▲ Derrick Adams in his studio ⓒ the artist and Gagosian

Gagosian, one of the world's most prominent international galleries, is set to make its debut in South Korea this September with an exhibition featuring new works by multidisciplinary artist Derrick Adams. The exhibition, titled “Derrick Adams: The Strip,” will commence on September 3 at APMA Cabinet, a project space located on the ground floor of the Amorepacific Headquarters in Yongsan-gu, central Seoul. This event will coincide with the third edition of Frieze Seoul, scheduled to run from September 4 to 7.

Lee Ji-young, who oversees Gagosian’s operations in South Korea, shared the gallery’s enthusiasm for this landmark event. “Presenting a Gagosian exhibition in Seoul has been one of our key objectives since I joined the gallery last year, and we pursued a captivating and fresh approach for this important moment,” Lee told The Korea Herald on Tuesday. She emphasized the decision to feature a dedicated solo exhibition instead of a typical group show, aiming to strike a balance between curatorial excellence and market appeal. “Derrick embodies this vision beautifully,” she added.

The exhibition marks the first time a gallery will host an exhibition at the Korean beauty conglomerate Amorepacific’s headquarters. The headquarters, designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect David Chipperfield, also houses the Amorepacific Museum of Art. 

▲ 'Where My Girls At' by Derrick Adams ⓒ the artist and GagosianNick Simunovic, Gagosian’s senior director, expressed excitement about the inaugural exhibition in Seoul. “We are thrilled to be hosting our inaugural exhibition in Seoul … The venue is an ideal location to celebrate Derrick Adams’s first exhibition in Korea and to share his work with such an important community of art enthusiasts and collectors,” he said in a press release.

Derrick Adams, a New York-based artist, has created a series of paintings inspired by the display windows of beauty supply stores near his Brooklyn studio and around the world. “He is an extraordinary artist garnering significant attention in today’s international art scene. Derrick’s works feature a distinctive visual language, developing an iconography centered on the joy, celebration, and confidence of Black culture,” Lee explained. Adams’s multidisciplinary approach, utilizing a range of materials with bold colors and expressions, makes him an ideal choice for Gagosian’s first Seoul project.

“Derrick Adams: The Strip” will run through October 12, offering visitors a unique opportunity to engage with the vibrant and culturally significant works of an artist whose influence is rapidly expanding on the international art stage.

Sayart / Nao Yim, yimnao@naver.com