Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul, aiming to become Asia's largest art fairs, on Wednesday released the list of galleries participating in the event opening at COEX in Samseong-dong, Gangnam-gu, on Sept. 2. Frieze Seoul, running through Sept. 5, will feature more than 125 galleries from 30 countries, while Kiaf Seoul, continuing through Sept. 6, will host 175 galleries from 18 countries. More than 300 gallery booths will welcome visitors at COEX during the same period.
Frieze is ranked alongside Art Basel as one of the world's two largest art fairs. It chose Seoul as its first destination in Asia and has maintained a "joint hosting" framework since 2022 with Kiaf Seoul, Korea's largest art fair organized by the Galleries Association of Korea.
The main section of Frieze Seoul, "Galleries," will feature more than 85 major galleries from around the world, including Hauser & Wirth, David Zwirner, Thaddaeus Ropac, Sprüth Magers, Pace, Lehmann Maupin, Gladstone, Esther Schipper, White Cube and Lisson Gallery. However, the world's top-tier gallery "Gagosian," which had participated until last year, decided not to take part. Galleries such as Axel Vervoordt Gallery, David Kordansky and Mendes Wood DM, which did not participate last year, will return to Frieze Seoul this year. Korea's representative galleries, including Kukje Gallery, Arario, Gallery Baton, Gallery Hyundai, Gana Art, Hakgojae, Jason Haam, Johyun Gallery, Leeahn Gallery, P21 and PKM Gallery, will also participate. More than 70 percent of the galleries participating in Frieze Seoul are from the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, independent curators Cho Hye-young, Ko Won-seok and Lee Seol-hee will each take charge of the "Curation" section to showcase the diversity of contemporary art.
Kiaf, marking its 25th anniversary this year, will feature leading domestic galleries such as Sun Gallery, Pyo Gallery and Wooson Gallery, as well as overseas galleries including Whitestone Gallery of Hong Kong, Art of the World Gallery of Houston in the United States, and Kornfeld Gallery of Berlin, Germany. Fifteen overseas galleries, including Nino Mier Gallery of the United States, Anna Nova Gallery of Russia and JD Malat of the United Kingdom, along with five domestic galleries including Gallery Hesed, Hedwig Gallery and Hori Artspace, will join Kiaf Seoul for the first time this year. Designer Jung Ku-ho will participate as general director this year.
Lee Sung-hun, chairman of the Galleries Association of Korea and head of the Kiaf organizing committee, said, "As an international platform where the world's major galleries and Korea's leading galleries gather in one place to survey the diverse trends and possibilities of contemporary art, it will continue to maintain its standing."
