Koo Jeong-a illuminates the invisible

ARLES, France — At first, “Seven Stars,” an installation of 10 paintings by Koo Jeong-a, also known as Koo Jeong A, on view at LUMA Arles in southern France, appears to be a set of abstract paintings. But in a single moment, the space turns into a cosmic world with stars appearing to glow in the dark — like the stars in the sky that are invisible in daylight, but always present. Only 10 people at a time are allowed into the maze-like space at Koo’s new solo exhibition. When the light fades out,

July 31, 2025

Agarmon: monster 'born at the moment of orgasm' questions birth, existence

A mysterious translucent object with moss on it occupies the center of the Seoul Box at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea. The object is placed on a stainless steel installation with an overhead lamp. The floor of the installation is covered with stones. The creature, named “Agarmon 5,” is composed of agar and moss, and the “Agarmon Incubator” controls water, humidity and lighting, creating an artificial environment to sustain the creature's life. Korean artist Tzusoo, wh

July 31, 2025

Gwangju Biennale Foundation's new president tasked with balancing local, global demands

Soon after his inauguration, Youn Bum-mo, the newly appointed president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, shared his concerns about how to expand the "May 18 spirit" to the global stage as a new generation emerges. Youn, a former director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, said Gwangju was a rare case globally as the city is associated with a “spirit." In turn, this has formed the identity of the biennale. The May 18 spirit derives from the May 18 Gwangju Democratic

July 28, 2025

Six artists explore personal narratives beyond politics at Atelier Hermes in Seoul

In the group exhibition, “The Second Life,” Atelier Hermes in Seoul has gathered six artists who explore how individual lives are shaped beyond social and political discourse, drawing on personal stories. Curator Ahn So-yeon said Thursday that the participating artists — Bek Hyun-jin, Lee Yona, Han & Mona, Kim Bo-kyung and Park Min-ha — each took a "slice of life" approach to create new work for the exhibition. “These days, an overwhelming number of exhibitions are being produced around socio-po

July 27, 2025

Art tour to Arles: where ancient legacies fuel contemporary creativity

ARLES, France — Located on the banks of the Rhone River in southern France, the city of Arles has witnessed over 2,000 years of history and was once a crucial spot for military movement and commerce in Roman times. Home to a population of 53,000, Arles is full of cultural gems. From traces of Vincent Van Gogh to remnants of structures built under Julius Caesar during its time as a Roman colony, visitors to Arles often feel as though they are discovering hidden treasures when exploring the city.

July 24, 2025

Frieze to bring underrepresented LGBTQ+ art to the fore in Seoul

Seoul’s art scene is set to receive its annual injection of fresh energy this fall with a series of art events during Frieze Week. This year, topics exploring queer identity — largely consigned to the margins here — will be highlighted in some of the art fair's main events. Frieze Seoul, which runs Sept. 3 to 6 at Coex in Gangnam-gu, southern Seoul, returns for its fourth edition with more than 120 galleries from nearly 30 countries and a full program of live art, performances, films, talks and

July 23, 2025

Busan Biennale 2026 to be led by Amal Khalaf, Evelyn Simons

Curators Amal Khalaf and Evelyn Simons will collaborate to lead the Busan Biennale 2026 — the second-largest art biennale in South Korea — to be held from September to November next year. Khalaf has expanded her curatorial experiences globally, most recently serving as co-curator of the 16th Sharjah Biennale that concluded in June and directing the Bahrain Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2019 as a co-curator. The London-based curator is preparing to open “Ghost 2568: Wish We Were Here,” a vid

July 22, 2025

Airports awash in art in summer

Travelers passing through South Korea's three major airports during the peak holiday season will have impressive artworks to gaze at as they wait to check in or board their flights. Some 30 artworks by 14 Korean artists will be on display at the Incheon, Gimpo and Gimhae international airports ahead of the busy summer and influx of travelers visiting for Frieze Seoul (Sept. 3-6) and related events during Korea's art week. The initiative seeks to promote works by emerging or mid-career Korean art

July 18, 2025

Former MMCA Director Youn Bum-mo appointed as Gwangju Biennale Foundation president

Youn Bum-mo, the former director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, has been appointed president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation and will lead the organization ahead of the upcoming Gwangju Design Biennale in August and the 2026 Gwangju Biennale. The foundation's board made the decision in a meeting on Thursday, according to the foundation, in recognition of Youn’s contribution to Minjung art and his service as director of the state-run museum from 2019 to 2023. As

July 18, 2025

Seoul's weekend visual feast

From a K-pop idol’s whimsical showroom to a rare Chagall retrospective and Korea’s biggest secondhand furniture market, here’s where to indulge your visual senses. Inside the whimsical world of K-pop's creative visionary What happens when K-pop's most eccentric artist opens a homeware shop? Welcome to Say Touche, the brainchild of AKMU's Lee Chan-hyuk. The singer-songwriter who once shaved his head mid-performance on live TV has channeled his offbeat creative vision into a different medium. Last

July 18, 2025