[What to see] Gallery-hopping: From Korean abstract art pioneer to Urs Fischer

Take a stroll in downtown Seoul to check out some art amid the autumn breeze, works by emerging artists at Peres Projects near Songhyeon Yeollin Park, Korean pioneering abstract artist at PKM Gallery in Samcheong-dong and Swiss-born, US-based artist Urs Fischer at Jason Haam in Seongbuk-gu.

Emerging artists at Peres Projects

Peres Projects in Seoul is currently presenting exhibitions of British artist Rebecca Ackroyd and Danish artist Anton Munar. Ackroyd's “The Party Is A Woman” marks the fourth solo exhibition with the gallery while Munar’s “Malas Hierbas” is the artist’s first solo exhibition in Asia.

There is an uncanny familiarity in Ackroyd’s pictorial universe, the strange feeling of recognizing something without really knowing what it is. Her paintings on canvas and drawings on paper show open or shut eyes, ripped tights, bruised skin and pieces of machinery dismantled and rebuilt into new architecture.

The title of Munar’s exhibition, “Malas Hierbas,” implies an arbitrary hierarchy of worthiness in -- and perhaps even beyond -- the vegetal realm. Those semantics inspired the artist to reflect on what can be a biased perception of the world around us.

The young artist’s works on canvas, paper and wood drawers as well as a video piece are shown along with some plants he encountered and cut while walking around the city of Seoul. The two exhibitions run through Oct. 27.

Yoo Young-kuk's unveiled paintings at PKM Gallery

Pioneering abstract artist Yoo Young-kuk’s 34 oil paintings from the 1950s to the 1980s, including some shown to the public for the first time, are on display through Oct. 10 at PKM Gallery.

A first-generation Korean abstract painter who studied painting in Tokyo, he developed his artistic style by merging traditional Korean perspectives on nature with modern abstract art. His paintings are known to feature the so-called “golden mean,” referring to a state of balance or desirable middle between two extremes.

Urs Fischer's solo exhibition at Jason Haam

The exhibition “Feelings” by renowned Swiss-born artist Urs Fischer, who is based in New York and Los Angeles, at Jason Haam in Seongbuk-gu spans 15 years of the artist's career, offering an in-depth understanding of his creative world.

Known for bold multimedia work that encompasses sculptures, photography, paintings and installations, Fischer is one of the most influential contemporary artists today. The exhibition features some new works from the artist’s trademark series, “Problem Paintings.”

“Unusual for a gallery, this exhibition takes on the character of a retrospective, not only featuring Fischer’s new works but also encompassing a large portion of his career,” the gallery noted on the show. The exhibition runs through Dec. 7.