Fair to feature Latin American art

Fernando Botero’s “Mujer entrando a su casa” will be shown at the Korea International Art Fair 2012 at COEX in southern Seoul, from Sept. 13 to 17. (Photo : Galeria el Museo and KIAF)

Meet Botero, Cruz-Deiz, Soto next month

The Korea International Art Fair (KIAF) 2012, the largest of its kind in Korea, will offer a variety of artwork and related events at COEX in Samseong-dong, southern Seoul, from Sept. 13 to 17.

Organized by the Galleries Association of Korea, KIAF aims to become the hub of the Asian art market. In 2012, 181 galleries from 20 countries will offer a variety of works.

Out of the 181, 120 are Korean galleries and 11 are from Germany while 10 are from Japan. Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin from France is set to take part in KIAF for the first time this year.

Latin American art

KIAF 2012’s guest countries are from Latin America, celebrating the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties with 12 countries among 16 in the region. Galleries from seven — Argentina, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Uruguay and Venezuela — and U.S. galleries specializing in Latin American art will present works of 84 artists from the early 1900s to contemporary art.

The selection, featuring painting, photography, sculpture and installation, portrays various aspects of Latin America, a continent with diverse ethnicity and culture. Kinetic and op artist Carlos Cruz-Diez’s “Chromo-Interference Environment” will be on display at a special booth.

Venezuela’s D’Museo will also introduce pieces by Rafael Jesus Soto, while Colombian galleries El Cometa, El Museo and LGM Arte Internacional will feature works of Fernando Botero, who is known for his paintings of plump people.

Ahn Jin-og, president of Banditrazos Latin Communication, will give a lecture on the current situation of Latin American art at 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 15.

To boost sales

Last year, 192 galleries from 17 countries participated and 80,000 people visited KIAF. Around 13-billion-won worth artworks were sold at last year’s art fair.

KIAF aims to boost sales this year. “We enhanced our VIP program to accommodate needs of VIP clientele and reduced the number of participating galleries for a better flow of visitors,” said Pyo Mi-sun, director of Pyo Gallery and chairman of the Galleries Association of Korea.

VIP programs include special lectures featuring photographer Bae Bien-u, designer Seo Jung-ki, architect Seung Hyo-sang, art collector Mun Chan-su and artist Cody Choi, two parties and free admission to Plateau and a car service provided by BMW Korea.

Seo Jin-seok, director of the Alternative Space Loop, curated Art Flash, a section featuring 11 aspiring Korean artists using new media in their 20s and 30s. Seo chose artists who express the identity of Korean art under the theme of “super social,” “extreme individuality” and “independent cultural environment.”

“These young artists have grown up with independence and suggest a new identity for Korea,” Seo said. The curator will also talk about Oriental metaphors in Korean contemporary art at 11 a.m. on Sept. 16.

Photographer Koo Sung-soo will present new works in collaboration with German camera brand Leica.

Admission is 15,000 won for adults and 10,000 won for students. Docent programs are available from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Korean and an English one at 3:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.kiaf.org. <The Korea Times/Kwon Mee-yoo>

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