The 10th Busan Annual Market of Art, the largest since the event’s inception in 2012, closed Sunday having attracted a huge number of visitors and a record number of participating galleries.  Also known as BAMA, the art fair kicked off Thursday with 176 galleries from South Korea and abroad and showcased nearly 4,000 artworks -- more than ever before in the fair’s history.  “We are still aggregating the number of visitors but we saw a lot of visitors despite the

Artwork by a US graffiti artist that was damaged by two viewers is likely to be restored at the request of the artist, according to one of the organizers of the exhibition it was being shown at. “We received a reply from the artist saying he wants the work to be restored. We will discuss whether to persuade the artist again,” Kang Wook, CEO of Contents Creator of Culture, the co-organizer of the exhibition told The Korea Herald on Tuesday. The artwork “Untitled” by Jo

The MMCA Art Bank will lend its collections to art institutions across the country, offering cultural experiences to people in different parts of South Korea. The exhibitions will take place at Danwon Art Museum in Gyeonggi Province from April to May, Gangneung Art Center in Gangwon Province from July to August, Smiling Arts Center in Daegu from September to October, and Hadong Art Gallery in South Gyeongsang Province from October to early December. “The MMCA Art Bank’s special e

GWANGJU -- Documentary photographic works of a shaman woman removing a bloody ox head mask during a ritual for protecting people from evil and people preparing for a traditional ceremony for their deceased relative are on display at the entrance of the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall. The photographs are by documentary photographer Lee Gap-chul, who depicts the realms of the real and the unseen. The 13th Gwangju Biennale kicked off Thursday for a 39-day run under the theme of “Min

GWANGJU -- One big change at the 13th Gwangju Biennale is that the public has access to Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall 1, free of charge. It is now an open space for visitors and ticketing as well as an exhibition hall. “I thought it was inconvenient for visitors to purchase tickets and wait outside so I suggested using Exhibition Hall 1 as a meeting place as well as a place to appreciate the artworks,” said Kim Sun-jung, president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, during

Works of art are among the items that can now be bought at a department store. Seoul Foundation for Arts and Culture said it has opened “S-store” on the fourth floor of Lotte Department Store in Gangnam, Seoul, Friday. A total of 63 artworks by 26 artists are on display at the store. The price of the art pieces ranges from 10,000 won to 1 million won, according to SFAC. The store is part of the SFAC and Lotte Department Store Gangnam’s project to jointly create a structure

Euljiro, the very center of Seoul with Subway Line 2 passing through, has the longest underground walkway in South Korea. The 3.3-kliometer underground walkway runs all the way from Seoul City Hall Station, through Euljiro 1-ga Station and on to Dongdaemun History and Culture Park Station. It is not just a pedestrian tunnel with a lot of commercial shops, but also d a street where culture and arts co-exist.  Because it is underground, the street offers a pleasant environment to enjoy ex

GWANGJU -- The 13th Gwangju Biennale was unveiled to the public Thursday with the theme of “Minds Rising, Spirits Tuning” in the city of Gwangju, following two delays since last year due to the sudden outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic. The long-anticipated art biennale showcases a broad range of 450 works of art from 69 artists and collectives across 40 countries, including more than 40 commissioned works created for the biennale. “Minds Rising, Spirits Tuning” fo

A number of masterpieces by Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, including “Massacre in Korea,” will be shown in Seoul for the first time in May at an exhibition marking the 140th anniversary of the artist’s birth. The exhibition “Into the Myth,” running from May 1 to Aug. 29 at the Hangaram Arts Center Museum, will feature some 110 works that Picasso completed from the early 1900s to the 1960s, according to the Vichae Art Museum, the organizer of the exhibition. The e

Pablo Picasso's painting depicting the 1950-53 Korean War will be displayed for the first time in South Korea, an exhibition agency said Monday. The "Massacre in Korea", one of a series of anti-war paintings by the legendary Spanish artist, will be exhibited at the Hangaram Arts Center Museum inside the Seoul Arts Center in southern Seoul, from May 1 to August 29, according to the organizer, Vichae Art Museum. The painting depicts a group of naked women and children threatened at a

Korean-born and Paris-based installation artist Lee Seul-gi enjoys using metaphors. She explores metaphors in ordinary objects and different languages through installation works and folkcraft often in collaboration with community artisans. Some of her well-known artworks are her Korean “nubi,” or quilt blanket series, that show diagrammatic designs that are whimsically translated into Korean proverbs. Lee, who recently won the Korea Artist Prize 2020, is currently showing “D

Online runway shows featured artworks and national treasures at museums

Installation artist Lee Seul-gi has won the Korea Artist Prize 2020, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea announced Thursday. Inspired by traditional craft and folk art, Lee is known for her exploration of the relationship between humans and nature transcending boundaries. For her new work “Dong Dong Dari Gori” on show at the Korea Artist Prize 2020 exhibition at MMCA Seoul, she collaborated with master artisans such as Korean quilters in Tongyeong, South Gyeon

Painter Choi Suk-un captures moments from everyday life, depicting the scenes in his own witty ways. Those who view his paintings would laugh out loud at his wit and creativity. The humor and wit shown in the paintings come from his personality and his belief that an artist and one’s paintings should go hand in hand, representing one another. Otherwise, one or the other is lying, the artist believes. When the pandemic hit, instead of dampening his spirits, it served as inspiration for t

An exhibition in New York that sheds light on Korean immigrant artists in the US is being held at the Korean Cultural Center New York. The exhibition “Creation Continua: Park Joon Photo Portraits of Korean Artist Diaspora in Greater New York” presents photographs of 50 Korean immigrant artists who came to the US in the latter part of the 20th century and are active in their practice. The photographs were taken by Korean American photographer Park Joon, who moved to the US in 198