Leeum Museum of Art names Cha Jea-min winner of ‘Artspectrum 2022’

Leeum Museum of Art has announced artist Cha Jea-min as the winner of “Artspectrum 2022,” the museum’s biennial exhibition that aims to introduce emerging young artists. The exhibition has been a gateway for many Korean artists who enjoy international renown today. The museum’s first exhibition of the year presented eight emerging Korean artists from different fields of art -- video artist Cha Jea-min, installation artist Kim Dong-hee, participatory artist Kim Mo, insta

May 28, 2022

[Well-curated] Twisted art, fine craftworks and film about female director by a female director

If you are a big fan of director Tim Burton or an even bigger fan of his “Edward Scissorhands,” “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory” or “Alice in Wonderland,” you won’t want to miss a special exhibition now in Seoul. “The World of Tim Burton” traces the footsteps of the iconic American director, presenting around 520 of Burton’s unique artworks across mediums such as paintings, drawings and photos. As part of the retrospective’s

May 27, 2022

[Feature] Double-edged sword: celebrities’ influence on Korean art scene

Lee Hwa-rang, a 26-year-old Seoul resident, considered herself “completely illiterate” when it came to art. That is, before she became a fan of rapper Kim Nam-joon, or RM from BTS, a well-known art collector. She then started to take what the fandom calls the “RM Tour” -- visiting the museums and galleries he frequents. “I started to go to exhibitions last year. At first, I was curious what he would have felt seeing those art works,” Lee said. “I tho

May 25, 2022

[Herald Interview] ‘Millennials’ preference for experiences fuels luxury fashion market’

South Korea is rising in the ranks of the luxury market’s agenda, propelled by consumers’ pent-up desire to purchase high-end fashion goods as pandemic lockdowns are lifted and the country takes steps to return to normalcy. While many choose to buy high-end fashion items both offline and online, some prefer to rent them at much cheaper prices. To meet this demand, an increasing number of local companies have enrolled in rental services. “We have built an ecosystem of luxury to

May 23, 2022

[Weekender] Matisse is having a moment in S. Korea

When “Henri Matisse: Life and Joy” -- a retrospective exhibition of Matisse held in Seoul -- was drawing to an end in April, thousands of visitors came to see original works by the pioneering French painter and sculptor. “People continued to come to the exhibition despite the spread of the omicron variant, which began in February. Some 5,000 visitors were coming on a single day toward the end. It received a great deal of attention and love,” said director Seo Hyung-won a

May 21, 2022

Jeju Biennale 2022 to show how humans live in symbiosis with other life forms

Jeju Biennale 2022 will take place across Jeju Island in November, addressing the message of living in harmony with all creatures and respecting nature, discourses that rose to the surface in the aftermath of the pandemic. The third edition of the biennale, helmed by artistic director Park Nam-hee, will evolve around the theme “Flowing Moon, Embracing Land,” taking place at the two main venues, Jeju Museum of Art and Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art, from Nov. 16 to Feb. 12. The

May 19, 2022

Terracotta sculptor Kwon Jin-kyu’s spirit lives on at Seoul Museum of Art

When Kwon Jin-kyu (1922-1973) returned to his homeland of Korea in 1959, he was already an acclaimed sculptor in Japan. At age 37, he left behind many opportunities and headed home to take care of his elderly mother in Korea. He also harbored a strong desire to explore his own art in his homeland. Kwon pursed the archaic medium of terracotta and lacquer, which were not commonly used for sculptures at the time in Korea. Terracotta is a durable material naturally resistant to mold and bacter

May 17, 2022

[Art Busan 2022] GRAY sees growing interest in contemporary works from Korean collectors

GRAY, a US gallery based in Chicago and New York, was one of the most popular galleries at Art Busan 2022, with visitors stopping by its booth to take a selfie in front of David Hockney’s 8.7-meter-long photographic drawing and view Pablo Picasso‘s “Tete d‘homme et nu assis.” “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to exhibit at Art Busan in person. The last art fair we did in person in Asia was Art Basel Hong Kong in 2019, and it is great to be back

May 15, 2022

[From the Scene] Another record-breaking year for Art Busan as collectors mature

BUSAN – Art Busan, the second largest art fair in South Korea, hit yet another record-breaking sales figure this year, attracting established collectors and younger generations of collectors. South Korea’s thriving art market turned its focus to the southwestern port city over the past few days, as Art Busan 2022 kicked off Thursday with a VIP opening session and ran through Sunday. “As of Sunday morning, we are expecting to see around 60 billion won ($50 million) in sale

May 15, 2022

[From the Scene] Art Busan continues upbeating art market, expects to break another sales record

BUSAN -- South Korea’s thriving art market has turned its focus to the southwest, as Art Busan 2022 held VIP opening sessions on Thursday and Friday, attracting people from across the country. “It seems the collecting culture is maturing,” said an official from Gallery Hyundai. “I saw people hesitating before choosing works last year, but now it seems many collectors know what they want.” At the entrance to the booth of the gallery -- which is one of the oldest

May 13, 2022

Fashion houses collaborate with popular characters to stir up youth nostalgia

As Y2K-era fashion trends -- characterized by vivid, primary-colored outfits popular in the late 1990s and the early 2000s -- have crept their way into the closets of today’s young people, an increasing number of fashion houses are rushing to feature vintage characters on special items. Local golf wear brand Waac has launched a collaboration project with Japan’s icon of cuteness, Hello Kitty, as part of its summer collection. With the recent move, the company will open the Hello Kitt

May 12, 2022

Sculptures of motherhood donated to Ukrainian Embassy

Artist Yang Soon-yeal‘s two sculptures called “Mother Ottogi” have been donated to the Embassy of Ukraine in Seoul, as a wish for peace and an expression of respect to motherhood in war-torn Ukraine. The newly created works, funded by D.K.KIM Foundation, show "indomitable and fearless" mothers in Korea and Ukraine, according to the artist who has explored motherhood, which she believes to be a fundamental value of humanity. “I heard about a Ukraine mother

May 10, 2022

Art Busan to feature exhibitions, conversations with art professionals

Art Busan, one of South Korea’s major art fairs, will kick off on Thursday with its VVIP opening featuring conversations with leading art professionals and exhibitions of works from world-renowned artists. The art fair will run through Sunday at the Bexco Exhibition Center in Busan. The four-day event will include works of 133 galleries in 21 countries including Gray -- a gallery based in Chicago and New York that represents David Hockney, Alex Katz and Jaume Plensa -- and is among the

May 9, 2022

NFT 101: Gangdong Arts Center seeks to educate public on NFT art

“Digital Era NFT Art 101,“ an exhibition that aims to bring emerging nonfungible token projects to the public, is being held through May 29 at Gangdong Arts Center in Seoul. Some 70 artists are participating in the exhibition, alongside conferences and educational programs on NFT art that are being held. The NFT art exhibition is co-organized by Gangdong Arts Center, which is run by the Gangdong Cultural Foundation, and ArtToken, a Seoul-based digital art platform. The show spans

May 8, 2022

Hito Steyerl unveils new artwork ‘Animal Spirits’ that values ecology, humanity

One of the most influential artists today, German artist Hito Steyerl transcends boundaries – as a visual artist, filmmaker, writer and philosopher. The artist questions where humans fit in an increasingly threatening world, where ever-evolving digital technology and capitalism has expanded to cryptocurrency. She is also a writer who has published academic journals and books such as “Duty Free Art -- Art in the Age of Planetary Civil Wars” and “The Wretched of the Scree

May 4, 2022

[Venice Biennale 2022] Park Seo-bo shows his unending spirit with new Ecriture works in Venice

VENICE, Italy -- Park Seo-bo -- the pioneer of Korean abstract art, also known as the master of dansaekhwa -- has unveiled a new Ecriture painting in Venice, Italy. The painting, which took nearly three years to complete, is the result of the 92-year-old artist’s ceaseless devotion to his art. The 2.6-meter-wide painting, titled “Ecriture No 190512-21,” features pastel colors in his early pencil Ecriture style. Each gap between blocks of pencil shading seems like a breathing

May 2, 2022

Next year’s Gwangju Biennale will show how art embraces contradictions ‘like water’

The 14th Gwangju Biennale, taking place from April 7 to July 9 in Gwangju, will be held under the theme of “Soft and weak like water” as a metaphor for art that permeates deep into individuals, letting us embrace and understand the complexities of the world. The country’s largest biennale will be curated by Lee Sook-kyung, senior curator of International Art at Tate Modern, who will examine the so-called “Gwangju Spirit” -- an expression that connotes the city&r

April 29, 2022

Glass artist Kim Ki-ra creates houses that lead to heaven

Artist Kim Ki-ra is part of a generation of glass artists in South Korea to have pursued glass art over the past 40 years. The exhibition “The Stairs into My Memory” at Gallery Sklo in central Seoul showcases 30 new glass works inspired by homes. “Glass is a two-faced material. It can last long like a phoenix, but it is easily broken to pieces once it is hit by an impact. Glass is transparent, but it can be obscure,” Kim told The Korea Herald on Wednesday. With

April 29, 2022

You are cordially invited to the home of Lee Kun-hee the collector

When late Samsung Chairman Lee Kun-hee and his family donated the late tycoon’s collection last April to the country’s national museums, the art circle was surprised at the unprecedented donation of art in Korea. Included among the approximately 23,000 donated works are national treasures and rarely seen Korean artworks. To mark the first anniversary of the donation, the two national museums -- The National Museum of Korea and The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Kore

April 27, 2022

Vivid colors, layered cuts, braided hairstyle headline spring-summer hair trends

Hair trends are in for a shakeup this spring and summer, as Koreans seek a new look as limits on private gatherings are eased. More daring colors and hairstyles will likely headline spring-summer 2022, with local experts predicting vivid coloring, layered haircuts and braided styling to lead the trend. One of the easiest changes both men and women can make to their hair is a new color. Ash-brown was once loved by many as a way to show a refined look, but the trend has shifted to vivid colors

April 27, 2022