art basel qatar wael shawky artistic director 1234747075

Art Basel has appointed artist Wael Shawky as the artistic director of its upcoming fair in Doha, Qatar, scheduled to open in February. This marks a departure from the company's usual practice of selecting directors from the commercial art world. Shawky, who represented Egypt at the Venice Biennale and has had solo exhibitions at Tate Modern and MoMA PS1, will curate around 50 single-artist presentations across two venues, M7 and the Doha Design District, with equal pricing for exhibitors initially. A selection committee including dealers from international and regional galleries will assist in choosing participants.

The 10 Best Booths at Art Basel 2025

Art Basel 2025 opened on June 17 with its VIP preview at Messeplatz in Basel, Switzerland, under intense heat. The 55th edition of the fair features 289 galleries from 42 countries, including 19 newcomers, and introduces a new Premiere section for mid-sized galleries showing recent works. Despite a challenging art market, the VIP day saw packed booths, international crowds, and strong sales of six- and seven-figure works, with dealers expressing optimism. The fair also includes returning sections like Statements and Feature, plus Art Basel Unlimited for monumental works, alongside concurrent events such as Liste Art Fair and museum shows by Jordan Wolfson and Steve McQueen.

life size labubu record asia art news 2659577

The article reports on a record-breaking auction sale of a 4-foot-4-inch Labubu doll, which sold for RMB 1.08 million ($150,300) at Yongle International Auction in Beijing, with premium reaching RMB 1.24 million ($174,000). The character was created by Hong Kong artist Kasing Lung, who also collaborated with Art Basel on a limited edition. Other key developments include the closure of the Art Basel Hong Kong satellite fair Supper Club after two editions, Frieze announcing a new year-round space called Frieze House Seoul in Yaksu, and Blum gallery taking on global representation of Japanese ceramic artist Kimiyo Mishima's estate. The article also covers upcoming exhibitions by Christine Ay Tjoe at White Cube New York, Seulgi Lee at Ikon Gallery Birmingham, Kenny Scharf at the Modern Art Museum Shanghai, and Trevor Yeung's adaptation of his Venice Biennale show at M+ Hong Kong.

Korean artists are taking the world by storm—but why does their work resonate so widely?

Korean artists are gaining unprecedented global recognition, with figures like Haegue Yang, Do Ho Suh, Lee Bul, and Mire Lee leading a shift from traditional Dansaekhwa abstraction to more conceptual and contemporary practices. The article highlights how K-pop and Korean soap operas have boosted cultural awareness, drawing new audiences to events like Frieze Seoul and prompting major international galleries such as White Cube, Perrotin, and Pace to open in Seoul. Curators and scholars note that Korean art now engages deeply with globalization, historical trauma, and sociopolitical change, facilitated by biennials in Gwangju, Busan, and Seoul, as well as a surge in art institutions.

Damien Hirst's studio has been recreated in Seoul for a major exhibition dedicated to him (including the original floor)

Lo studio del celebre artista Damien Hirst è stato ricreato a Seoul per una grande mostra a lui dedicata (c’è pure il pavimento originale)

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul has launched "Nothing Is True But Everything Is Possible," the largest retrospective of Damien Hirst’s work ever held in Asia. Spanning 35 years of his career, the exhibition features over 50 iconic works, including his formaldehyde-preserved animals, diamond-encrusted skull, and a recreation of his Pharmacy Restaurant. A unique highlight is the meticulous reconstruction of Hirst’s London studio, complete with the original paint-stained floor transported to South Korea and 30 previously unseen unfinished canvases from his new "River" series.

MMCA exhibition explores 80 years of artistic exchanges between Korea, Japan

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Korea, in collaboration with the Yokohama Museum of Art, has organized "Art between Korea and Japan since 1945," an exhibition opening at MMCA's Gwacheon branch. Featuring about 200 works by 43 artists and teams, including Paik Nam-june, Lee Ufan, Lee Bul, Jiro Takamatsu, Takashi Murakami, and Koki Tanaka, the show traces 80 years of artistic exchanges between the two countries. It is structured in five sections, beginning with a tribute to Zainichi Koreans, and highlights key works such as Paik's 1986 satellite project "Bye Bye Kipling." The exhibition runs through September 27.

The 'Lee Kun-hee Collection' Touring Exhibition Draws 3.5 Million Visitors—Opening the Door for K-Art’s Global Expansion

The Lee Kun-hee Collection touring exhibition, featuring over 330 masterpieces including seven National Treasures, has drawn 3.5 million visitors across South Korea and is now traveling internationally to Washington, Chicago, and London. The exhibition, organized by the National Museum of Korea and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA), showcases Korean art from the Three Kingdoms period to the present, and has been widely covered by outlets like The Washington Post, CNN, and Forbes.

Korean Cultural Center New York Presents the Major Exhibition "Lee Kang So: A Field of Becoming"

The Korean Cultural Center New York (KCCNY) presents the major exhibition "Lee Kang So: A Field of Becoming," on view from May 13 to June 20, 2026. The show features the work of pioneering Korean contemporary artist Lee Kang So (b. 1943), who since the 1970s has worked across photography, painting, sculpture, installation, and performance, resisting fixed forms to explore how art emerges through process, material, and context. The exhibition includes key works from his 1970s performances and installations, as well as later sculptures and paintings that foreground gravity, chance, and bodily gesture. Lee, who was active in New York in the 1980s and participated in MoMA PS1's Studio Artist Program, returns to the city with this exhibition at KCCNY's expanded venue.

43 Works by Park Su-geun on Display at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Gwacheon

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Gwacheon has unveiled a major reorganization of its permanent collection exhibitions, "Korean Modern and Contemporary Art I & II." The highlight of the refresh is a dedicated "Artist's Room" featuring 43 works by Park Su-geun, including 20 oil paintings and 23 drawings from the 1950s and 1960s. The update also introduces a spotlight on the prodigy Lee In-sung and expands the "Modernist Women Artists" section with newly acquired and rarely seen craft works.

‘I feel a renewed passion to shape a new era’: Youn Bummo takes the reins as president of the Gwangju Biennale

Youn Bummo has been appointed president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, returning to the organization he helped launch in 1995. He previously served as director of South Korea's Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) from 2019 until his resignation in 2023, which was widely attributed to political pressure. The 16th edition of the Biennale in 2025 will be curated by Singaporean film artist Ho Tzu Nyen.

The Gallery Children’s Biennale Is Back, With 8 Baby-Friendly Interactive Zones & Free Entry

The Gallery Children’s Biennale returns for its 5th edition at National Gallery Singapore, launching on 31 May 2025. Themed “Tomorrow We’ll Be…”, the exhibition features eight interactive artworks by Singaporean and Asian artists, including Fern Wong, Wyn-Lyn Tan, Hiromi Tango, Souliya Phoumivong, and Vicente Delgado. For the first time, the Biennale is baby-friendly, with zones designed for infants and toddlers. The event runs in conjunction with the National Gallery’s 10th anniversary and SG60, celebrating Singapore’s 60th year of independence.

Imbued, Between Flower and Wind: Lee Chae Solo Exhibition

South Korean artist Lee Chae will present a solo exhibition titled "Imbued, Between Flower and Wind" at Whitestone Gallery Taipei from April 11 to May 16, 2026. The show features new series including "Afterimage of Wind" and "Wind-Infused," which utilize metaphors of flora and wind to explore the relationship between external stimuli and the human inner soul. Lee’s technique involves layering translucent pigments and then wiping them away to create poetic afterimages that visualize the transformation of emotions over time.

Minae Kim on creating a ‘ludicrous sculptural sitcom’

Minae Kim, a Seoul-based artist born in 1981, creates site-specific installations and sculptures that she describes as a 'ludicrous sculptural sitcom,' revealing the frustrations and contradictions of everyday life. She earned an MA in sculpture from the Royal College of Art in London and an MFA from Seoul National University, and her work has been exhibited internationally at venues such as Atelier Hermès in Seoul, Doosan Gallery in New York, and the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London. Kim was a finalist for the 2020 Korea Artist Prize and has received awards including the Doosan Yongang Artist Award and Bloomberg New Contemporaries.

"Lee Kun-hee Collection Showcases the Source of K-Culture’s Creativity"

The Lee Kun-hee Collection international tour exhibition, titled "Treasures from Korea: Collecting, Cherishing, Sharing," opened at the National Museum of Asian Art under the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., on March 15, 2025. Within one month, it attracted over 15,600 visitors—25% more than comparable past exhibitions—and all museum merchandise sold out within a week, generating approximately 100 million KRW in orders. The show features 330 works selected from over 23,000 pieces donated to South Korea in 2021 by the late Lee Kun-hee, former Samsung Group chairman, including seven National Treasures and fifteen Treasures. Highlights include the Beopgo-dae, which gained viral attention for resembling a character from the Netflix film 'KPop Demon Hunters.'

‘Close, yet distant': MMCA exhibition revisits Korea-Japan artistic ties since 1945

The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Gwacheon, South Korea, has opened a major exhibition titled “Art between Korea and Japan since 1945,” co-organized with the Yokohama Museum of Art. Running from May 14 to September 27, 2026, the show marks the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic ties between the two countries. Featuring some 200 works by 43 artists, including Zainichi artists and video art pioneer Nam June Paik, the exhibition traces eight decades of artistic exchange shaped by colonialism, war, division, and ongoing tensions. It previously opened in Yokohama, drawing over 37,000 visitors—significantly surpassing typical attendance—with strong interest from younger audiences.

Im Youngzoo wins Frieze Seoul Artist Award

Multimedia artist Im Youngzoo has won the Frieze Seoul Artist Award 2025, creating a new commission titled "Calming Signal" for this year's edition of the fair. The three-channel video installation explores how humans use learned and repeated gestures during times of collective unease, drawing inspiration from Norwegian dog trainer Turid Rugaas's concept of calming signals—instinctual behaviors animals use to de-escalate conflict. Im, born in 1982, works across video, installation, performance, and virtual reality, and has also been shortlisted for the 2025 Korea Artist Prize, with her work currently on view at MMCA Seoul.

Jewyo Rhii: ‘If you don’t die today, you get another opportunity to live’

Jewyo Rhii, a Seoul-born artist from the first generation to come of age during South Korea's dramatic political shifts in the 1980s, has been selected for this year's Korean Artists Today project. Her work, which began as personal explorations of misplacement and survival using ephemeral materials and found objects, evolved around ten years ago into collaborative projects like Love Your Depot (2019), a series of storage-unit-like installations that question the lifespan of artworks. Rhii's practice includes object-oriented performance pieces such as Ten Years Please (2007-17) and Lie on the Han River (2003-06), and she has shown at institutions including the Queens Museum, the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) in Seoul, and the Venice Biennale.

National Museum of Korea names new director as part of post-election reshuffle

You Hong-jun, a Myongji University art historian and author, has been appointed director of the National Museum of Korea and its 13 provincial affiliates. This appointment is part of a broader reshuffle following South Korea's snap presidential election in June, which brought Lee Jae-myung's Democratic Party to power. Other key appointments include Youn Bummo as president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, and Amal Khalaf and Evelyn Simons as co-curators of the 2026 Busan Biennale, marking the first female duo to curate that event.

Byungjun Kwon: ‘I want to break away from the passive, one-sided way of experiencing performances’

Byungjun Kwon, a South Korean artist whose practice spans sound, technology, and performance, has been selected for the 2025 Korean Artists Today project. Kwon began his career as a singer-songwriter in the 1990s, later earning a degree in Art Science from the Royal Conservatoire in The Hague and working as a hardware engineer at the Studio for Electro-Instrumental Music in Amsterdam. His works include immersive sound installations, custom-built instruments, and robotic stage machinery, with pieces such as 'Self-sounding Town Resonant Village' (2019) exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Busan. He is currently preparing a new project, 'Speak Slowly, and It Will Become a Song', for the Aichi Triennale in Japan.