Under the directorship of Patrick Lee, Frieze Seoul returns for its second edition, hosted by COEX in the Gangnam district of the city from 6–9 September 2023. Taking place alongside Kiaf SEOUL, the fair celebrates the South Korean capital’s creative communities with a series of ambitious projects and collaborations. This year’s fair brings together more than 120 leading galleries from across the world, and a core of Asia-based exhibitors with a particular emphasis on those operating in Korea. The programme also includes two dedicated sections: Focus Asia, for solo presentations from young galleries based across the continent, and Frieze Masters, for art from antiquity to the 20th century. A new edition of Frieze Viewing Room will open on 30 August, offering an early look at the galleries’ presentations online. Ahead of both the fair’s online and physical launches, Something Curated previews what we can look forward to.
This year’s Focus Asia, co-curated by Hyejung Jang and Joselina Cruz, returns with ten solo artist presentations from galleries in the region, all founded in or after 2011. Cylinder shows Sinae Yoo’s new series of works, including an altarpiece reminiscent of Old Master paintings. Woo Hannah, the recipient this year of the inaugural Frieze Artist Award in Seoul, supported by Bulgari, is showing fabric installations at G Gallery with the central motif of a mythic female god. Yutaka Kikutake brings site-specific works by Yuko Mohri, including Decomposition, which uses a synthesiser to translate the rotting of fruit into harmony. A series of Prae Pupityastaporn’s diptychs, finding a dreamlike insight into the flux and fragility of memory, are on show at Nova Contemporary. Yeo Workshop is presenting new works by Priyageetha Dia created with 3D animation and game engine software, continuing the artist’s research into Southeast Asian plantation histories.
