Food and drink become art at ART OnO 2025
Drinks are served during a press preview for “Sensorium - Back to Play” at SETEC in southern Seoul, April 10. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
By Bereket Alemayehu
An art fair last month made art edible, offering food and drinks prepared by artists who were part of the ART OnO 2025.
This sensory-driven special exhibition, titled “Sensorium - Back to Play,” introduced the concept of "Art You Can Eat, Smell and Touch." It was the work of SUPERMADE, a Seoul-based multidisciplinary artist group and cultural powerhouse working together with two artists from Korea and one from Thailand — No Sangho, Hyunsun Jeon and Sareena Sattpon. They transformed the space at SETEC in southern Seoul into a shared eating space, inviting visitors to experience art through food, drink and memory from April 11-13.
“We wanted to move beyond the visual artwork that is typically seen at an art fair and reinterpret and create an artwork guests can touch, feel the weight and texture, smell, taste and digest — literally," said American artist Justin Nemeth, SUPERMADE's communication team manager, who produced and hosted the project.
He said the second goal of the exhibition was to create a communal experience.
"Art is meant to have humans connect and understand each other, and yet at an art fair, people often are passersby, strangers in the hall, never interacting," Nemeth said. "We wanted to break that and make it feel like a family sitting down for an intimate dinner. So we created the table. A moment to rest and break bread together."
Nemeth served as a producer and host of the event. He took part in reaching out to the artists invited to participate and deciding on the format and setting.
"I think I am most pleased with creating the sense of community at the art fair. Moments can be art, too — I believe this. So, to have moments together to laugh and embrace the present is truly special," he said.
American artist Justin Nemeth, communication team manager of SUPERMADE, speaks during a press preview for “Sensorium - Back to Play” at SETEC in southern Seoul, April 10. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
The project introduction states that the act of eating, smelling and touching becomes a kind of gentle magic woven into the everyday, opening the door to a layered perception of the world and leading us back to a taste of playful engagement.
Sareena Sattapon, a Thai visual artist based in Tokyo, prepared food and drinks from her native land as part of her participation in the project.
“I'm normally a visual artist, but I don't make food for art," she said. "But it's fantastic to combine art and food. And the organizers said not only do they want to make food that looks like art, but they also want people to experience. In addition, it's always nice to come back to Korea as I love Korean food."
Food from Thai artist Sareena Sattapon is served during a press preview for “Sensorium - Back to Play” at SETEC in southern Seoul, April 10. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
She expressed hope to connect the unique offering to her main artistic work.
“I want to create this experience that you are in this ritual that usually happens in my hometown. We have this ritual that people tend to make when someone comes back home because we believe that when you go away, like far away, or you get sick and then you come back, maybe your spirit doesn't come with your body. So, this ritual is like, just call your spirit to come to your body, and then bless you, wish you have a good life.”
Thai visual artist Sareena Sattapon speaks during a press preview for “Sensorium - Back to Play” at SETEC in southern Seoul, April 10. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
The OnO 2025 second edition art fair, ART ONE & ONLY, had a great number of visitors and collectors by offering private collections, edition works with exclusive items that blend artistic flair and original design from participating leading galleries and exhibitors, as well as featured programs, all in one place.
During a VIP and press preview on April 10, Noh JaeMyung, ART OnO founder and international adviser for the Gwangju Biennale, explained that over 40 galleries and exhibitors from 18 countries participated this year. "I think what makes us special is that we’re customized," he said. "We’re a small fair, and I approach it from a unique perspective.”
ART OnO founder Noh JaeMyung speaks during a press preview for “Sensorium - Back to Play” at SETEC in southern Seoul, April 10. Courtesy of Bereket Alemayehu
When asked who the art fair looks to attract, he said that the visitor base is mostly focused on Asian collectors.
“I’m a collector myself; I’ve been collecting for 17 or 18 years. I started that at a young age, so I bring a collector’s mindset to organizing the fair. I’ve also worked on a lot of institutional and gallery exhibitions, and now I’m an art fair organizer. That combination gives me a different point of view from other fair directors," he said. "I think that’s what galleries like. When it comes to collectors, realistically, the focus is more within Asia. People from Europe or the U.S. have already come to Seoul in September, and it’s tough for them to travel twice. So while I aim to bring in great international galleries, our visitor base is more focused on Asian collectors. Places like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo—they’re just two to three hours away. Even Southeast Asia is only about six hours. It just makes sense.”
Visit www.art-ono.com for more information.
Bereket Alemayehu is an Ethiopian photo artist, social activist and writer based in Seoul. He's also a freelance contributor for Pressenza Press Agency and the co-founder of Hanokers, a refugee-led social initiative.