[What to See] Summer gallery hopping in Gangnam, Hannam, Samcheong

Exhibitions are in full swing for the summer. Koenig Seoul is presenting a group exhibition of female Asian artists. Gallery Hyundai is hosting a solo exhibition of Korean artist Lee Seul-gi for the first time in six years. And British artist Billy Childish's unique brush strokes and color use shown at Lehmann Maupin is another must-see exhibition this month.

Female Asian artists at Koenig Seoul

A group exhibition of 12 female Asian artists is on view at Koenig Seoul in Cheongdam-dong, many of whom are showing with the gallery for the first time, bringing together some 40 works under the theme of “Traces and Threads.”

The relevance and centrality of tracing and threading takes many forms, as they are seen in the gestural, raw tactility of Japanese artist Ayako Rokkaku’s hand-painting and the deployment of actual thread in Japanese artist Chiharu Shiota’s intricate works on paper. In Chinese-born artist Xiyao Wang’s epic tableaux, charcoal traces the artist’s body as she created her arabesque marks.

Part of the exhibition are Korean artist Shin Min’s collages and sculptures that showcase unattractive portrayals of young laborers, unveiling the suffering endured by everyday people.

The Seoul exhibition run until July 27. The gallery is running spaces in Seoul, Berlin, Munich and Mexico.

Playful metaphor exhibition at Gallery Hyundai

Korean artist Lee Seul-gi showcases her second solo show at Gallery Hyundai in Samcheong-dong. Lee’s works are famously known for works that embody playful metaphors.

The exhibition “Samsam” revolves around her new series “Biane Hanging Board Project,” created during her few monthslong stay in Korea.

The title of the exhibition “Samsam” was inspired by the Korean term "samsamhada," meaning “the appearance looks decent” or “crystal clear as if seeing it right in front of your eyes," according to the gallery.

With some 20 works at the exhibition, Lee explores a wide spectrum of meanings and sensations that look into the past and present of human civilization.

Lee, who was born in Korea and is based in Paris, explores metaphors in ordinary objects and different languages through installation works and folkcraft, often in collaboration with community artisans. The exhibition runs through Aug. 4.

Billy Childish's vibrant brushstrokes at Lehmann Maupin

British artist Billy Childish’s new paintings are on view at Lehmann Maupin in Seoul, featuring a series of quietly beautiful landscapes such as peaceful spring forests, dark moonlit waters and heavenly snow-capped mountains. The exhibition “Now Protected, I Step Forth” opened on July 4, running through Aug.17.

Childish is known for his vivid, emotionally charged work. According to the gallery, he paints on warm linen canvas, working quickly and intuitively to realize each work, sketching the underlying composition in charcoal within a hand-drawn frame and using a rich palette of oil paint to render light, shadow, volume, and form.

The way the artist has practiced his art has been prolific. Over the last four decades, Childish has recorded more than 170 LPs, published several novels and written more than 40 volumes of poetry in addition to creating paintings.

The gallery is now located in Hannam-dong neighborhood after relocating from Samcheong-dong to expand its space in 2021.

In 2021, the gallery relocated from Samcheong-dong to its current space in the Hannam-dong neighborhood to expand its facilities.