as well as those of rising international talent, which the gallery also actively promotes. It holds over 300 masterpieces and contemporary art works, which will be rotated to showcase 100 pieces at a time.
In addition, it has a notable system that allows buyers to purchase art for the same amount of money, wherever they may be.
At Opera Gallery, the art is ``available for collectors at the same price (at the eight branches) all over the world," said founder and chairman of Opera Gallery International, Gilles Dyan, who was in Seoul to attend the gallery's opening. Thus, for example, it is possible to purchase a masterpiece in Seoul, for the same price as in New York or Paris, he explained.
Opera Gallery has seven branches in Singapore, Paris, New York, Miami, Hong Kong, London, and Venice, which are now joined by Seoul. There are plans to establish five more branches in the near future.
Dyan expressed confidence that the Seoul branch will succeed in attracting the attention of art-goers in Korea as many literally knocked on the doors as they were passing by, even before it was officially opened.
The Seoul branch was made possible partly because of the high interest that Korean art-lovers shown at branches abroad, as well as the efforts of the Seoul branch president, Kwon Gee-chan.
Kwon, the chief executive of Wearfun International, a company that prides itself as the first importer of high-end fashion products to Korea, is known to be an avid collector of art, which first led to him developing close ties with Dyan.
As an art collector, Kwon said that he is pleased to offer the chance to enjoy the works of world-famous artists within Korea and also hopes to contribute to introducing the works of Korean artists into other parts of the world through the gallery's branches.
The Seoul branch will hold five to six main exhibitions per year and its current exhibition, ``Treasure of Opera Gallery: Masterpieces and Contemporary'' will run through Dec. 5.
To visit Opera Gallery, head towards Cheongdam from the Galleria department store in Apgujeong. Located on the main street, the glass exterior of the gallery is hard to miss. For more information, visit www.operagallery.com or call (02) 3446-0070.