Simultaneous openings of Frieze and Kiaf Seoul to enliven Korean art market

A view of Johnny Van Haeften and Thaddaeus Ropac's booths at Frieze Masters in London last year / Courtesy of Frieze

2 major art fairs bring to the fore global artists from celebrated historical masters to new-generation creators

By Park Han-sol

Seoul's ascent as a potential new art hub in Asia is expected to take another big stride forward early next month, as the city gears up for the concurrent openings of two prestigious art fairs: Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul.

More than 350 emerging and established galleries around the globe will flock to COEX in Gangnam, southern Seoul, in time for the two major art events that will open their doors together on Sept. 2.

Purchasing one joint ticket, sold at 200,000 won ($154) for preview or 70,000 won ($55) for general admission, will grant access to both fairs.

Seoul as first Asian host of Frieze

The announcement that Korea has been named the first host in Asia for Frieze, one of the top global art fairs alongside Art Basel and FIAC, made instant headlines last year.

At its inaugural edition, the four-day fair's Main section aims to introduce works curated by the leading exhibitors from 21 countries, boasting a lineup from celebrated historical masters to new-generation creators with innovative approaches to representation.

Louise Bourgeois' "Gray Fountain" (1970-71) / Courtesy of The East Foundation and Hauser & Wirth

Gagosian, which has showcased some of the most renowned contemporary artists on the international stage for decades, will host a group show filled with big names: Damien Hirst, Georg Baselitz, Takashi Murakami and Zeng Fanzhi.

Another established player, Hauser & Wirth, will bring to the fore historical and contemporary pieces by Louise Bourgeois, Luchita Hurtado and Mark Bradford, while the London-based Stephen Friedman Gallery will land in Seoul with a curated presentation of women artists including Hulda Guzman and Leilah Babirye.

One of the feature sections, Frieze Masters, will be dedicated to representative art from antiquity to the late 20th century, inviting 18 world-class galleries to bring the millennia-spanning collection together.

Pablo Picasso's "Femme au beret rouge a pompon" (1937) / Courtesy of Estate of Pablo Picasso and Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York

The featured creators are masters in the truest sense of the word and include Pablo Picasso, Andy Warhol, Francis Bacon, Piet Mondrian, Jean-Michel Basquiat and Alberto Giacometti ― all exhibited by Acquavella Galleries.

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There will also be Castelli Gallery's solo exhibition of iconic American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein's 1980s oeuvre, as well as the first-ever retrospective of Egon Schiele in Seoul organized by Richard Nagy.

A number of pioneering Korean-born painters and sculptors are presented shoulder to shoulder with such creators. Hakgojae Gallery will call attention to first-generation Korean American artists Po Kim, Nam June Paik and Yun Suknam, who has often been dubbed "the godmother of Korean feminist art," while Gallery Hyundai will spotlight the seminal figures in Korean experimental art ― Lee Seung-taek and Park Hyunki.

Nam June Paik's "Robot (Radio Man, Joseph Beuys)" (1987) / Courtesy of the artist and Hakgojae Gallery

With Seoul as its host, the fair has another feature section called Focus Asia. The segment has been organized to center on 10 of the groundbreaking new artists from the continent ― Seoul-based Ryu Sung-sil and Iranian painter Ali Beheshti, among others ― through emerging Asian galleries that have opened their doors since 2010.

Visitors can also venture outside of COEX to head to a special off-site program, Frieze Film, dedicated to 10 local and diasporic Korean artists working in time-based media.

Co-curated by two non-profit artist collectives, LA-based GYOPO and Seoul-based WESS, the program, titled "I Am My Own Other," is scheduled to run from Aug. 31 to Sept. 7 at the two separate venues near Gyeongbok Palace in central Seoul.

Kimsooja's "Bottari Truck ― Migrateurs" (2007) / Courtesy of Kimsooja Studio and Axel Vervoordt Gallery

Kiaf Seoul

Running alongside Frieze is Kiaf Seoul, Korea's first and longest running contemporary art fair. Its 21st edition, featuring recognized galleries from 17 countries, will run until Sept. 6, a day longer than its counterpart.

Several international exhibitors will bring in the works of Korean-born creators through their curated exhibitions: Hong Kong-based Axel Vervoordt Gallery's solo show of conceptual artist Kimsooja, who is particularly well known for her "Bottari" (traditional Korean cloth bundle) series, and Galerie Vazieux's "The Three Lees, A Korean Saga," which will spotlight the legendary artist couple Lee Ung-no and Park In-kyung and their son Lee Young-se.

Galleries like Tang Contemporary Art and Cristea Roberts Gallery will unveil the latest works of the renowned contemporary global masters during the fair: Ai Weiwei, the Beijing-born artist and activist known for his unapologetically anti-establishment commentary and Irish-born conceptual artist Michael Craig-Martin, respectively.

Mr. Misang's "Modern Life is Rubbish #05. Birth of Franken AJE" (2021) / Courtesy of Gallery Mark

This year, the organizer has launched its first satellite art fair, Kiaf Plus. The event, joined by 73 emerging galleries here and abroad, will take place at Seoul Trade Exhibition & Convention (SETEC), a 15-minute drive away from COEX, from Sept. 1 to 5.

The event aims to become a platform for up-and-coming young creators who are making forays into different genres, including new media art and non-fungible tokens (NFT).

The organizer will also collaborate with Incheon International Airport for a returning special exhibition, "We Connect, Art & Future, Kiaf and Incheon Airport."

With a focus on media art and NFT curated by 20 participating galleries, the show kicked off earlier this week at the airport's Terminal 1 and runs through Sept. 25.

"The exhibition will serve as a chance for collectors and visitors to experience the country's festive art scene as soon as they arrive in Korea in time for Frieze and Kiaf Seoul," Kiaf operating committee said in a statement.