Frieze Seoul returns for its fourth edition from September 3 to 6, 2025, coinciding with South Korea's premier art fair Kiaf. Fair director Patrick Lee highlights the event's role in fostering collaboration among local institutions and its integration with Seoul's cultural ecosystem. Meanwhile, The Armory Show in New York expands its 'Focus' section this year to spotlight artists and galleries from the American South, curated by Jessica Bell Brown, as the fair runs under the full leadership of director Kyla McMillan for the first time since its acquisition by Frieze.
These developments underscore the growing internationalization and regional diversification of major art fairs. Frieze Seoul's consolidation as a key Asian art hub reflects the shifting center of gravity in the global art market toward Asia, while The Armory Show's focus on the American South challenges New York-centric narratives and brings underrepresented regional art into a commercial context. Both fairs demonstrate how art events are increasingly used to amplify local scenes and counter stereotypes, reshaping the art world's geographic and cultural landscape.