FRIEZE SEOUL 2024

The culmination of these threads forms the heart of our presentation—a diverse range of works that focus on Korean and internationalartists who are leading figures of their respective career stage and medium. The main works within the presentation are a perceptivelyintrospective sculpture by Haneyl Choi (b.1991) whose work will also be shown this year at the 15th Gwangju Biennale, surrealsculptures of the artists feline muse by Taewon Ahn (b.1993) whose solo exhibition took place at our gallery until August 10, sociallycognizant oil paintings by Keem Jiyoung (b. 1987) who will also be presenting a solo exhibition at our gallery concurrent to Frieze Seoul2024, celebratory queer papercuts by the Chinese artist Xiyadie (b.1963) whose work is currently on show at the 2024 Venice Biennalemain exhibition titled Biennale Arte 2024: Stranieri Ovunque - Foreigners Everywhere, and a contemplative painting by Chinese artistZhang Yingnan (b.1981). As P21 embraces its new space, this curated collection sharpens the focus on female and LGBTQ voices withincontemporary art, and the gallery’s international focus.

HANEYL CHOI (b. 1991) employs sculpture as a narrative framework to explore a diverse range of themes, including gender, sexuality,consumer culture, and social norms. These are on full display with his new sculptures presented at Frieze Seoul 2024. These workscontinue his ongoing material investigation into formality in sculpture, while also taking a new look at the internal constructs of ourbodies, tackling ideas of perception and bodily autonomy. Recent exhibitions include Eros, P21, 2023, DUI JIP KI, Esther Schipper, Berlin,2023, Fanatic Heart at Para Site in Hong Kong, 2022, and solo shows Manner at P21, 2022, and Bulky at Arario Museum, 2021.

JIYOUNG KEEM (b. 1987) delves into the intricate dynamics between individuals and significant social events. The paintings displayedare part of her series “Glowing Hour”, that captures the ethereal beauty of candlelight in oil paintings, serving as poignant visualtributes to the victims of contemporary catastrophes in Korea. Her most recent solo exhibitions were her solo presentation at Liste ArtFair Basel, 2024, and Scattering Breath at P21, 2022. Her work is included in the collections of the Park Seo-Bo Foundation, theGyeonggi Museum of Modern Art and the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea.

TAEWON AHN (b. 1993) explores expression through sensation. He sensitively reacts to the pervasive exploitative aspects of moderntechnology, feeling a loss of control, and learns methods to physically handle virtual and real without distinction. Ahn primarily createsimages through painting and sculpture. His inner creative drive is fueled by environments given, chance discoveries, unused objects leftstill, and unexpectedly encountered situations, forming companionate communication relationships. Like anyone else, he often recallspsychologically close subjects, such as the proximity to his cat, fragments of time posted on Instagram, ambiguous faces in memory,and more. His approach to creating artwork begins with a determination not to miss these moments. Taewon Ahn majored in Westernpainting at Chung-Ang University. Recent exhibitions include Condo London at Project Native Informant, 2024, Liminal Room at Plan XGallery, 2023, and Postmodern Children at the Busan Museum of Modern Art, 2022, among others.

XIYADIE (b. 1963) is a self-taught Chinese papercut artist who creatively melds traditional techniques with queer narratives, craftingintricate homoerotic scenes that challenge societal norms and celebrate freedom. Embracing his chosen moniker, “Siberian Butterfly,“Xiyadie’s transformative journey finds expression through his detailed depictions, which subvert historical norms by fusing human andnatural elements while navigating the complexities of identity in a marginalized community. He is currently based in Shaanxi, China. Hisdebuted solo exhibition at the Beijing LGBT Center, 2010, his works have been shown extensively. He was a participating artist in themain exhibition of the Venice Biennale titled Biennale Arte 2024: Stranieri Ovunque - Foreigners Everywhere (2024), Xiyadie & JorindeVoigt at P21, 2024, Eros at P21, 2023, Spectrosynthesis: Asian LGBTQ Issues and Art Now at BACC, Bangkok, 2019, and MOCA, Taipei,2017. His works have also been shown at The Drawing Center in New York, 2022, Ljubljana Biennial of Graphic Arts, 2019, GwangjuBiennale, 2018, Para Site in Hong Kong, 2017, Topenmuseum in Amsterdam, 2015, Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg, 2013,Museum of Far Eastern Antiquities in Stockholm, 2012, and Flazh!Alley Art Studio in San Pedro, USA, 2012. His work is held in the publiccollection of Tate.

ZHANG YINGNAN (b. 1981) is a painting artist born in Baoji City, Shaanxi Province, China, and graduated from Xi’an Academy of FineArts in 2005. Now based in Beijing, blends realism and surrealism in his paintings, characterized by classical technique and intricate,dreamlike compositions. Beneath the serene color palette lies a poignant reflection on loneliness and disconnection stemming from his rural upbringing contrasted with urban life’s detachment. His works evoke a melancholic exploration of contemporary emotionallandscapes and imaginative realms where personal memories and emotions converge. Notable exhibitions include his solo exhibitionMelting at Koenig Seoul, 2024, Bordercrossing: Possibilities and Interactions at Yuz Museum in Shanghai, 2023, Annular VacuumChamber at Yuan Museum in Beijing, 2023, Boundless at Aurora Museum in Shanghai, 2022, Silhouettes of Splendors at Hive Art Centerin Shanghai, 2023. Zhang’s works have been acquired by major art institutions, including White Rabbit Collection, Aurora Museum,Forbes China, and Longlati Foundation.

SHIN MIN (b. 1985) is an artist based in Seoul, Korea and holds a degree in mechanical engineering from Hong-ik University. Min Shinexplores the history of violence against the vulnerable, in particular, women. Her works highlight the dominance of the strong over theweak, drawing from her experiences of corporations exploiting part-time workers and instances of oppression against women. Hersculptures give a political edge to her depictions of women laborers in today’s world. Showcasing unattractive portrayals of youngwomen, she unveils the suffering endured by ordinary people. Her subjects are often victims of misogyny and sexual objectification incontemporary South Korean society. Min Shin’s practice involves utilizing mass-produced products, adding substantial volume tosculptures, and exploring the potential of a simple medium: paper. Notable exhibitions of Shins’ work include, Seoul Museum ofContemporary Art, Jeonbuk Museum of Art, Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, and OCI Museum of Art.

SO YOUNG PARK (b. 1971, lives and works in Korea) blurs the boundaries between form and color, creating dreamlike paintings thatevoke both a sense of familiarity and discovery. Her work explores the relationship between nature, humans, and objects, offering atrans-temporal perspective with a sci-fi flare, encouraging viewers to reconsider the role of nature in modern life. She graduated fromUniversität der Künste Berlin and studied by Professor Daniel Richter. Recent exhibitions include her solo at P21 in Seoul, 2023,FrontViews Berlin in Berlin, 2022, Project Space Sarubia in Korea, 2021, and group shows Kunstverein Goettingen in Goettingen, 2024,Chapter NY in New York, 2024, Simone Subal in New York, 2023, Uferhallen in Berlin, 2022, Artspace3 in Seoul, 2022.

MYUNGJOO KIM (b. 1973) is an artist working in Paris and Daejeon. Her infinitely poetic but tortured universe recalls the cruelty ofromanticism, where all paths lead love to a state of total despair. It conveys the ambiguous feelings of jubilation and disarray thatanimate every human being. The artist’s singular expression harmonizes perfectly with the clay material that she shapes, while hermeaningful and modest range of colors reminds us that true emotion draws on the profound and unfathomable depths of the heart(Isabelle Naef Galuba, Directrice du musée Ariana, Vazieux Art gallery). Her works have been collected by the National Museum ofModern and Contemporary Art at Korea, Ariana Museum in Geneva, Beijing Guozhong Ceramic Art Museum, Museum ofContemporary Ceramic Art in Shigaraki, Japan. Her solo exhibitions were held at Vazieux Art Gallery in Pairs, 2022, KunstforumSolothurn in Switzerland, 2022, and more.

WU JIARU (b. 1992, lives and works in Hong Kong) graduated from Tsinghua University in 2014 with a dual degree in Art and English,and received her master’s degree in Creative Media from City University of Hong Kong in 2017. She experiments with installation,ready-made, painting, and generative digital images. Her works explore issues such as identity, boundaries, and the individualization ofhistory from the perspectives of mythology, literature, and intimate relationships. Her recent exhibitions include solo shows at HARTHaus in Hong Kong, 2024, P21 in Seoul, 2023, Secrets with an Abundance of Foreign Lines in New York 2023 and To the Naiad’s House,Flowers Gallery in Hong Kong, 2022. She has also participated at group exhibitions at Flowers Gallery in Hong Kong, 2024, Koenig Seoul,2024, P21 in Seoul, 2023, Tai Kwun in Hong Kong, 2023, Axel Vervoordt Gallery in Hong Kong, 2021, and Para Site in Hong Kong, 2021.Wu was awarded the Asian Cultural Council New York Fellowship in 2022, and her works are collected by Berger Collection, M+Museum, among others.

HANNA JO (b. 1991) is a painter whose emotive work explores the intersections of gender and nationality. In her ongoing series”Personification” and “Lump”, Jo creates textured compositions that transcend discriminatory appearances. In highlighting our sharedhumanity, she seeks to dissolve societal conflicts all the while expressing the unique nature of us as individuals. Based in Stuttgart,Germany, she attended the State Academy of Fine Arts in Stuttgart and graduated in 2022. Her exhibitions include shows at RundgangABK Stuttgart and Swimming Pool Gallery Berlin in 2023.