South Korea's leading art fair, Art Busan, unveiled the theme for its inaugural Seoul art show and design fair, Define Seoul, and announced the list of galleries that will be participating in the event, which will be held on Nov. 1-5 in Seongsu-dong.
"We have cultivated the art fair in Busan for the past 15 years, which is now considered a top art fair in the country. I think we have the know-how and the collectors to run an art fair in Seoul," said Jeong Seok-ho, managing director of Art Busan, at a press conference in Seoul on Tuesday.
Jeong also noted that an art fair that combines fine art and design is unprecedented in Seoul.
Some 25 galleries and design brands from home and abroad will join Define Seoul, including international galleries that specialize in design.
"We found that design brands and galleries have a huge interest in Seoul but did not have many opportunities to take part in an art fair in the city. That is why we will run a lecture program during Define Seoul to offer opportunities for the audiences to learn about the design brands," he added.
Under the theme "A Look Within Matter,” the art fair will be led by artistic director Yang Teo, and will take place across three studios -- Layer 27, Layer 41 and Andy's 636.
The thematic exhibition at the art fair will feature Korean wooden craft works created by Na Jeom-soo and Park Hong-gu.
Yang was selected as one of the world’s top 100 designers by Architectural Digest, a leading US magazine of architecture and interior design, and directed the 17th edition of the Craft Trend Fair held last December at Coex in Seoul, in which some 330 artists, brands and galleries participated.
The participating galleries and studios for Define Seoul include Kukje Gallery, Italian design group Memphis Milano, Hong Kong-based Novalis Art Design, Italian and British duo studio Giopato & Coombes, global design gallery Galerie Philia, The Balvenie, Cheyul, Foundry Seoul, Whitestone Gallery and PKM Gallery.
