Frieze and Kiaf Seoul Nurture Their 'Long-Term Marriage' for International Art Ventures

Captured from the frieze homepage

In a recent announcement, Frieze CEO Simon Fox and Patrick Lee, Director of Frieze Seoul, expressed their willingness to cooperate with the Galleries Association of Korea (GAK) in their quest to expand their presence globally. Speaking at a press conference held at Coex in southern Seoul on Thursday, the Frieze representatives conveyed their eagerness to activate Frieze in partnership with Kiaf throughout the year.

This collaborative spirit follows the signing of a five-year partnership agreement in 2022 between the London-based art fair organizer and Kiaf Seoul, the leading art fair in the South Korean capital. Fox likened this partnership to a "long-term marriage," emphasizing its enduring commitment to the East Asian market.

Kiaf Seoul has previously expressed ambitions to broaden its reach beyond South Korea's borders. Hwang Dal-sung, President of the Galleries Association of Korea, revealed in a recent interview with The Korea Herald, "We are looking into the right timing to launch Kiaf Seoul in other countries." One of their proposed destinations is Jakarta, Indonesia, with the aim of showcasing Korean galleries and artists on the international stage.

Frieze's willingness to expand their cooperation was warmly welcomed by Kiaf Seoul. Hwang expressed his agreement with Frieze's vision, highlighting the fitting analogy of a "long-term marriage." He shared his belief that Kiaf and Frieze can create synergy through collaboration. Hwang, who has been actively pursuing the expansion of Kiaf's brand abroad since assuming the presidency of GAK, sees the potential for a fruitful partnership with Frieze in Kiaf's overseas expansion endeavors. He anticipates that this cooperation will open doors to explore additional avenues for collaboration in the future.

Sayart.net 

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com