Art Busan Gathers 110 Galleries: Pursuing 'Glocal' Strategy Over Competition in Seoul

Held at BEXCO from May 21 to 24
Over 110 galleries from 18 countries participating
About 24% of galleries are international; new sections introduced
Collaborative models with Tokyo, Hong Kong, and Taiwan being explored

"We will transform Art Busan from a simple transaction-focused fair into a platform that connects the Asian art market."

Younghee Sohn, Chairperson of Art Busan, delivers a greeting at the press conference for the international art fair 'Art Busan 2026' held at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by Yonhap News.

Younghee Son, Chairperson of Art Busan, stated at a press conference for "Art Busan 2026" held on the 28th at the Shilla Hotel in Seoul, "We will move beyond competing in scale and instead focus on creating both content and networks together."

Chairperson Son further emphasized, "In the rapidly expanding environment of domestic art fairs, we will redefine the role of Art Busan and focus on building a sustainable ecosystem."

Celebrating its 15th anniversary this year, Art Busan will be held from May 21 to 24 at BEXCO in Busan. This edition, featuring participation from 110 galleries across 18 countries, has put forward the transition to an "Asia network-based art fair" as its core message.

At the same event, Seonju Jeong, Executive Director of Art Busan, addressed the competitive landscape with the Hive Art Fair, which is scheduled around the same time in Seoul, stating, "It is difficult to see this as direct competition with the Hive Art Fair." She explained, "Rather than simple rivalry among established fairs, it is important to create a new market structure through collaboration and expansion."

As the internationalization of the domestic art market has accelerated in recent years, particularly around Frieze Seoul and Kiaf Seoul, the competition has intensified this year with the addition of the Hive Art Fair. In response, Art Busan has announced its intention to go beyond being a transaction-oriented fair by adopting a "glocal platform" strategy that jointly plans and produces content.

Art Busan 2025 overview. Art Busan

The scale of participation includes 110 galleries from 18 countries, of which 26 (approximately 24%) are overseas galleries. Major international participants include Gladstone Gallery, Tang Contemporary Art, Whitestone Gallery, as well as Hong Kong's 3812 Gallery, Tokyo's Biscuit Gallery, and Taipei's Each Modern. On the domestic side, galleries such as Gana Art, Kukje Gallery, Leeahn Gallery, Gallery Baton, Jason Haam, and The Page Gallery will be featured.

This year, Executive Director Jeong will take the lead in driving structural reforms at Art Busan. She expressed her vision to expand Art Busan from a simple sales venue into a platform that links major art fairs across Asia. The fair will expand collaborations with events such as Tokyo Gendai, Art Central Hong Kong, and Art Jakarta, and has selected Taiwan as this year's guest country, jointly curating with Art Taipei. In October, during Frieze London, Art Busan also plans to support domestic galleries’ entry into the European market through international collaborative projects.

The exhibition layout will also see significant changes. The new "Lighthouse" section is a program that reimagines gallery booths as singular exhibitions, introducing a "booth-in-booth" format that evaluates spatial design and curation together. The "Define" section will address the boundary between design and art, while "Connect" will showcase works centered on urbanity and locality through collaborations between institutions and galleries. The "Future" section, dedicated to emerging galleries, will feature 23 galleries established within the last five years.

Key exhibited works will focus on new pieces and solo booths. Gladstone Gallery will unveil new paintings by Ugo Rondinone, and Kukje Gallery will present a solo booth by Julian Opie. Johyun Gallery will introduce works by architect Kengo Kuma, while Leeahn Gallery and Wooson Gallery will also present new works and solo exhibitions by leading artists.

On the 28th, at the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, Director Jeong Sunju introduced the exhibition program at the press conference for the international art fair 'Art Busan 2026'. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

Art Busan will also extend beyond the exhibition hall. There will be artist studio tours and talk programs, collaborative events with the Busan Museum of Art and Busan Museum of Contemporary Art, and the off-site exhibition "Art Accent." In the Haeundae area, cultural and lifestyle programs will be offered, aiming to extend the visitor experience throughout the city.

Executive Director Jeong stated, "This year's success will be measured not only by sales results but also by whether galleries choose to participate again," adding, "With the expansion of solo booths, we will closely monitor each gallery's practical performance and market response."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.