Must-See Exhibitions During Frieze Seoul 2024

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As Frieze Seoul, running from September 4 through 7, draws international attention, galleries as well as nonprofits across the city are unveiling a series of innovative and compelling exhibitions.

The K11 Art Foundation opens with ‘Lunar Water,’ a generative art show featuring works by a’strict, Tyler Hobbs, and Cheng Ran, supported by Flipster and LG OLED. CR Collective’s ‘Bongnae-san-Formosa Project’ delves into themes of marginalization through sculpture. Moreover, Kim Sajik’s ‘All Life Comes from the Center of the Circle’ combines traditional Korean tales with contemporary themes. Sterling Ruby’s ‘The Flower Cutter Rests on Dust Covered Steps’ at Shinsegae Gallery and Oh Suk Kuhn’s ‘Practicality and Prosperity’ at AV Pavilion further explore perspectives through abstract lenses. Lastly, ‘Platypuses and Unicorns’ investigates human-centered views on non-human entities.

Learn more about these exhibition shows below and be sure to mark them on your calendar.

K11 Art Foundation’s ‘Lunar Water’ Exhibition

K11 Art Foundation

K11 Art Foundation launches its Frieze Seoul events with the Moon Party, celebrating Korea’s Moon Festival and introducing its first generative art exhibition, Lunar Water. Supported by Flipster and LG OLED, the exhibit features generative works by a’strict, Tyler Hobbs, and Cheng Ran. Cheng Ran, in collaboration with Genify and Bohan Sun, reimagines his film “In Course of the Miraculous” into a generative artwork. Hobbs displays pioneering NFT pieces, while a’strict presents an immersive digital installation titled “Waterfall — Sands”. Adrian Cheng will also unveil the K11 Salon and K11 Curator Prize. The exhibition runs from September 4 to 7.

Seoul Auction
636-4 Sinsa-dong
Gangnam District, Seoul
South Korea

Na Hyun’s ‘Bongraesan-FORMOSA Project’ at CR Collective

Cr Collective

The ‘Bongnae-san-Formosa Project’ by Na Hyun at CR Collective is a sculptural exploration rooted in archival research on the legends surrounding Qin Shi Huang’s quest for the elixir of life on Bongnae-san and the plants associated with a mythical island once known as Formosa.

The “CR” in CR Collective is inspired by Ham Seok-heon’s concept of “CR Thought,” focusing on marginalized individuals who are excluded from mainstream society and those with the potential to drive historical change. The collective also draws from William Morris’s vision of aesthetic labor, advocating for a society that values individuality while promoting equality—a romantic utopian ideal. CR Collective has three main goals: to discover and support emerging artists, to establish value from marginalized communities, and to create meta-art that integrates art into daily life.

CR Collective
504-29 Yeonnam-dong,
Mapo-gu, Seoul
South Korea

Kim Sajik’s ‘All life issues forth from the center of the circle’ at The Reference

The Reference

On view through September 22, ‘All Life Comes from the Center of the Circle’ is Kim Sajik’s first solo exhibition in Korea. A third-generation Korean artist living in Japan, Kim has explored themes of origin, existence, and identity through contemporary narratives inspired by traditional Korean folktales. His notable work, “STORY”, a series of stage photography also published as a photo collection, reflects his experiences as a diaspora dealing with dualism in Japanese society. This exhibition provides a space for viewers to connect with the artist’s examination of collective trauma and personal identity, encouraging individual interpretations of hybridity and memory.

The Reference
44 Jahamun-ro 24-gil,
Jongno District, Seoul
South Korea

Sterling Ruby’s ‘The Flower Cutter Rests on Dust Covered Steps’ at Shinsegae Gallery

Shinsegae Gallery Cheongdam

Shinsegae Gallery Cheongdam will host ‘The Flower Cutter Rests on Dust Covered Steps’, a solo exhibition by Sterling Ruby, running through November 30 at Shinsegae Gallery Cheongdam in Seoul, South Korea. Ruby, a leading contemporary American artist, showcases new works that span various mediums, each rooted in material, process, and history. The exhibition unfolds across several rooms, each dedicated to distinct projects—from sensual ceramics and symbolic collages to austere aluminum sculptures and explosive paintings. The title evokes a gardener’s role in nurturing growth, decay, and renewal, with the artworks revealing a sense of melancholy and the fragility of nature and civilizations.

Shinsegae Gallery
21 Apgujeong-ro 60-gil
Gangnam District, Seoul
South Korea

Oh Suk Kuhn’s ‘Practicality & Prosperity’ at AV Pavilion

Av Pavilion

‘Practicality and Prosperity’ at the Audiovisual Pavilion explores how homes serve as both functional living spaces and cultural symbols, reflecting societal values and historical shifts—from foreign influences to the integration of traditional Korean motifs. Running through September 29 , this exhibition is Seok-Kun Oh’s first solo show in Korea in five years. It delves into Korean housing through the lenses of “practicality” and “prosperity,” drawing on over a decade of his research and observations.

The exhibition highlights how Japanese-style houses from the colonial era were adapted by Koreans after liberation and how traditional beliefs about prosperity have influenced modern housing. Through photographs, Oh examines Koreans’ practical responses to their historical challenges and their core values. The show provides insight into how homes represent historical narratives and the forms of life shaped by those narratives.

AV Pavilion
38-118 Yongmun-dong
Yongsan District, Seoul
South Korea

‘Platypuses and Unicorns’ at BOAN1942

Boan1942

On view until October 6 at BOAN1942,‘Platypuses and Unicorns’ examines human-centered and classificatory perspectives on non-human entities. The artists explore who defines and crosses the boundaries between species, plants, animals, and gender.

Originally serving travelers for nearly eighty years, BOAN INN reinvented itself in 2007 as a cultural hub for creators. In 2017, it evolved into BOAN1942, building on the rich history of its past visitors. Today, ARTSPACE BOAN, which includes three distinct exhibition areas, explores diverse media to highlight contemporary art and fosters practices that question and reshape cultural populism.

BOAN1942
33 Hyoja-ro
Jongno District, Seoul
South Korea

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