Three artists offer time to think about time

Every time you look back on the past year, it feels like the year passed so quickly, and when the new year comes, you think about how you will spend time more meaningfully in the year to unfold. Three artists whose works are on show at Koenig Seoul offer a time to contemplate about time; time is absolute, yet feels subjective. The German gallery in Gangnam, southern Seoul, is showing the exhibition “Measure by Measure.” Upon arriving to the fifth floor at the MCM Haus building, w

Jan. 5, 2023

Hopper, Guggenheim, Cattelan – must-see exhibitions in 2023

South Korea's art market has grown into a trillion-won market last year for the first time backed by increased liquidity and interest in art, with more people visiting museums and galleries across the country. Museums and galleries are ready to present high-quality exhibitions this year, and two major biennales -- Gwangju Biennale and Seoul Biennale of Architecture and Urbanism -- will take place in March and September, respectively. The second edition of Frieze Seoul in September will be

Jan. 1, 2023

Ashes are circle of life in Thai artist Korakrit Arunanondchai's paintings

Fire and ash have been at the center of Thai artist Korakrit Arunanondchai's art practice for the past 10 years. The artist’s solo exhibition at Kukje Gallery in Seoul is a place where visitors can contemplate on death and life. The gallery’s K3 space appears to be a completely different space from the rest of the gallery – the floor is made from compressed ash mixed with earth and paint, making visitors feel as if they were standing on volcanic rock. Prayer text is scul

Dec. 27, 2022

Fashion designer Martin Margiela returns to Seoul as artist

Fashion designer Martin Margiela of French luxury fashion house Maison Margiela is holding his first exhibition in Seoul -- and third overall -- showcasing his creativity beyond the catwalk. The self-titled exhibition that opened Friday showcases some 50 works by the designer and artist. Goo Hye-jin, director of exhibition business, and the exhibition team prepared the show for a year after she learned the designer had opened his first solo show at Lafayette Anticipations in Paris in 2021. His

Dec. 26, 2022

Seongeun Art Award shortlists 20 artists for grand prize

An exhibition of 20 artists shortlisted for the 22nd edition of the Songeun Art Award opened Wednesday at Songeun Art Space in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul. The works, ranging from paintings and sculptures to digital works and installations, will run through Feb. 18. Organized by the Songeun Art and Cultural Foundation, the Songeun Art Award is one of the country's most prestigious art awards. The 20 artists were selected from a pool of 503 applicants -- the largest number of shortlisted ca

Dec. 26, 2022

Korean art market peaked in third quarter last year: report

Amid increasing global attention on the South Korean art market, where trade volume surpassed the trillion won ($784 million) mark this year for the first time, a recent report showed that the art boom in South Korea peaked in the third quarter of last year with a slowed-down phase ahead. Seoul National University recently published its first English-language report on the country’s art market, in conjunction with the Paradise Cultural Foundation and the support of the Korea Art Management

Dec. 24, 2022

[Herald Interview] Artist interrogates Orientalism through fermented soy

The smell of soy sauce and fermented soybeans fill Gallery Shilla in Seoul, where “The Liquid Filling Machine” -- an installation by artist Yoo Hae-na -- is on show. The pungent smell will perplex visitors unfamiliar with Yoo's art -- are they at a gallery or a food factory? Inside the installation are cheap and readily available industrial materials and logos of multinational corporations with dark colored sauce, along with growing mold. On the wall is “meju,” brick

Dec. 22, 2022

Artists look to post-pandemic 'translocality' at Arko Art Center

For several years, the pandemic had made it difficult to travel internationally. But choosing to explore domestic destinations also meant people became exposed to different regional elements and specialties, from food and attractions, to local culture. Likewise, the theme of locality has also gained traction in the art circle. The exhibition “Local in the Making” at Arko Art Center in Jongno-gu, central Seoul, looks into locality, to seek ways to better understand others. A total of

Dec. 21, 2022

Yeol, Chanel support Korean craftsmanship heritage for five years

The Yeol Korean Heritage Preservation Society, a private foundation dedicated to Korean craftsmanship, has forged a five-year partnership with French luxury fashion house Chanel to support Korean traditional artisans and their craftsmanship. The partnership aims to host the annual “The Artisan of the Year and Young Craftsman of the Year” together, a project that Yeol has held since 2013 to raise awareness of traditional Korean artisan techniques. As the first collaboration, the t

Dec. 9, 2022

Craft art enjoy a boom in pandemic times

Craft art usually requires a sophisticated touch by artists, an understanding of traditional craftsmanship and, of course, hours of labor. It did not come as a surprise to artistic director Yang Teo when the country’s largest craft art fair gained unprecedented popularity this year. The 17th edition of the Craft Trend Fair -- which kicked off Thursday and runs through Sunday at Coex in southern Seoul -- saw a 40 percent increase in applications by craft artists, galleries and craft brand

Dec. 8, 2022

Photography exhibition on Asia's new normal to open Friday in Hong Kong

A photography exhibition titled “Changing Asia – New Normal” will open in Hong Kong on Dec. 9, co-organized by China Daily and Asia News Network. It was held in Bangkok on Nov. 16, coinciding with Bangkok's successful hosting of a key meeting of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation economies. The exhibition has attracted 179 photographers from 18 countries, with 1,175 images submitted. Mr. Zhou Li -- deputy editor-in-chief of China Daily Group and publisher and editor-in-chief of

Dec. 8, 2022

Barakat Contemporary introduces prominent Korean artists in London

Barakat Contemporary, one of the leading contemporary art galleries in Seoul, is presenting exhibitions of three prominent Korean artists in London as part of efforts to introduce the country's contemporary art in Europe. The artists -- Kim Yun-chul, Chung Seo-young and Jun So-jung -- are pioneers of different artistic practices and have emerged as prominent artists in the contemporary art scene since the 1990s. The three exhibitions are running at No. 9 Cork Street, an exhibition space r

Dec. 7, 2022

Gucci to hold fashion show in Seoul on May 15

Italian luxury fashion house Gucci said Tuesday it will hold its Cruise 2024 collection show in Seoul on May 15, without revealing the specific venue. The brand said it had picked South Korea for being the center of dynamic heritage, culture and creativity, which is in line with Gucci’s core values. Just last month, Gucci had to call off its fashion show titled “Gucci Cosmogonie Collection Seoul” scheduled to take place at Gyeongbokgung Palace on Nov. 1, following the tragedy

Dec. 6, 2022

Artist Nam Hwa-yeon turns eye towards future at Atelier Hermes

Artist Nam Hwa-yeon, who shed light on Korea's modern dance pioneer Choi Seung-hee's life with narratives that bridge the past and present, unveiled her new work on Nov. 18 at Atelier Hermes in Seoul. She titled the show “Gabriel,” the archangel known as the messenger of God in charge of heralding future events, especially wars and births. Gabriel is best known as the angel who delivered to the Virgin Mary the news that she would give birth to Jesus. The artist did not excl

Dec. 6, 2022

Fashion designers, textile artists interact at inaugural fashion week at Hongik University

Hongik University, a prestigious art university in South Korea, held its inaugural Hongik Fashion Week with the aim of fostering collaboration among students beyond their degrees and majors in the department of textile art and fashion design. “I am grateful to be able to present fashion week, and I am confident that we can create a new trend by collaborating together regardless of their fields,” said Choi Chul-yong, associate professor of fashion design at the opening ceremony on Wed

Dec. 5, 2022

Kukje Gallery chairperson Lee Hyun-sook among ArtReview’s Power 100

The founder and chairman of Kukje Gallery, Lee Hyun-sook, was listed as one of the top 100 influential figures in the contemporary art scene by ArtReview, a British art magazine, on Thursday. Lee ranked 75th on the list of “2022 Power 100” selected based on an analysis of their recent activities and contribution to the industry. Founding the gallery in 1982, Lee has established Kukje Gallery as a “dominant player” in Seoul, now being touted as a hub for galleries seeking

Dec. 2, 2022

[Herald Interview] Rhee Ki-bong offers the key to open your room of art

Artists reveal what they hold inside -- something deeply hidden in their minds -- through their work. From a distance, Rhee Ki-bong’s landscape paintings appear misty, like dreamy scenery. “Art is to bring out things from one’s unconscious. It is often said ‘to create’ things, but it is -- in fact -- ‘to reveal.’ To reveal is not as easy as it may sound; one may need to have many experiences in life and most of all, a strong will to persevere as an artis

Nov. 30, 2022

[Herald Interview] Kang Ik-joong stresses artist's role of connecting people

“I nearly died from COVID-19 last year,” said the New York-based artist Kang Ik-joong in an interview with The Korea Herald earlier this month. “For about a week, I couldn’t breathe well. Lying down didn’t help, sitting didn’t help,” he said. “So one day, I went out to the garden, opened my chest and began taking deep breaths like this,” he said, pushing his chest forward with his arms up wide open and looking upward. “I was able to bre

Nov. 30, 2022

El Anatsui turns bottle caps into glittering golden tapestry at second show in Seoul

A golden tapestry-like assemblage shimmers on a wall struck by light coming through a large glass window. The 6-meter-tall installation “New World Symphony” is a new work created by acclaimed Ghanaian artist El Anatsui for his second show in Seoul at Barakat Contemporary. It is hard to tell that the shimmering comes from light hitting numerous small bottle caps unless one takes a very close look. Bottle caps have been a significant art medium for the artist since the late 1990s. It i

Nov. 28, 2022

[Weekender] Jeju Biennale shows the island's natural identity

JEJU CITY -- About an hour‘s flight from the South Korean capital of Seoul, Jeju Island is a popular destination for those who want to get away from the grit of the city. The ubiquitous porous basalt, covering more than 90 percent of the island, is evidence that the island was created as a result of volcanic activity. "Dolharubang," or village guardian statues carved out of porous basalt, fresh seafood, mandarin oranges and more than 368 parasitic cones are iconic symbols of t

Nov. 26, 2022