Discover Kiaf SEOUL & FRIEZE SEOUL 2023 (1)
On September 6th, the Korean International Art Fair (Kiaf), representing Korea, and FRIEZE SEOUL, representing the United Kingdom, will open simultaneously. To commemorate the hosting of these two art fairs, K-Art Now aims to introduce the characteristics of these art fairs, provide a brief introduction to key galleries participating in each fair, and highlight selected major exhibitions worth visiting in Seoul during the art fair period.
Kiaf SEOUL 2023
First opened in 2002, Kiaf SEOUL is Korea’s first international art fair run by the Galleries Association of Korea. In this year’s ‘Solo’ section of the art fair, exhibitions featured by eight domestic and foreign galleries will be held and ‘Kiaf PLUS,’ which was held as an extra last year, will be held as an independent section.
More than 30 rising galleries from home and abroad will participate in ‘Kiaf PLUS’ and emphasize and introduce NFT(Non-Fungible Token) and new media art.
The ‘Kiaf Highlight’ section, which will be introduced for the first time this year, will showcase 20 writers carefully selected by Kiaf SEOUL.
Among the 150 artists recommended by the participating galleries, they were selected after screening by curators, professors, critics, and planners active in the current art field. You can meet artists from various fields and locations, including talented prospects and middle-aged artists who deserve more attention.
The ‘Talk Program’, co-organized by Kiaf SEOUL, Korea Arts Management Service(KAMS) and Frieze Seoul, will discuss ‘K-art, K-identity,’ ‘Asian Art Market,’ ‘Convergence of Art and Technology,’ and ‘Korea’s Experimental Art. of Korea’ with art figures. In addition, “We connect Art & Future 3rd edition, Kiaf and INCHEON AIRPORT,” hosted by Galleries Association of Korea and Incheon Airport Corporation, will be held at Incheon International Airport Terminal 1 Transportation Center from August 28 to September 17.
The exhibition, which marks its third anniversary this year, surveys about 60 works by 32 contemporary young artists from 20 galleries. Lastly, the media art special exhibition 《Gray Box Area: Space as an Event》 introduces the works of 10 new media artists in Korea.
This spatial screening exhibition presents the screen as a place of contact and hopes that the audience will face the event that touches the surface of the video works and the resulting changes.
The event dates, venue and major participated galleries for Kiaf SEOUL 2023 are as follows:
Duration: September 6(VIP, Press only) ~ 10, 2023
Venue: Hall A&B and Grand Ballroom, 1st floor, COEX Seoul
Number of Exhibitors: around 210 galleries from 20 countries, including 140 domestic galleries
– Arario Gallery, BHAK, Gana Art, Gallery Hyundai, Hakgojae Gallery, Johyun Gallery, Keumsan Gallery, Kukje Gallery, Leeahn Gallery, PKM Gallery, Pyo Gallery, Wooson Gallery, etc. (Home)
– Denny Gallery(USA), Gallery Marguo(France), Gallery Thomas(Germany), Lucie Chang Fine Arts(Hong Kong), The Hole(USA), Triumph Gallery(China), Tuesday to Friday(Spain), Gallery Delaive(Netherlands), Mizoe Art Gallery(Japan), The Spectacle Group(Hong Kong), etc. (Abroad)
FRIEZE SEOUL 2023
It’s the second edition of Frieze Seoul since the Frieze Art Fair, launched in London, expanded to Seoul last year. Official headline partner LG OLED and global lead partner Deutsche Bank will cooperate in Frieze Seoul in 2023. The director will be Patrick Lee, who is the same as last year, and main section will involve 89 major galleries around the world in addition to two special sections.
Among them, ‘Focus Asia’ introduces 10 new artists from Asia-based galleries that have opened since 2011. The section has Jang Hye-jung (Doosan Gallery’s chief curator) and Joselina Cruz (Director and Curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art and Design, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde, Manila) as consultant, and features death, truth, friendship, and colonial heritage.
Meanwhile, ‘Frieze Masters,’ first produced last year, will present more than 20 galleries’ antique, rare books, old masters and major masterpieces in the late 20th century under the direction of Nathan Clemens-Gillespie this year.
Various programs are planned in Frieze Seoul, including ‘Frieze Film,’ curated by Choo Sung-ah and Kim Sung-woo, ‘Frieze Music,’ which will be introduced for the first time this year, and ‘Frieze Week,’ which will take place across Seoul.
Besides, the ‘Frieze Artist Award Commission,’ which has been held in London every year, is held for the first time in Frieze Seoul this year under the sponsorship of Bulgari, and Woo Hannah was selected as the winner of the inaugural Frieze Seoul Artist Award.
The award panel expressed support for the fabric installation of the artist, who broke the common idea about femininity, and she was offered a prescribed prize money and an opportunity to exhibit her work in 2023 Frieze Seoul.
The event dates, venue and major participated galleries for Kiaf SEOUL 2023 are as follows:
Duration : September 6(by invitation only) ~ 9, 2023
Venue: Hall C&D, 3rd floor, COEX Seoul
Number of Exhibitors: over 120 galleries from 30 countries
– Gallery Baton, Paula Cooper Company, Kukje Gallery, Lisson Gallery, Carlos/Ishikawa, etc. (Main section)
– A-Lounge, Capsule Shanghai, G Gallery, White Noise, etc. (‘Focus Asia’)
– Gana Art, Hakgojae Gallery, Axel Vervoordt, Cardi, Daniel Crouch Rare Books, etc. (‘Frieze Masters’)
