Jesse Chun's "score for unlanguaging," a performance with Yeonhee (KimHyangsooree, Ahn Yoohee) / Courtesy of Art Sonje Center
Art fairs have evolved beyond just sales events into vibrant citywide cultural celebrations, and Seoul is a prime example of this transformation. Since the arrival of Frieze three years ago, the city has become a dynamic hub for art enthusiasts in Asia. This September, Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul will return for their third year of partnership, promising to ignite the country's creative scene once again.
Over 310 established and emerging galleries will converge at COEX in southern Seoul for the simultaneous openings on Sept. 4. As with previous editions, visitors can enjoy the two mega-events with the purchase of a joint ticket.
Within and beyond the fair venue, the third edition of Frieze Seoul offers a string of specially curated programs of live performances, films and non-profit activations across the city.
This year, it will debut the Frieze Live program, featuring seven Korean artists and teams who merge poetry with performance art.
Bringing Buddhist rituals, Korean folk dance and wheelchairs to the stage, the inaugural iteration, titled “Nerve or Divine Pathway,” is curated by Moon Je-yun, project director at Art Sonje Center.
Another initiative in the lineup is Frieze Film, organized by curators Park Joo-won of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea and Valentine Umansky of Tate Modern.
Jointly presented with the outdoor media art festival EMAP (Ewha Media Art Presentation), the program will host screenings of time-based media works by over 20 international creatives at Ewha Womans University from Sept. 2 to 6.
Participating artists under the title “All that Weaves the Universe: A Question of Quantum Entanglements” include Vitória Cribb, Alison Nguyen, Simon Speiser and Clemens von Wedemeyer.
A past iteration of the outdoor media art festival EMAP at Ewha Womans University / Courtesy of Ewha Womans University
Free talk sessions will be co-organized with Kiaf Seoul and the Korea Arts Management Service (KAMS).
Prominent industry professionals and creators — such as Clara Kim, chief curator at the Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA); artist Lee Kang-seung; Pablo José Ramírez, curator at Hammer Museum; Zeynep Öz, curator of Sharjah Biennial 16; and Patrick Sun, founder of the Sunpride Foundation — will share their insights on the power of biennials in the contemporary art scene and the role of feminism in Asian art, among other timely topics.
The global art fair also continues its collaboration with the Arts Council Korea (ARKO) to boost the country's grassroots arts and culture scene. A batch of special exhibitions will be mounted at 16 non-profit, alternative spaces in Seoul, Gwangju and Busan throughout Frieze Week.
“We extend our gratitude to both our new and returning collaborators, with whom we are proudly showcasing a line-up of Korean artists, international thought leaders and local non-profits,” said Frieze Seoul Director Patrick Lee. “With concurrent biennials in Busan and Gwangju this year, we are excited for what September has in store.”
Meanwhile, Kiaf Seoul, hosted by the Galleries Association of Korea, has announced the 10 semi-finalists for the second iteration of the Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS Award.
Chosen from 110 candidates nominated by galleries exhibiting at this year's fair, the 10 emerging and mid-career artists include Choi Ji-won (ThisWeekendRoom), Kang Cheol-gyu (Arario Gallery), Betty Muffler (Jan Murphy Gallery) and Paige Jiyoung Moon (Steve Turner).
On the fair's preview day on Sept. 4, a jury of curators, academics and institutional experts are set to select and announce three finalists, each of whom will be awarded 10 million won ($7,200).