Gwangju city’s annual art fair, Art:Gwangju:23, kicked off Thursday at the Kimdaejung Convention Center with 105 galleries participating. Some 13 booths are dedicated to special exhibitions. The 14th edition of the art fair in the southwestern city is hosted by the city government and run by the Gwangju Branch of Korean Fine Arts Association. The four-day art fair includes culture talks by Kim Byung-hun, director of Sochon Art Factory, and Yoon Byung-hak, director of Chungjang 22, a cultur

Kim Teck-koun, Kia's vice president and head of Kia Next Design Group in South Korea, spoke about the carmaker’s new design philosophy, “Opposite United,” at the Herald Design Forum 2023 at the Shilla Seoul on Tuesday. “The design philosophy takes inspiration from the contrasts found not only in nature but humanity. When you think of a stream softly (winding down a valley), there are huge stones along the way. We try to get inspiration (from) how things coexist in ha

Living in different cultures away from their homeland have helped globally acclaimed architects Diébédo Francis Kéré and Lina Ghotmeh think about what they can do in their city as an architect. “When we are in one place, we take it for granted. I am sure here in Seoul, if you think about the metro and everything, you will think they are normal for you. But for me, it is not normal, so I am curious to explore it,” Kéré said at the “Speci

NEW YORK -- Hauser & Wirth, a leading contemporary and art gallery, has opened a new space in West Chelsea, New York, completing the gallery’s expansion in the contemporary art capital. Hauser & Wirth’s new 18th Street location, the Swiss gallery's third space in New York, is dedicated to printed editions and serves as the flagship bookstore of Hauser & Wirth Publishers. The space also encompasses offices, a bookstore, a 72-seat amphitheater for public events and the

Lebanese architect Lina Ghotmeh's architecture philosophy is rooted in her hometown of Beirut. The port city is situated at the midpoint of the country’s Mediterranean coast, with a history of more than 5,000 years. “At my practice, our projects are born from my methodology of design and research called ‘archaeology of the future.’ It is about finding the uniqueness of each situation, so every project talks about where it is. Archaeology of the future is influenced

Former Hongik University professor Kim Sung-hee will lead the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, the Culture Ministry said Thursday. Kim would take office on Monday, the ministry told The Korea Herald. Kim, 65, was one of three final candidates for the position, according to a source. Kim, former associate professor at the Department of Curatorial Studies and Art Management at Hongik University, co-founded CAN Foundation in 2008, a nonprofit art center in Seoul that supports

When the world’s largest art gallery Gagosian newly appointed Lee Ji-young to lead the gallery’s operations in South Korea, just ahead of Frieze Seoul that ended on Saturday, the art community's attention quickly turned to what plan may be behind the gallery's move. Lee, a gallerist with some 15 years of experience, was most recently the director for Sprueth Margers in Seoul. “Korea obviously is a place where we have been active for many years. I came here 16 years ag

NEW YORK -- The 2023 edition of The Armory Show kicked off Thursday at the Javits Center in New York, and was joined by more than 225 galleries from 35 countries. Established nearly 30 years ago, the art fair is the oldest fair in the US and has been a continuous presence in the international art scene. "The Platform" section of this year's fair saw a number of large-scale installations draw the attention of visitors. Among the works in the section was Jean Shin's “Hudd

As the date for the second edition of Frieze Seoul approached, museums and galleries in Seoul unveiled their plans to ensure the fair becomes the highlight of the year. At the same time, galleries and global auctioneers are exploring opportunities to establish permanent spaces within the city. “I was absolutely overwhelmed by the enthusiasm that everybody in Seoul has for Frieze Seoul, and of course for Kiaf Seoul, by the number of events that are happening around the city. It is not somet

Frieze Seoul 2023 and Kiaf Seoul 2023 opened Wednesday in a calmer mood compared to last year when Frieze Seoul first launched, nonetheless attracting more collectors from Asia than before, showing signs that the city is cementing its position as an art hub in Asia. Unlike last year, a meters-long line was not seen on the first day of Frieze Seoul 2023 at Coex, southern Seoul, on Wednesday, as the organizer divided up the time slots for visitors to enter. The fair, together with Kiaf Seoul, la

When artist Woo Hannah entered a new phase of her life in her mid-30s, she felt she could finally talk about femininity -- a topic she had long felt cautious about touching on. “I recently began to notice changes in my body, maybe last year. I was busy at the time and one day I was completely out of energy. I thought ‘Okay, this is no joke,’” Woo said at her studio in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul on Aug. 18. Woo, who won the inaugural artist award at Frieze Seoul in August, unveile

As the second edition of Frieze Seoul is around the corner, the city is full of events and exhibitions led by galleries, auction houses and museums, bringing the attention of the art world to the city. One can hop around the major art gallery areas in Seoul – Samcheong-dong, Hannam-dong and Cheongdam-dong – to see quality artworks during the week. Frieze Seoul 2023, one of the leading global art fairs, will take place from Wednesday to Saturday at Coex in southern Seoul in collaborat

Korean artist Lim No-sik enjoys exploring art in various styles. Initially, the 34-year-old artist was deeply immersed in realist paintings, then expanded to an etching style in his more recent works. While some may be surprised at how frequently he changes his style, he refuses to remain in any box for too long. “Many artists stick to a certain style, but I am not that kind of artist. I feel like I have to constantly change in terms of pursuing art before people define what my art is like

The world functions in dynamics of power and hierarchy. Although such power is sensed from time to time, it is hard to recognize sometimes. That power could be religion, natural forces or something else, artist Lee Jae-seok muses. Most of Lee's works were inspired by his experience during his mandatory military service from 2010 to 2012 that lasted for a year and 10 months. “I was 22 years old when I entered the military service. My experience at the military, which is based on a st

Renowned international galleries and an auction house, Sotheby’s, have opened new spaces in Seoul ahead of the second edition of Frieze Seoul which kicks off Wednesday. Two newly arrived galleries -- Britain's White Cube and Japan’s Whitestone Gallery -- will unveil their spaces through group exhibitions in southern and northern Seoul, respectively. White Cube will open an inaugural exhibition, “The Embodied Spirit,” directed by the gallery’s global artistic di

People go through numerous experiences in life. Some will be forgotten naturally, but some, whether pleasant or not, remain in the abyss of the unconscious. Some memories are so strong they dominate one’s life. Lee Jin-ju recalled an unpleasant incident from her childhood and called it “trauma” – she did not know as a little kid that the memory would stick around for so long. “I did not think of it as a big deal at the time. But the unpleasant memory has lingered, p

Living in urban Korea, just stepping outside brings into view a plethora of buildings. But the average person here most likely doesn't give much thought to what kinds of spaces were created for the public and how they actually affect people's lives. These public spaces can include: a school, where 12 years of one's life are spent, a rest area by a river or stream, an observatory, a multipurpose facility under an expressway, a swimming pool popular with the elderly or a museum buil

Sunlight streams into the school library from a small courtyard where students can sit outside with a book during breaks. The courtyard is among 19 such spaces in Singil Middle School, which opened two years ago in southwestern Seoul. As soon as the bell rang indicating a 15-minute recess, students headed to the courtyard on the second floor, where a snack vendor market sold drinks, chips and other small snacks. Other students got started on homework in another courtyard, while taking in the fre

When it comes to building a public space, the Pritzker Architecture Prize winner Diébédo Francis Kéré does not consider people as “passive receivers,” but as owners of the building. “In public buildings in Africa, it is often the case that no one feels responsible for the building. Things are broken, and no one takes (the time) to fix it. You have the feeling it’s owned by the government -- but who is the government? It will be different if peo

The 190-kilometer Nam River weaves through Jinju, South Gyeongsang Province, carrying with it the history of the city. Behind stone walls, the city's riverside fortress, Jinjuseong, was once used as a military base against Japanese invaders in the late Goryeo Kingdom (918-1392) and during the Joseon era (1392-1910). On a cliff above the river sits the Chokseongnu Pavilion, which was built in 1241 and is part of Jinjuseong Forest. The wooden architecture, featuring six timber columns at the