Featured Articles - K-ARTNOW
Featured Articles
Delivering Diverse Perspectives and Stories of Korean Contemporary Art

Latest Articles

Art Theory_Art Insight The Conditions of the Post-Contemporary and the Future of Korean Contemporary Art (17): Asian Contemporary Art and Orientalism (III) — How Can Korean Contemporary Art Become a Major Site of Production in the Global Art World? Moving beyond Orientalism entails more than shifting the center from the West to Asia. It requires transforming the structure through which particular actors have classified and evaluated the art of other regions, while developing new values and criteria grounded in diverse histories and experiences. What is needed is a new system of knowledge—one that recognizes the achievements of Western art history as a shared global legacy without treating them as the sole standard of judgment.
2026.09.08

Made possible by

Art Focus

Key news on Korean contemporary art, clearly and thoughtfully delivered.

Art Spectrum

Introducing the latest trends and diverse movements in Korean contemporary art.

Made possible by

Art Voice

Critical discourse and voices on key issues in the Korean contemporary art scene.
Biennale_Art Voice Between Art and Politics: The “Taiwan Pavilion” Naming Dispute and the China Pavilion’s Withdrawal from the Gwangju Biennale

The 16th Gwangju Biennale opened on September 5, 2026. Titled 《You Must Change Your Life》, the biennale presents its main exhibition and pavilion projects through November 15.

2026.09.08
Art+_Art Voice What It Takes to Be a Cultural Powerhouse in the 21st Century — On the Search for a New Director of MMCA

On July 1, the Ministry of Personnel Management opened a public recruitment process for a new director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea (MMCA). The term of current director Kim Sung-hee expires this September. As the search began, the names of several potential candidates quickly started circulating within the Korean art world.

2026.08.18
Art+_Art Voice Can Korean Art Evolve from a Market into an Industry? Questions Raised by the Art Services Business Registration System and the Challenges Facing Korean Art

On July 26, 2026, the Art Services Business Registration System came into effect under the Art Promotion Act. Businesses operating in six categories—galleries, art auctions, art advisory services, art rental and sales, art appraisal, and art exhibitions—are now required to register with the relevant local authority.

2026.08.04
Art+_Art Voice The Changing Ecosystem of Korean Contemporary Art: From Nonprofit Spaces to Self-Sustaining Independent Spaces

Art spaces are more than venues for exhibiting works of art. They serve as vital intermediaries that discover new artists, generate critical discourse, and connect audiences, markets, and institutions. Changes in these spaces, therefore, are not simply matters of individual organizations adopting different modes of operation. They are important indicators of how the contemporary art ecosystem has evolved and the direction in which it is moving.

2026.07.21
Art+_Art Voice What Are Global Standards? The Criteria Korean Contemporary Art Needs to Connect with the World

In Korean society, internationalization and globalization emerged as major national agendas between the late 1980s and the mid-1990s. The 1988 Seoul Olympics was a symbolic event through which Korea began to present itself to the international community in a more visible and active way. In the 1990s, Korea rapidly entered the global order through democratization, market liberalization, cultural exchange, and participation in international organizations.

2026.07.07
Art Online_Art Voice Art Is Not Money, Money Is Not Art, The Artnet–Artsy Merger: An Impossible Project

One of the most significant stories in the global art world recently has been Pace Gallery’s large-scale staff reductions and restructuring of its artist roster. Across the international art community, the news was widely interpreted as a sign of crisis within the mega-gallery model.

2026.06.23

Art Insights

Providing insightful perspectives and in-depth analysis of Korean contemporary art.
Art Theory_Art Insight Illuminating Korean Experimental Art (4)

This article will provide a brief introduction to the prominent groups such as Korean Avant-Garde Association” (A.G., 1969–1975), “Space & Time” (S.T., 1969–1981), and “The Fourth Group” (1970).

2023.09.04
Art Theory_Art Insight Illuminating Korean Experimental Art (3)

While various groups have contributed to the advancement of experimental art through their activities, this article will provide a brief introduction to the prominent groups such as “Mudongin (Zero Group),” “Origin Society,” and ” Sinjeon dongin (New Exhibition Group).”

2023.08.28
Art Theory_Art Insight Illuminating Korean Experimental Art (2)

Understanding the international influences on Korean experimental art is vital, as it will illuminate the unique position Korean experimental art occupies on the international art stage.

2023.08.21
Art Theory_Art Insight Illuminating Korean Experimental Art (1)

Korean experimental art (“silheommisul”) is gaining recognition both within Korea and on the international stage. But what exactly is Korean experimental art?

2023.08.14
Art Market_Art Insight The History of the Korean Art Market ③: The Third Wave, 2000s

The third Korean art market boom, which took place from the late 1990s to 2007, was unlike anything that had come before it. It was a time of exponential expansion in all aspects of the Korean art market.

2023.09.07
Art Market_Art Insight The History of the Korean Art Market ②: The Second Wave, Late 1980s to Early 1990s

In this evolving environment, the Korean art market experienced its second golden era, transitioning from the late 1980s to the early 1990s. As the nation underwent a pronounced economic expansion and greater integration into the global sphere, the art scene also thrived.

2023.09.03