NMK unveils 1,300-year-old relics of Astana tombs

 The National Museum of Korea has opened the “Astana Tombs – A House of Eternity” exhibition in the Central Asia Gallery located on the third floor of the Permanent Exhibition Hall. The exhibition has on display figurines, pottery and documents discovered inside some 400 Astana tombs at a cemetery of the ruling class built near Turpan in Xinjiang, China, near the ancient city of Gaochang that dates back 1,300 years. The relics are recorded to have been discovered or tra

July 15, 2022

Exhibition on Korea’s pop culture to open in London’s V&A

A special exhibition exploring Korea’s pop culture and its historical roots will open in London this September. Britain’s Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum announced Thursday the opening of “Hallyu! The Korean Wave” exhibition on Sept. 24. Supported by Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the exhibition will run through June 25, 2023. It will look at the makings of the Korean Wave through movies, dramas, music and fandom, and explore its global impa

July 15, 2022

American sculptor Tom Sachs invites Seoulites to his artistic indoctrination

Long lines formed to see works by US sculptor Tom Sachs when the shows kicked off in late June at Art Sonje Center, Thaddaeus Ropac and Hybe Insight. Exhibitions of the same artist are running simultaneously at three different places across Seoul. Born in 1966, the New York-based artist’s sculptures present twists on contemporary society, culture, politics, and economy. A self-proclaimed guilty consumer living in an age of instant gratification, Sachs questions overconsumption and

July 13, 2022

22 artists bring BTS songs to life through ‘Beyond the Scene’

K-pop sensation BTS’ discographies are being presented as artworks at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, until July 30. The special exhibition, titled “Beyond the Scene” is being held to coincide with the third BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference, which is set to kick off on Thursday, bringing the septet’s songs and messages to life. The exhibition’s title comes from the K-pop act’s English initials and the idea of using art to &

July 13, 2022

MMCA to provide audio and sign language commentaries

Audio and sign language commentary programs for the visually and hearing impaired will be available for upcoming exhibitions, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea announced Monday. The museum is currently offering audio and sign language programs for “Prayer for Life: Special Exhibition of Korean Polychrome Painting” at MMCA Gwacheon, which runs through Sept. 25. The MMCA said that there will be four audio commentaries and six sign language commentaries by the

July 11, 2022

Paik Nam-june‘s 'The More, The Better' at MMCA ready to run in September

Influential Korean video artist Paik Nam-june‘s largest video tower, “The More, The Better,” will start operating at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, in September following the completion of a test run last week. “We will most likely resume operation in September to coincide with the exhibition ’The More, The Better Archive,‘” an official from the national museum told The Korea Herald on Monday. The e

July 11, 2022

Korea’s art market boom continues in 2022

South Korea’s art market is estimated to mark about 532.9 billion won ($410.2 million) for the first half of 2022, according to a report by the Korea Arts Management Service last week. The six-month figure amounted to 58 percent of the annual art market size of 2021, which was 915.7 billion won. Six major art fairs held in the first half of the year showed strong growth. The total sales reached 142.9 billion won, up 165.6 percent from the previous year. The total number of visitors also

July 10, 2022

Seoul eyes becoming art destination during September’s Frieze Seoul, Kiaf Seoul

An unprecedented number of galleries from around the world will come together in Seoul in early September for the inaugural Frieze Seoul, Kiaf Seoul and Kiaf Plus, the first joint opening of local and global art fairs in South Korea. Some 350 galleries will participate in Frieze Seoul, Kiaf Seoul and Kiaf Plus -- a satellite art fair of Kiaf Seoul which will feature newer galleries. As part of partnership between Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul, a single ticket will enable visitors to enter both

July 7, 2022

[Herald Interview] Bang Ui-geol brings ink wash paintings to immersive digital museum

An ink wash painting shows rain coming down through a mostly black-and-white forest. Though a still image, 84-year-old painter Bang Ui-geol’s “Showers I,” seems to bring the misty scene to life, evoking the sounds of heavy raindrops hitting trees and a gurgling valley stream. Bang has devoted his whole life to ink wash paintings, known as “sumukhwa,” that are created with black ink and brush. The different concentrations of black ink create distances and a profoun

July 5, 2022

What to see in Samcheong-dong galleries this week

If you want to see new art this week, visit the galleries of Samcheong-dong, a cozy and renowned neighborhood in central Seoul next to the main palace Gyeongbokgung. New works by conceptual artist Olafur Eliasson, who plays with light and color, are on display at PKM Gallery. The gallery has a restaurant where one can grab some coffee or a meal before or after enjoying works. Right next to PKM Gallery is Barakat Contemporary, where the first solo exhibition by Berlin-based Nevin Aladag, who ha

July 3, 2022

Two artistic directors appointed for Korean Pavilion at 2023 Venice Biennale

Cultural curator Jung So-ik and art professor Park Kyong will curate South Korea‘s national pavilion at the upcoming 2023 Venice Biennale, Arts Council Korea announced Thursday. It is the first time for Korean Pavilion to have joint curation at the global art biennale. The 18th International Architecture Exhibition will be held from May 18 to Nov. 26 in Venice, Italy, bringing together some 150 exhibitors from 30 countries with the theme of “The Laboratory of the Future,” le

June 30, 2022

Inaugural Frieze Seoul’s gallery lineup, programs unveiled

The inaugural Frieze Seoul will kick off in early September, bringing together some 110 galleries from 20 countries with special programs amid growing excitement about Seoul’s rise as an Asian art hub. Frieze Seoul is the first Frieze art fair to be held in Asia and the fifth to be launched by the global contemporary art platform. It will take place from Sept. 2 to 5 at Coex in Gangnam, southern Seoul, alongside KIAF, an art fair operated by the Galleries Association of Korea. Some 9

June 30, 2022

BTS’ RM hints at opening gallery for his art collection on Art Basel podcast

Art collector Kim Nam-joon, better known as RM from K-pop band BTS, hinted at opening a space to show his art collection in South Korea during an interview streamed on the Art Basel podcast. “This is my first time actually saying this. But seriously, I am planning to make a small space of my own private collection,” Kim said in an English-language interview on “Intersections: The Art Basel Podcast” released on Tuesday. He was responding to a question about whether the

June 30, 2022

[Feature] Korea’s forgotten polychrome paintings rediscovered

A 3-meter-long folding screen shows a variety of books, fruits and other assorted items on bookshelves. The bright colors -- mainly blue, green and yellow -- are used to depict the items that symbolize prosperity. An old plum tree stretches across the panels of the folding screen. The 19th-century folding screen painting “Chaekgeorido with Plum Blossoms” is on display at National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, as part of the exhibition

June 28, 2022

Loewe Craft Prize to hold 2022 exhibition in Seoul in July

Craft artworks nominated for one of the world's most prestigious craft awards will be exhibited at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art next month, officials said Tuesday. The Loewe Foundation Craft Prize, launched in 2016 by Spanish luxury label Loewe, is the world's most lucrative award for crafts people with a 50,000-euro prize. The works by this year's shortlist of 30 finalists will be displayed in the museum, the country's first museum dedicated to craft works, from July 1 to J

June 28, 2022

Resilience learned from nature informs Kwon Chi-gyu’s New York show

Kwon Chi-gyu delves into the concept of resilience with the belief that as humans, we all have the power to overcome, which is deeply embedded in ourselves. After the yearslong pandemic, people are incrementally returning to normal life, slowly overcoming the unprecedented challenge of a lifetime. Kwon has created sculptures inspired by nature -- more specifically nature in springtime, when the whole world seems to get its vitality back and earn new strength. The inspiration came naturally to

June 27, 2022

Exhibition traces development of metal craft in Korea

An exhibition exploring the work of the last jogakjang of the Joseon era is underway at the National Intangible Heritage Center in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province. Jogakjang are artisans who decorate metal surfaces with designs created through hammering or engraving. Metalcraft was an important part of traditional craftwork, as evidenced by a record of the profession in Gyeonggukdaejeon, a book covering the laws from the late Goryeo to the early Joseon era. The fifth in the annual series of ex

June 27, 2022

Memories of Korean War outbreak on June 25 transcended in art

The 1950-1953 Korean War claimed the lives of some 5 million people and left the Korean Peninsula split into two. Also known as “6.25 War” in South Korea to remember the date of the war’s outbreak, the Korean War remains an unforgettable pain in the nation’s history. Some 70 years have passed, and the devastating experience and vivid memories of survivors have become art by seven Korean artists at an exhibition titled “Confluence: The way of the Peace.” Taki

June 24, 2022

Songs of BTS brought to life by Army through ‘Beyond the Scene’

Art by 22 fans of K-pop sensation BTS will be presented at the Total Museum of Contemporary Art in Jongno-gu, Seoul, from July 1 through July 30. The museum said Monday that it would hold a special exhibition titled “Beyond the Scene” to coincide with the third BTS Global Interdisciplinary Conference, bringing the septet’s songs and messages to life. The art gallery added that the band’s lyrics, album titles and excerpts from members’ speeches are the main insp

June 22, 2022

Leeum Museum of Art puts young artists forefront with new project

Leeum Museum of Art has made another move to promote young and promising artists with their new exhibition, “ROOM Project.” This exhibition will take place in the museum‘s lobby, a newly installed space dedicated to up-and-coming artists. The project offers an opportunity for artists in their 20s and 30s to showcase their work and introduce their artistic vision. The museum plans to permanently run the exhibition space for emerging artists looking for a chance to present th

June 22, 2022