Korean Art London is a new visual arts event for the capital that celebrates the astonishing creative output of South Korea.
Held throughout all three Mall Galleries spaces in London’s West End, Korean Art London comprises an artists’ fair, a site-specific installation by an artists collective, and a showcase of key works by major South Korean artists.
Selected by international curators, works by over thirty artists arrive in London this summer.
Korean Art London (KAL) is led by gallerist and curator Rok Hee Hwang. Supported by the Federation of Artistic & Cultural Organisation of Korea (FACOK), Hwang is bringing over thirty contemporary South Korean artists to Mall Galleries, in the heart of London’s West End. The showcase will take over all three of the gallery’s spaces (totalling 450sqm), comprising an artist’s fair, a site-specific collaborative exhibition, and a show of key works.
In a 2022 interview with FAD Magazine, Hwang said: ‘Modern technologies have vastly shifted cultural traditions in South Korea, yet a longing for identity and practice of culture remains. The artists bring their experiences of South Korean culture and tradition into a postmodern world, yet they enjoy reproducing and reconstituting Korean Masters’ techniques through their work.’
Hwang is the CEO of Mews Gallery, Gangwon-do, which she founded to promote the world-class visual and performing arts of Korea, with a focus on international touring exhibitions. Mews Gallery, in partnership with FACOK, has a successful history of organising contemporary art shows in the UK and Australia. Korean Art London 2023 will be the first of in a series.
The K-Wave
South Korea’s dynamic culture – notably K-pop and K-drama – has had a major impact on the world’s creative industries. After hosting its first Frieze art fair in September 2022, Seoul is now seen as south-east Asia’s visual art capital. While the Korean diaspora in London is estimated to be around 20,000 (53,000 nationwide), there are fans of K-culture everywhere and the V&A’s exhibition, Hallyu! The Korean Wave has proved hugely popular. Korean Art London 2023 is set to be the next creative wave to crash over the UK.
In order to encourage creative exchange, and to provide the artists with the best possible platform for introducing their work to the London art world, the artists are staying in the capital during the exhibition.
‘Our mission is to show the world-class quality of Korean contemporary art, as well as the outstanding talents of individual Korean artists. We are here to provide a platform, leading to exhibition debut opportunities around the world.’ KAL 2023
The Artists
Painting: Na Ri Choi, Jin Hyun Nam, Lee K, Mi Ran Woo, Sang Woon Nam, Ji Young Hong, Anikoon, Won Seok Lee, Dong Jin Kim, Ha Jin Lee, Ji Yeun Hong, Jeong Min Kim, SUU, Sun Ok Lim, Chae Rim Heo, Duk Hwan Cho, Gyu Won Lee, Kyoung Mook Park, Ellyang, J RYU, Soon Young Yang, Jun Won Lee, Sung Hee Kim.
Mixed media: Hyoung Pyo Hong, Choong Mok Yoo, Je Won Yoon, Jin Seok Lee, MeME, So Ri Shin. Photography: Mi Jeong Cho, Sculpture: Min Chan Kim. Print: Ju Eun Chung. Product Design: Jong Beom Kwak.
Links:
- Instagram @koreanartlondon