The KIAF, inaugurated in 2002, is an annual project organized by the Galleries Association of Korea. This years fair featured over 250 private art galleries from all over the world. Works from the following countries were on display: Australia, Austria, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Korea, Peru, Singapore, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, United Kingdom, United States and Uzbekistan. KIAF has become Asia’s leading Art Fair and one of the most prestigious international art fairs in the world today.
Each year KIAF chooses a guest country which promotes itself through its young aspiring artists as well as the current celebrated masters. This year a large space was designated to Switzerland. In 2009 the guest country will celebrate creative forces coming out of India, rather exciting!
I met Katie Fahey (a friend from high school who now lives in Seoul) outside COEX Convention Center before the gates opened at eleven in the morning. Katie used to work at a private art gallery in the Banff Springs Hotel so we were both like minded art enthusiasts ready to suss out the most avant garde creations from around the world.
We were shocked by the size of the exhibition. It would literally take two or three full days to properly browse through the pieces on showcase at each gallery pavilion. We kept mumbling to ourselves, “this is the biggest art show ever!” We spent three hours power walking through the convention center, stopping to take pictures at the weird and wonderful. We paused a few times to talk to several of the European Gallery owners. We had a nice chat with a bubbly man from Frankfurt and I couldn’t stop gabbing with these two regal old women from Paris. I could spend days just walking through art filled landscapes.
The Fair was clearly a big deal as thousands of visitors walked around with pen and pad in hand as they debated which pieces to buy. I met a few foreigners who had flown to Seoul just to attend and make purchases for their rich clientele! Again I was reminded that living in a mega city like Seoul has its benefits…the world is literally at your fingertips.
I most enjoyed being able to jump from one country to the next by simply walking down the hall. I was able to quickly get an accurate impression of the “art that is coming out of each nation.” A great number of the galleries represented hailed from Asia so it was interesting to compare how the artists in Taiwan differ from those in Hong Kong and how Koreans express themselves compared to their Japanese neighbors. I recognized several of the Korean galleries that I had visited throughout the year on my many gallery excursions.
The works at the German and Japanese Galleries were my favorite. One art critic who I listened to for a few moments was saying that “Berlin is the new New York.” The number of galleries from Berlin, Munich and Frankfurt were astounding. I also have a great affection for kitschy Japanese cartoons, sculpture and contemporary creations. As soon as I win the lottery my walls will be covered in creative works from Germany and Japan.
