Unmissable Shows to See During Frieze Seoul

‘Do Ho Suh: Speculations’ | Art Sonje Center | 17 August – 3 November

You might know Do Ho Suh for his ethereal fabric architecture, but ‘Do Ho Suh: Speculations’ reveals there’s far more to this internationally acclaimed artist. This comprehensive exhibition features Suh’s lesser-known yet equally captivating projects, offering a rare glimpse into the full spectrum of his creative vision. The show’s centrepiece, The Bridge Project (2024), ambitiously connects Seoul, New York and London in a utopian architectural fantasy, challenging notions of place and belonging. Suh’s iconic public sculpture takes on new life in Public Figures (2024), which reconceives the 1998 version of the piece as a kinetic 1:6 scale model, subverting traditional notions of public monuments. Viewers will also discover Suh’s forays into film with Robin Hood Gardens, Woolmore Street, London E14 0HG (2018) and Dong In Apartments (2022), which offer poignant meditations on community and urban change. Throughs meticulous models, animations and conceptual drawings, ‘Speculations’ invites us to reimagine our relationship with space and memory. This exhibition is a testament to Suh’s enduring ability to inspire new ways of seeing the world around us, proving that, even after decades, he still has the power to surprise.

‘UNFREEZE’ and ‘this is today’ | ArtSpace Hyeong | 28 August – 14 September

ArtSpace Hyeong is one of a new generation of alternative spaces that forms part of Seoul’s vibrant art scene. Located in a weathered building near Euljiro 3(sam)-ga subway station, it has been a fixture for seven years. The name ‘Hyeong’, meaning ‘brother’ in Korean, reflects its role in nurturing artists across generations. For its seventh anniversary, the gallery presents two generationally distinct exhibitions: ‘this is today’ featuring seasoned artists Yongsun Suh, Won Bae Oh, Dongchun Yoon and Kira Kim, and ‘UNFREEZE’, which showcases emerging talents Hwasoo Yoo, Jangyeun Jun and Jongmin Shin. This generational juxtaposition provides a unique cross-section of Korean art, reflecting established practices as well as emerging trends in the broader Korean art world. The experience of encountering art here – in a space where new high-rises and old buildings awaiting redevelopment coexist – offers a unique perspective that mirrors Seoul’s rapidly evolving urban and cultural landscape.

‘IMA Picks 2024’ | Ilmin Museum of Art | 30 August  – 17 November

Now in its third edition, ‘IMA Picks’ is an initiative by Ilmin Museum of Art that showcases three artists. The 2024 edition features solo exhibitions by Jeamin Cha, Hyunjin Bek and Minae Kim across three floors. On the first floor are Cha’s interdisciplinary works involving field research and documentary investigation. Her centrepiece, Photosynthesizing Dead in Warehouse (2024), is a 30-minute video essay examining death through scientific and literary lenses. The work observes food decay in sealed glass cases, offering a thoughtful exploration of mortality amid the festive atmosphere of the art fair season. On the second floor, Bek demonstrates his expansive practice spanning painting, music and performance, while Kim’s exhibition on the third floor responds to the building’s history, dating back to the Japanese colonial period, inviting viewers to experience a ‘Korean visual language’ through installations that engage with the space’s historical context. By presenting distinct approaches across different floors, ‘IMA Picks 2024’ provides a nuanced view of contemporary Korean art practices, showcasing how artists engage with and interpret their surroundings.

‘The Strange Encounter’ | Songhyeon Green Plaza | 2 September – 15 November

Part of the ‘Sculpture City Seoul’ initiative, ‘The Strange Encounter’ is the inaugural Seoul Sculpture Festival at Songhyeon Green Plaza. This open-air exhibition, curated by Jee Young Maeng, reflects the city’s growing emphasis on contemporary art in public spaces. Featuring ten artists, including Hannah Woo, Goen Choi and Yongju Kwon, the festival showcases a new generation of sculptors, most of whom were born after the 1980s. For many of them, creating works for an outdoor setting presents an exciting challenge. Their diverse array of sculptures, from monumental installations to interactive pieces, invites public engagement in unexpected ways. Among the most anticipated works is the sculptural installation by Woo, who is known for her distinctive and unexpected use of soft fabrics in three-dimensional forms.

‘Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists’ | The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art | 3 September 2024 – 3 March 2025

‘Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists’ brings together 130 works by dozens of prominent Asian women artists active from the 1960s to the present day. The exhibition’s scope is impressive, spanning generations and nationalities. It juxtaposes contemporary pieces like Mire Lee’s concrete-on-panel Look... (2022) with historical works such as Yayoi Kusama’s 1967 video Kusama’s Self-Obliteration, offering a wide-ranging view of Asian women’s art. Organized into six thematic sections, including ‘Choreograph Life’ and ‘Flexible Territories of Sexuality’, the show challenges Western patriarchal perspectives by underscoring that Asian women are multifaceted subjects. Foregrounding works that are concerned with cultural experiences inscribed on bodies within Asia’s geopolitical context, ‘Connecting Bodies’ transcends mere representation to offer a fuller picture of Asian women’s artistic contributions than is proposed by an othering, Western-centred art historical narrative.

^{Main image: ‘Connecting Bodies: Asian Women Artists’, 2024, exhibition view. Courtesy: The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul}