South Korea's longest-running art fair features over 210 galleries from across the globe, affirming its dedication to showcasing contemporary Korean art

Courtesy of Kiaf Seoul

Kiaf Seoul, South Korea's most enduring contemporary art fair, is set to return this September for its 22nd installment. This year's event will feature over 210 galleries from 20 different countries, underlining the fair's expansive international reach.

The event, hosted by the Galleries Association of Korea, will span five days and is slated to run concurrently with its global sister event, Frieze Seoul. The parallel events, a product of a five-year partnership, will be held at COEX in southern Seoul from September 6 to 10.

Hwang Dal-seung, President of the Galleries Association of Korea, emphasized during a press meeting in Seoul on June 21, the fair's commitment to spotlighting innovative Korean contemporary art and emerging talents to a global audience. Over 130 of the participating exhibitors will represent the local art scene, with significant players like Kukje Gallery, Hakgojae Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, and Leeahn Gallery at the forefront.

Key international art dealers, including Galleria Continua, Peres Projects, Whitestone Gallery, and Asia Art Center, will be returning to this year's fair. Furthermore, the fair will welcome 30 first-time participants from around the globe, like New York-based The Hole, Tuesday to Friday from Valencia, Amsterdam's Gallery Delaive, and Lucie Chang Fine Arts in Hong Kong.

Kiaf Plus, a satellite art fair by Kiaf Seoul which made its debut at the Seoul Trade Exhibition & Convention (SETEC) in 2022, will be hosted at COEX this year for improved accessibility. Featuring 30 emerging galleries from both domestic and international locations, this event, which focuses on new media and NFTs, aims to provide a platform for rising artists and attract a growing group of young collectors in Korea.

"In addition to the fair, we are curating an exhibition featuring 10 Korean new media artists. The focus of the exhibition will not solely be on sales, but rather showcasing the current landscape of digital art to our audience," said Hwang.

For the first time, Kiaf Seoul has launched a membership program. Members will receive VIP tickets to the September event, along with year-round access to exclusive gallery tours, lectures, and networking events.

In 2022, the inaugural year of the partnership between the two fairs, Kiaf Seoul and Frieze Seoul jointly attracted over 70,000 visitors. "We were, of course, able to draw significant global attention thanks to this juncture. We hope our relationship with Frieze can continue to grow this year," stated the Galleries Association of Korea president.

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