Art spaces are more than venues for exhibiting works of art. They serve as vital intermediaries that discover new artists, generate critical discourse, and connect audiences, markets, and institutions. Changes in these spaces, therefore, are not simply matters of individual organizations adopting different modes of operation. They are important indicators of how the contemporary art ecosystem has evolved and the direction in which it is moving.

In Korean society, internationalization and globalization emerged as major national agendas between the late 1980s and the mid-1990s. The 1988 Seoul Olympics was a symbolic event through which Korea began to present itself to the international community in a more visible and active way. In the 1990s, Korea rapidly entered the global order through democratization, market liberalization, cultural exchange, and participation in international organizations.

One of the most significant stories in the global art world recently has been Pace Gallery’s large-scale staff reductions and restructuring of its artist roster. Across the international art community, the news was widely interpreted as a sign of crisis within the mega-gallery model.

Recently, major media outlets including The New York Times, the international contemporary art platform Ocula, and ARTnews have extensively reported on the large-scale restructuring of Pace Gallery, one of the world’s leading mega-galleries. In particular, remarks by Pace CEO Marc Glimcher describing the current gallery model as not merely “broken” but effectively “unfixable” have sent ripples throughout the global art world.

Fine art engages with society, the market, and institutions, but its mode of existence cannot be reduced to commodity production or the provision of services. An artist is not someone who produces works in order to satisfy the demands of a specific customer, and an artwork is not a product made to provide functional utility

On April 30, 2026, all five members of the international jury for《In Minor Keys》, the 61st International Art Exhibition of the Venice Biennale, resigned just nine days before the exhibition’s opening. Led by jury president Solange Oliveira Farkas, the jury members Zoe Butt, Elvira Dyangani Ose, Marta Kuzma, and Giovanna Zapperi released a brief statement of resignation through e-flux.