Shinsegae International 'SI Village'
Online Exclusive Preview Ahead of Hwarang Art Festival
Exhibition and Sales from March 18 to April 7
S.I.VILLAGE, the proprietary digital platform of Shinsegae International, announced on the 18th that it will hold an exclusive online preview of Korea’s longest-running art fair, the Hwarang Art Fair, until the 7th of next month. Ahead of the Hwarang Art Fair, which will be held at COEX on the 4th of next month, 47 selected major exhibits will be exclusively unveiled and pre-sale will be conducted.
This is the first time that S.I.VILLAGE has partnered with an official art fair to operate a special online exhibition hall. Launched in 1979 and now in its 42nd edition, the Hwarang Art Fair is Korea’s first art fair. It is held as the very first event each year and is regarded as a barometer that reflects the trends of the art market for that year. This online preview will feature not only works by well-known artists but also those by promising emerging artists, so it is expected to appeal to a wide range of customers, from established art collectors to novice collectors.
For this preview, S.I.VILLAGE has opened a special brand hall, offering a rich experience including artwork exhibitions and sales, viewing guides, and curation by renowned docents. Online curation is provided by famous docents Choi Ye-rim and Shim Sung-ah, delivering in-depth analysis, characteristics, and behind-the-scenes stories of key works. Additionally, tips for enjoying the art fair and online guides for collectors are offered, making it easy and enjoyable even for beginner collectors or new customers entering the art world.
Featured pre-released works include ▲ ‘Untitled’ (1992) by Yoon Hyung-geun, a representative of Korean monochrome art ▲ ‘Untitled’ (1978) by Kim Ku-rim, a pioneer of experimental art ▲ ‘Autumn Scent’ (2023) by Yoon Byung-rak, a leading figure in domestic realism painting.
Visitors can also view works by selected artists from the 'ZOOM-IN' program, a new artist discovery initiative held for the fifth time at the Hwarang Art Fair. ZOOM-IN selects emerging artists under the age of 39 to exhibit their works, and the final three artists are chosen based on a combination of on-site audience voting and evaluations by reputable experts, receiving prize money and sponsorship.
During the online preview period, customers who purchase products on S.I.VILLAGE will be entered into a draw to win VIP tickets to the Hwarang Art Fair. Since 2020, S.I.VILLAGE has been expanding its art category by selling hundreds of artworks. From the beginning of this year until the 16th of this month, sales in the S.I.VILLAGE art category have increased by 230% compared to the same period last year.
A representative from Shinsegae International’s S.I.VILLAGE art category stated, “Since starting original artwork sales in 2020, we have steadily strengthened our art-related areas and this year we are hosting a digital art fair event.” He added, “We will continue to discover and introduce content across various fields and enhance our status as a premium digital platform.”
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