Frieze Seoul 2023 highlights, from Colde gig to expanded film section

Arts programme returns with movies, guest panels and live music in South Korean capital

Ken by artist Sun Yitian is on display at Frieze Seoul 2023, which returns for its second year. AFP

Electronic Renaissance, 2021 by artist Alex Da Corte. AFP

Yuko Mohri, I/O, 2011. Photo: Yutaka Kikutake

Mountain 6, a marble on granite work by Hamra Abbas. Photo: Lawrie Shabibi

Woo Hannah, Milk and Honey 4, 2023. Photo: G Gallery

Priyageetha Dia, Rite of the Time Teller, 2021. Photo: Ruey Loon

Offshoot, 2023, by Shailesh B R. AFP

Wet Books, 2023, by Angel Otero. AFP

Beautiful Remastered Rubellite Tourmaline Painting, 2007, by Damien Hirst. AFP

Combat I, 1978, by Philip Guston. AFP

Visitors walk past an artwork named "Who are the Flowers?, 2023" by artist Simon Fujiwara during the Frieze Seoul 2023 art fair in Seoul on September 6, 2023. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION

A man walks past an artwork named "Wooden Wood 40, 2023" by artist Yuichi Hirako during the Frieze Seoul 2023 art fair in Seoul on September 6, 2023. (Photo by Jung Yeon-je / AFP) / RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE - MANDATORY MENTION OF THE ARTIST UPON PUBLICATION - TO ILLUSTRATE THE EVENT AS SPECIFIED IN THE CAPTION

Surge (social cataracts), 2021, by Oscar Murillo. AFP

Weave Magenta, 2023, by Sean Scully. AFP

The second Frieze Seoul is under way, marking the South Korean city's growth as an esteemed arts capital.

Running until Saturday, Frieze Seoul is taking place primarily at the Convention and Exhibition Centre. The fair presents an extensive arts programme, an expanded film section and talks, as well as a new music aspect that features a live performance by South Korean singer Colde.

Here are some of the highlights.

Frieze Film

The film programme is being held under the theme "It was the way of walking through narrative".

The programme is being curated by Sungah Serena Choo and Kim Sung-woo. It features works by 14 artists living in South Korea and explores how film can be used to explore marginalised histories. The films follow a non-linear approach fusing past, present and future.

The works will be showcased across four spaces, including Amado Art Space and Mother Offline, both of which are in Hannam-dong; Boan 1942 in Tongui-dong; and Insa Art Space in Samcheong-dong.

Frieze Talks

As Frieze Seoul is running simultaneously with the Korean International Art Fair, a number of the talks will be held in collaboration between the two entities, as well as with the Korea Arts Management Service.

Panelists will share their thoughts on K-art, and the network of art fairs across Asia. They will discuss experimental works coming from South Korea, environmental issues and different approaches towards collecting art.

Visitors take a look around at the Frieze art fair in Seoul. Reuters

Panellists include artists and industry professionals such as Doryun Chong, deputy director of M+ museum in Hong Kong; artist Kim Heecheon; Eva Jager, a curator at London’s Serpentine Galleries; artists Jeon Joonho and Moon Kyungwon; Yung Ma, curator at Hayward Gallery in London; and Seng Yu Jin, senior curator and deputy director of the National Gallery Singapore.

The talks will be held at Studio 159 and will be free to attend.

Frieze Music

The newest addition to Frieze Seoul is the introduction of a music segment.

The programme, presented with BMW, will host a concert by Colde at New Garage, Seongsu-dong, on Friday. The singer-songwriter will be joined by two artists from his Waby label, Apro and Khakii.

The Galleries

Visitors walk past an artwork named Who are the Flowers?, 2023 by artist Simon Fujiwara. AFP

More than 120 international galleries are participating.

These include ones from Ghana, the US, the UK and France. However, art from across Asia remains a major focus, with several galleries from South Korea, Japan, China, the Philippines and Hong Kong participating.

Collaboration with non-profits

Frieze is partnering with the Arts Council Korea, better known as Arko, for a string of activations. The two groups are promoting events across 35 non-profit spaces with the aim of bolstering independent and artist-run establishments. While several of the non-profits have benefited from the Arko Selection Visual Art programme, another 14 will also receive support with the aim of boosting the arts and culture scene in Seoul.

The activations include Kim Dan’s exhibition Bulsagari at Geomang Creative Studio. It takes its name from the mythic being that eats iron and chases away nightmares and negative energy. It features ceramic works that Dan created by reusing his peers' broken works.

After the Sustainable at CR Collective, meanwhile, features works by Kim Tae-yeon, Youn Ju-hee and Cho Jai-young, as well as the Mix n Fix artist group, who deconstruct their old works and turn them into minuscule forms.

More information is available at frieze.com