AHAF shows international, in-person exhibition despite pandemic

Asia Hotel Art Fair Seoul 2020 kicked off Thursday afternoon at Nine Tree Premier Hotel Insadong in central Seoul, showcasing nearly 4,000 works from 60 galleries from home and abroad, offering art lovers the chance to collect works amid a series of art fair cancellations.

The biannual art fair aims to promote interaction among galleries across Asia as well as introduce promising artists. A variety of work, from paintings to sculptures, is on display inside the 71 hotel rooms on the 10th, 12th and 14th floors of the hotel, along with 40 booths at the Insa Central Museum located in the basement of the hotel where the special exhibitions take place.

Each gallery decorates allotted hotel rooms where, visitors can see how the works can be decorated in a room along with furniture. The special exhibitions at the Insa Central Museum include masterpieces by Korea’s modern and contemporary masters such as Lee Ufan, Paik Nam-june and Kim Tschang-yeul.

AHAF is held twice a year, in Korea and Hong Kong. The art fairs in Hong Kong, however, have been halted since the protests broke out in June last year. The art fair in Korea, which has been held at luxury hotels in Seoul and Busan, including Shilla Hotel Seoul, The Westin Chosun, Grand Hyatt Seoul and JW Marriott Seoul -- was scheduled to be held earlier this year but was pushed back to October due to the pandemic.

The art fair, which runs through Sunday, is organized by the AHAF Committee in corporation with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and Arts Council Korea. The timing of the next year’s AHAF in Seoul is in discussion and will be announced depending on the situation of the pandemic.

By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)