Bo Young Song,
Vice President, Kukje Gallery
Bo Young Song
What makes Seoul an art city?
Relative to other big cities in Asia, Seoul has seen an even development among different art spheres including institutions, collectorship, galleries, and artists. Even outside of Seoul, Gwangju Biennale is one of the most anticipated events on the international art fair calendar, and the general public’s interest in these art events is very strong.
Kukje pioneered the international gallery model in Korea. How has the Seoul gallery scene changed since Kukje began, and in the last 5 years as more international attention has arrived in Seoul?
When Kukje Gallery was founded, it was imperative to educate the local audience on art and its importance as the awareness, interest, and infrastructure for arts and culture were lacking. This is why we’ve been holding weekly Academy events for our clients at the gallery, and continue to do so even today. In terms of the gallery’s programming, during our earlier days, we were focused more on modern, or historical artists to provide essential context.
Our aim was to provide a broad overview of what had been going on in the art world in the past century in order to help our audience foster a keen eye and cultivate tastes prior to exploring contemporary art, and I daresay this was a vital learning experience for the gallery as well. Today, we work with a wide range of artists and estates ranging from Yoo Youngkuk, the pioneering Korean abstractionist who was born in 1916, to Korakrit Arunanondchai, the young Thai multimedia artist.
With KIAF and now Frieze, do you think Seoul is becoming an (the?) art market hub of Asia? Is Seoul a global art power player? Why/not/when will it be?
While it remains to be seen, at least until after the first edition of Frieze Seoul! I definitely think that Seoul is on its way to becoming an art market hub and global art power player. We’re hopeful that the international attention on the Korean art market will further stimulate and enlarge its scale.
We believe that this will bring further opportunities to the country’s local artists—not just for sales but also for international representation—and in turn that the western galleries will bring their diverse pool of artists into the Korean market, further acquainting Korean collectors with what the art world has to offer. While competition is inevitable, we hope that it will, in the end, turn out to be a healthy and mutually beneficial one.
But we also need to think about the sustainability of this situation—Korean galleries must continue to cultivate and promote the careers of local artists in order to not become overshadowed by the quickly growing international presence in the local market.
Kukje Gallery
What does the scene here need more of and less of?
With international galleries opening outposts in Seoul, there’s definitely a need for these galleries to adapt to the local context and acquaint themselves with Korean artists. And in turn, I think it’s pertinent for institutions to keep in line with the rapid changes going on in the Korean art scene these days and strive to foster and maintain an international program and presence.
Favorite art spaces in Seoul?
A Room of Quiet Contemplation at the National Museum of Korea
While this presents a stark departure from any of the blockbuster works by blue-chip artists one will surely encounter at Frieze Seoul, it definitely provides a refuge from the prevailing hustle and bustle of the cosmopolitan capital. The exhibition consists of two pensive bodhisattva statues glimmering in a quiet, dimly lit room designed by the architect Choi Wook (101 Architects). Evoking an immaterial atmosphere which is a far cry from all the other art events taking place around the city throughout the fair week, the audience will find a much-needed moment of solitude and relief.
Korea Furniture Museum
For the scale and quality of its collection, the Korea Furniture Museum has remained one of the lesser visited museums in Korea–probably owing to its location in one of the most residential parts of the city and strictly by-reservation-only policy. Not only does this jewel of a museum house a vast collection of Korean traditional furniture, but also provides a beautiful landscape of traditional hanok architecture, altogether creating a unique setting where one will feel truly in Korea.
Korean artists who currently fascinate you?
Heejoon Lee is a young Korean artist we just began to work with—his paintings combine abstraction and photography that suggest a new dimension of space. He has a very instinctual practice in that he invests a lot of time in selecting the one image (out of many) that viscerally portrays his experience in a certain space, which I can relate to as I also have a keen interest in architecture. Lee just closed his first solo exhibition with us in Busan, and is looking forward to participating in a number of solo and group exhibitions in Korea this year and next.
What is unique about Seoul’s art gallery ecosystem?
Over these past few years, Korea has become truly global in many aspects. However, Korea has very strong ties to tradition which helps our contemporary art galleries adopt internationally viable characteristics (i.e.: it’s more difficult to find gallerists who are not fluent English speakers), yet at the same maintain a strong local presence (i.e.: a strong representation of Korean artists).
