art:gwangju:11 | New Glocal Art Fair in Asia
1-4 September 2011
VIP/Press Preview:
31 AugustKDJ Convention Center, Gwangju, South Korea
The notion of the ‘glocal’ has been a key inspiration for this year’s edition consisting of Museum Outlet, Videolet, Art & Company and a special exhibition Double Democracy.
Museum Outlet
Museum Outlet invites non-profit art institutions and museums for the first time at a commercial art fair. Under the concept of ‘buying a great artist’s work at a great price’, Museum Outlet offers editioned works produced by non-profit art institutions and museums. 13 international museums and non-profit art spaces art are participating including Alternative Space Pool, Alternative Space Loop in Seoul and Artium Museum in Spain. Furthermore, Museum Outlet participants will show a solo or two-person presentation of emerging artists whom they have been closely working with.
Videolet
Introducing a new media art market is art:gwangju’s another strategy to differentiate itself with other international art fairs. Among 70 participating galleries, many will present video artists and the Fair also serves as a video art fair. Videolet corresponds well with Korea’s rapid development in technology and suggests a future ‘video art market’. Anita Beckers, a video art collector and founder of LOOP video art fair in Spain is invited to discuss ‘New Technologies and the Art Market’ at art:gwangju:11′s education programme. She will discuss how new media art influence international art market and its growing position.
Art & Company
Haitai Crown Confectionary and MCM are participating this year’s Art & Company programme. art:gwangju will be a platform for progressive collaboration between contemporary art and companies seeking creative corporate branding. Haitai Crown Confectionary the leading confectionary brand in Asia has been supporting sculptors through their Songchoo Art Valley Residency Programme. At the Fair, the company’s collaboration with their artists will be exhibited at the fair. MCM the leading international fashion brand has been collaborating with artists such as Richard Woods. art:gwangju:11 is delighted to announce that MCM is sponsoring a VIP lounge and present works of art collaborated between the company and artists.
Double Democracy
This year’s art:gwangju is introducing special exhibition and project called ‘Double Democracy’. One aspect of democracy in this programme focuses on a notion of cultural democracy where both public and commercial aspects coexist in the art market. The other aspect is considering Gwangju as the historical city where the first democratic movement took place in modern Korea. Double Democracy exhibition will showcase new media works by Korean artists representing especially from Gwangju and international artists. Participating artists include Bien U Bae, Cho Duckhyun, Meekyung Shin, Debbie Han, Yeondoo Jung, Sungchul Hong, Lee Eenam, Youngsung Hwang and Jaegil Woo.
Special gallery project presents over 10 video works including Sam Taylor Wood’s 8-channel video concert installation piece called ‘Sigh’ (White Cube, UK), William Kentridge’s latest work ‘Other Faces’ (Goodman Gallery, South Africa), Cao Fei’s ‘Shadow Life’ (Vitamin Creative Space, Guangzhou) and Yeondoo Jung’s ‘Handmade Memories’(Kukje gallery, Seoul).
Details of the fair programme will be available on www.artgwangju.com.
For press enquiries, please contact press@artgwangju.com.