This year, the domestic art auction industry has set record prices, prominently featuring Japanese works. In May, however, it is showcasing 'K-Art'.
According to the auction industry on May 21, several notable pieces representing Korean art, including the Daedongyeojido, works by Park Soo-keun and Seo Do-ho, will be auctioned this month.
Japanese artists have garnered significant attention in the domestic auction market this year. Last month, at a Seoul Auction event, Yoshitomo Nara's 2016 piece 'Nothing about it' sold for 15 billion won, setting a record for the highest auction price in South Korea. In the same auction, Yayoi Kusama's 2015 work 'Pumpkin' fetched 10.45 billion won.
In May, the domestic auction industry is focusing on K-Art. Seoul Auction will feature a colored manuscript of the Daedongyeojido in its auction on May 28. This piece is based on the 1861 Sin-yu edition by Kim Jeong-ho, with approximately 35 known copies worldwide. It is classified as a national registered cultural heritage, among seven designated cultural assets.
Notably, the manuscript includes the term 'Usan' (于山), referring to Dokdo, a feature not commonly found in woodblock prints. The overall dimensions are approximately 390 cm wide and 685 cm long. It combines geographical representation with artistic form, enhancing visibility through varied colors for different regions and highlighting mountain ranges, waterways, and road networks.
Other items include a collection of photographs and materials related to Han Hee-soon, the last court lady of the Korean Empire, and a set of seven photographs related to the Cheondogyo Youth Party, which documented the intersection of religion, education, and national movements during the Japanese occupation.
K Auction, which will hold its auction on May 27, will also present Seo Do-ho's large installation 'Cause & Effect', along with significant works by modern Korean masters such as Park Soo-keun, Kim Whanki, and Yoo Young-kuk.
Seo Do-ho gained international recognition when he was selected as the representative for the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 2001, exploring themes of migration, residence, and the relationship between individuals and communities. His 'Cause & Effect', measuring 164 cm in diameter and 300 cm in height, is a large installation made from acrylic, aluminum discs, stainless steel frames, cables, and monofilament. Thousands of small figurines are intertwined to form a single, massive organism, encapsulating the artist's core reflections on the relationship between the individual and the collective. This is a rare opportunity to acquire one of Seo Do-ho's large works, which are held in major institutions worldwide, including the Leeum Museum of Art.
Works by other modern Korean masters, including Park Soo-keun, Kim Whanki, Yoo Young-kuk, Lee Jung-seob, and Lee Eung-no, will also be featured.
Meanwhile, the auction industry is experiencing a general resurgence both domestically and internationally. The Phillips Auction's modern and contemporary art evening auction in New York on May 19 achieved a total sales amount of $115,216,700, with a 100% sell-through rate in both quantity and value, more than double the total sales from the previous year.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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