미술로 물드는 가을…서울은 거대한 전시장으로

In South Korea, September has become the month when the art world gathers for one of the most extravagant exhibition celebrations of the year. Since 2022, the Freeze agency based in the United Kingdom and the Korea Arts Association have joined forces to host the annual 'Freeze Seoul' and 'Keyaaf Seoul' international art fairs in October.

This change began with major state-run museums and galleries showcasing famous works by renowned artists from late August to late September, and the biennial international art exhibitions in Gwangju, Busan, and Jeju also started appearing simultaneously. This period, originally considered the off-season, saw a surge in foreign art industry figures and influential collectors traveling to Korea to witness the premier international art fairs, leading to a significant shift in the domestic art scene.

This year, the autumn festivities are set to continue. The Freeze Seoul and Keyaaf Seoul fairs will be held side by side at the COEX exhibition center from September 2 to 6, accompanied by major state-run museums and galleries presenting notable works by prominent artists such as Koheun So, Samsung Museum of Art Rim, and others.

Exclusive nighttime exhibitions and free outdoor parties are also being held at Seoul's major art exhibition districts. The heart of the festivities, Freeze Seoul, will host 133 galleries from 30 countries. The 'Galleries' central section will feature booths from artists like Galleries(갤러리즈), Hausser & Wors, David Zwirner, Pace, Limerick Muffin, Tadeusz Rossock, Lee Koon, and 48 domestic galleries.

Galleries such as Galleries will exhibit works by British artist Damien Hirst, while Hausser & Wors will showcase pieces by prominent modern art figures like George Condo, Louis Bourgeois, and Jenny Holzer. Solo exhibitions featuring works from artists like Glenn Ligon, whose works were previously preferred by former U.S. President Barack Obama, will be displayed in the Amoore Perfic Building's first floor cabinet space.

Tatehou's year-end retrospective and James Turrell's glowing installations will also be on display. Notable art fairs include 'Forest, Earth, Prairie' by American conceptual artist Sol LeWitt, featuring works from 14 leading figures in 20th-century American modern art. Sol LeWitt will present his first solo exhibition in Korea at the Seoul Amore Pericic Gallery, along with 45 installations.

U.S. artist Pola Cooper and Japanese artist Umeeko will each have separate exhibitions at Freeze House, Seoul's permanent exhibition hall. 'Forest, Earth, Prairie' by Pola Cooper, curated by Sol LeWitt and others, will be a major draw, alongside LeWitt's large-scale paintings. Domestic galleries like Gallery Modern will exhibit Kim Chang-yeol's 'Water Droplets' series and experimental artist Lee Hee-tack's works, while international galleries will present works by monochrome painter Hong Jongsun and 1st-generation sculptor Kim Yun-sin.

The 'Spotlight' section of the Korean gallery will highlight the works of Seok-ryeonhee, whose portraits of women in the 1960s-70s abstract painting movement have gained renewed recognition. The 'Material Practice' section will showcase the work of recent Korean galleries, while the 'Focus' section will introduce contemporary galleries and emerging artists.

The Freeze Korea Art Fair, organized by the Freeze Korea Art Association, will feature 127 domestic galleries from 18 countries, including major galleries like Gallery Modern, International Gallery, Garana Art, Ari Art, and Japan's White Stone Gallery. The association's decision to appoint creative director Choi Guk-ho for 2023 will play a crucial role in shaping the fair's branding, exhibition routes, and space layout, along with the special exhibition 'Virtual Vitality' exploring the relationship between humans and technology.

The presence of 30 Korean galleries at Freeze, alongside 48 at Keyaaf, signals a significant step in raising the quality of content on the Korean art market, despite challenges posed by increased transportation costs due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.