OPENING OF ‘ART BUSAN 2022’

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Art Busan 2022 has opened at BEXCO in Busan. At this year’s grand event, visitors can admire world-famous artworks ranging from the masterful works of Pablo Picasso and David Hockney to even NFT architecture.

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Art Busan celebrates its 11th anniversary this year. Visitors are awed by David Hockney’s enormous painting standing at the center of the venue. They can also spot works of familiar giants like Pablo Picasso. Signature works of Philip Colbert are presented as well. He is described as the pioneer of mega pop art, following in the footsteps of Andy Warhol.

[Soundbite] Chae Hyun-jin(Curator) : "He is an artist who inserts elements of POP art in the lobsters to realize his artistic self."

133 galleries from 21 countries are participating in this year’s Art Busan. A large crowd at the preliminary event seems to indicate the recent boom in the art market and many artists came out to talk to visitors about their works.

[Soundbite] Lee Ki-sook(Artist) : "I thought this shade of white is different from the West’s white and the carved Buncheong feel was very Korean."

This year’s Art Busan presents not only artworks but also architectural pieces. Renowned French architect and designer Jean Prouvé’s “Demountable House” is traded at 1.5 million dollars. NFT buildings are also available for viewing this year. Media artist Christina Kim turned actual houses on Busan’s Dalmaji Hill into media art pieces. She is known for the“Mars House,” a virtual home for mankind built on a virtual Mars.

[Soundbite] Kim Hyeong-su(CEO, Christina Kim’s partner company) : "She created the world’s first media art pieces based on real houses and those media art pieces were produced in the form of NFT."

Given the recent growth of the art market, the event’s organizers expect this year’s sales would double that of last year and more than 100,000 visitors would come to see the artworks.