By Lee Kap-soo

In celebration of Frieze Seoul, an art fair that takes place in the heart of the global art market in Seoul, New York, Los Angeles, and London, the Embassy of Italy in Seoul, together with the Italian Cultural Institute and the Italian Trade Corporation in Korea, hosted an event on September 4 at High Street Italy in Sinsa-dong to promote the Italian galleries participating in Frieze. 

The event featured a selection of artworks from the galleries participating in Frieze Seoul. Attended by art market insiders and key figures from the domestic and international cultural community, 'Italia at Frieze Seoul' was part of Frieze's 'In the City' program and was an invitation-only event.

The event follows the much-anticipated Italian Pavilion at the 14th Gwangju Biennale and the recent successful exhibition at Art Sonje Center, "The Great Italian Vision: The Farnesina Collection" at the Art Sonje Center, demonstrating once again Italy's interest in the visual arts sector.

It is also the only program at Frieze Seoul to be attended by the Embassy, and a prelude to the numerous events that will take place in 2024, the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Italy and Korea.

"Frieze is one of the most important modern and contemporary art fairs in the world and will provide us with the opportunity to showcase how Italy has made a unique and extraordinary contribution to the arts in the past and how it will continue to do so in the future," said Federico Failla, Ambassador of Italy to Korea. 

He also said, “The passion and aesthetics that unite our two peoples will serve as the basis for further strengthening our bilateral cooperation through the participation of museums, galleries, academies and artists."