Annual Art Fairs Attract Growing Asian Collector Audience, Indicating Seoul's Rising Status in the Art World

Photo by Jason Yim

Frieze Seoul 2023 and Kiaf Seoul 2023, two prestigious art fairs, opened their doors on Wednesday with a noticeably calmer atmosphere compared to the previous year when Frieze Seoul made its debut. Nevertheless, this year's edition has drawn an even larger crowd of art collectors from across Asia, underscoring Seoul's burgeoning role as a prominent art hub in the region.

Unlike the bustling scene of last year, a seemingly endless queue did not snake its way through the entrance of Frieze Seoul 2023 at Coex, located in southern Seoul. This year, organizers opted to allocate time slots for visitor entry, a move that contributed to a more controlled and serene environment. In conjunction with Kiaf Seoul, last year's events collectively welcomed over 70,000 attendees.
 

▲ Photo by Jason Yim
Sara Oberg Stradal, representing Dr. Joern Guenther Rare Books AG, a renowned gallery based in Basel, Switzerland, noted, "This is calmer than last year, but I wonder if that will change when it opens to the public (tomorrow). Last year, the entire fair was so busy." Dr. Joern Guenther Rare Books AG has brought centuries-old western manuscripts valued at a staggering $80 million to Seoul.
 

As the sole art fair in Asia presented by Frieze, the second edition of Frieze Seoul boasts a formidable lineup of galleries hailing from various corners of the continent. The representation of Asian galleries has increased from 31 percent last year to an impressive 41 percent, a testament to the fair's growing influence in the region, as reported by Frieze Seoul in June.

Interestingly, visitors at the fair could be heard conversing in a variety of Asian languages, despite the majority being Korean. 

▲ Photo by Jason YimEvan Chow, deputy chair of the Hong Kong Arts Center, shared his perspective, stating, "We see a lot of interesting works, and actually, the focus is for us to learn more about the local galleries and the galleries that we don't cover in Hong Kong and London."

For the second time, the Tomio Koyama Gallery, a Japanese art gallery, has joined the fair with hopes of captivating Korean collectors. Tomio Koyama, the gallery's director, remarked, "Last year, it was the first edition, so everybody was new to the art fair. But this year, it seems Korean people already know the world’s masterpieces. Korean audiences are very active compared to Japanese collectors. In Japan, people don’t invest in art that much if we compare them to collectors in Korea."

Kiaf Seoul 2023, also taking place at Coex, has similarly attracted Asian collectors, including visitors from Hong Kong and Singapore, who, while preferring not to disclose their names, expressed their desire to explore the works of local artists.

Sayart.net 

Blue YIM, yimyoungseo1010@naver.com