10 Must-Visit Art Exhibitions and Events During Seoul Art Week
Visitors at Kiaf Seoul. Image courtesy of Kiaf Seoul.
It's that time of the year again—Seoul Art Week is here, and countless exhibitions are happening all across the city. This is the perfect opportunity to visit highly anticipated shows at major museums as well as at local and international galleries. There's a lot to explore and experience. Below is a selection of the must-see exhibitions.
In Museums
Do Ho Suh: Speculations
Aug 17 – Nov 3, 2024 AT Art Sonje Center
Do Ho Suh’s exploration of space, time, and alternate worlds continues in Speculations. This exhibition explores the often blurred boundaries between the physical and the imagined, using architectural forms to evoke the transient nature of home and belonging. Suh’s installations and detailed drawings dive further into these contemplations—a must-see for anyone interested in the intersection of art and architecture.
Do Ho Suh, Homesick (Scale 180), 2024, Mixed media, 119.5 x 80 x 80 cm. Photo Seowon Nam. Courtesy of Art Sonje Center.
Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists
Sep 3, 2024 – Mar 3, 2025 AT MMCA Seoul
This major exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul highlights the work of influential Asian women artists. Connecting Bodies challenges traditional narratives by presenting a diverse range of perspectives on gender, identity, and culture. From pioneering figures such as Lee Bul, Yoko Ono, and Yayoi Kusama to emerging voices, this exhibition seeks to unveil paths to a broader scope of identity.
Yayoi Kusama, Kusama’s Self-Obliteration, 1967; Single-channel video, Cinematographed by Jud Yalkut. Courtesy of the artist
Elmgreen & Dragset: Spaces
Sep 3, 2024 – Feb 23, 2025, at Amore Pacific Museum of Art
Danish-Norwegian duo Elmgreen & Dragset are known for their thought-provoking and often humorous installations. In Spaces, they further explore the relationship between architecture, art, and social dynamics. This exhibition is a playful yet touching commentary on how spaces influence our behavior and how art can transform our perception of the everyday.
Elmgreen & Dragset, The Screen, 2021. Photo: Elmar Vestner © Elmgreen & Dragset, collection of Amorepacific Museum of Art
Anicka Yi: There Exists Another Evolution, But In This One
Sep 5 – Dec 29, 2024 at Leeum Museum
Anicka Yi’s work is a sensory experience like no other. In her latest exhibition, Yi explores the possibilities of a meditative evolution, challenging our understanding of biology, technology, and the environment. With her signature use of unconventional materials and scents, Yi urges us to reconsider our position within a larger, interconnected planetary system.
Installation view of “Anicka Yi: In Love With the World” at Tate Modern, October 2021. Photo by Will Burrard Lucas.
Nicolas Party: Dust
Aug 31, 2024 – JAN 19, 2023 Hoam Museum of Art
Nicolas Party is known for his saturated, dreamlike landscapes and portraits. His latest exhibition, Dust, at the Hoam Museum, offers a contemplative exploration of nature and the passage of time. Party's works, which are both delicate and bold, reflect the sustainability and extinction of human and non-human species, civilization, and nature.
Installation view of Nicolas Party’s “L’heure mauve” at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. © Nicolas Party. Photo MMFA, Jean-François Brière
Refik Anadol: Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive
Sep 5 – Dec 8, 2024 at Futura Seoul
Refik Anadol continues to explore the interplay between art and technology with his latest project, Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive. Anadol utilizes data as his primary medium to craft expansive installations that vividly depict the unseen links between nature, technology, and humanity. This exhibition marks the opening of Futura Seoul, a new art venue located in Bukchon. The exhibition program aims to showcase diverse perspectives on the future while staying grounded in its history.
Installation view of Refik Anadols' Echoes of the Earth: Living Archive at Futura Seoul. Photo: Diana Martinez
In Galleries
Georg Baselitz
Sep 3 – Nov 9, 2024 at Thaddaeus Ropac
Georg Baselitz, one of the most influential German artists of the post-war era, brings his latest works to Seoul in adler barfuß. Known for his expressive, often confrontational style, Baselitz is renowned for his expressive and often confrontational style. His latest series continues his exploration of the gesture, featuring paintings and ink drawings with eagles, a recurring motif throughout his artistic career.
Detail of Georg Baselitz, Welten, die es nicht gab, mit Filzhut, 2023. © Georg Baselitz. Photo by Ulrich Ghezzi. Courtesy of Thaddaeus Ropac.
Correspondence: Lee Ufan and Mark Rothko
Sep 4 – Oct 26, 2024, at Pace Gallery
This exhibition brings together the work of two representative artists of Eastern and Western abstract art: Korean artist Lee Ufan and American painter Mark Rothko. The exhibition, titled "Correspondence," was curated by Ufan himself. It offers a dialogue between their practices, highlighting the spiritual and emotional depth in their use of color, form, and space.
Lee Ufan, Response, 2022 © 2024 Artists Rights Society (ARS), New York / ADAGP, Paris. Courtesy of Pace Gallery.
Yoo Youngkuk: Stand on the Golden Mean
Through Oct 10, 2024 at PKM Gallery
A pioneer of Korean abstract art, Yoo Youngkuk’s work is celebrated in Stand on the Golden Mean at PKM Gallery. The exhibition showcases a selection of his vibrant geometric compositions from the 1950s to the 1980s, which are rooted in his deep connection to nature and philosophy. Yoo’s work is both timeless and contemporary, making this exhibition a must-see for those interested in the evolution of Korean modern art.
Yoo Youngkuk, Work, 1974. © Yoo Youngkuk Art Foundation. Courtesy of PKM Gallery.
Kyungah Ham: Phantom and A Map
AUG 30 – NOV 3, 2024 at Kukje Gallery
Kyungah Ham’s Phantom and A Map at Kukje Gallery explores her interpretation of today’s society beginning with the choice of the term “phantom”. Through her meticulously crafted textile works, Ham addresses several themes, such as history and political tensions the interplay between analog and digital, and personal emotions within the context of contemporary society.
Kyungah Ham, Phantom and A Map / poetry Poetry 01WBL01V1T, 2024. Painting, North Korean hand embroidery, silk threads on cotton, approx. 1400hrs/1 person, velvet, rayon, cotton, polyester grosgrain, herringbone grosgrain ribbon tape, adhesive, wooden canvas, aluminum frame 140 × 326.6 cm | 55.1 × 128.6 in. Courtesy: the artist and Kukje Gallery. Photo: Jeon Byung Cheol
ART FAIRS
KIAF AND FRIEZE SEOUL
Sep. 4–Oct. 26 at Coex
*Frieze Seoul runs through Sep. 7
No art week would be complete without a visit to the art fairs. COEX Kiaf and Frieze Seoul are the highlights of Seoul Art Week, bringing together galleries, collectors, and artists from around the world. Frieze Seoul runs through Sep. 7, so be sure to catch it while you can!
Visitors at the entrance of Kiaf Seoul. Image courtesy of Kiaf Seoul.
