Global Art Masters Descend on South Korea for Packed Second-Half Exhibition Schedule

South Korea's art landscape is set to be enriched by a series of high-profile exhibitions featuring globally acclaimed artists in the second half of the year. Following a visually striking first half, the latter months promise a deep dive into conceptual art and masterful painting and sculpture.

Exhibitions will showcase the legacies of influential figures such as Sol LeWitt, a pioneer of conceptual art known for his instructions-based creations, and Georg Baselitz, a German painter celebrated for his inverted figurative works that powerfully expressed post-war European societal disruption. Visitors can anticipate seeing parts of Baselitz's final series of paintings, which debuted in Venice after his passing in April. His retrospective at the Sehwa Museum of Art in Seoul, opening August 13, is described as the largest since his death and will include drawings and reliefs.

“

Baselitz, who passed away in April, expressed the destroyed order of post-war European society through his inverted paintings, exerting a powerful influence on the global art world.

Conceptual artist Sol LeWitt's exhibition opens September 1 at the Amorepacific Museum of Art in Seoul. His work, often created by third parties following his detailed instructions, challenges notions of authorship and originality. The exhibition will feature his signature wall drawings, sculptures, and paintings, representing his significant contribution to minimalism.

“

As Baselitz was alive, this exhibition is the largest since his death, and we will present an exhibition befitting the artist's reputation.

Korean artists will also take center stage. Do Ho Suh's exhibition at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Seoul, opening August 27, will span his early works, signature pieces, and ongoing projects, notably his "Home Within Home" series recreating his former residences in translucent fabric. The Leeum Museum of Art will host a solo exhibition by conceptual artist Koo Jeong-a in September, known for her site-specific installations in unexpected locations.

Adding to the cultural calendar are the Gwangju Biennale, opening September 5 under the theme "You Are the World," and the Busan Biennale, starting August 29 with the theme "We, the People." Both events will feature numerous international artists exploring contemporary issues. Photographer Martin Parr's first retrospective in Asia opens August 16 at the Seoul Museum of Photography. The exhibition will include his impactful documentary work, featuring photographs taken in North and South Korea during the late 1990s and early 2000s. Additionally, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon, will present "Georgia O'Keeffe and American Modern Art" from November, showcasing works from the Art Institute of Chicago.

“

We are planning a space for solidarity where different experiments and practices converse and amplify each other in one place.