Korea Art Gallery Association Marks 50th Anniversary... The Next 50 Years' Key Word Is "Trust"

50th Anniversary Press Conference
Growth from Five Galleries in 1976 to 185 Member Galleries
Expanding the International Network, Strengthening Both Kiaf and Frieze

The Korea Art Gallery Association, a non-profit corporation, has marked its 50th anniversary and identified restoring trust in the art market and expanding its international network as its core priorities. While the past half-century has been devoted to laying the foundation for the art market, the association declared that the next 50 years will be a time to institutionalize trust.

Seonghoon Lee, Chairman of the Korea Art Gallery Association, is delivering a greeting at the Korea Art Gallery Association 50th Anniversary Media Day held on the 28th at Lotte Hotel in Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Yonhap News Agency

On January 28, the Korea Art Gallery Association held a media day at Lotte Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, to commemorate its 50th anniversary, presenting the association's history and future vision. This is the first official press conference the association has held since its founding.

Chairman Seonghoon Lee stated, "We will further strengthen the foundation of the art market and reinforce the association's standards and education so that art distribution can become more transparent and trustworthy. We will expand our international network centered around Kiaf SEOUL, and increase education for collectors and art market professionals to prepare for the next 50 years."

He also reflected, "We acknowledge that we have not been able to build a systematic archive at the association level until now," adding, "It is now time to move into a phase of recording and accumulation."

The Korea Art Gallery Association was established in May 1976 by representatives of five galleries-Dongsanbang, Myeongdong, Yangji, Chosun, and Hyundai-with the goal of creating a sound art market. It has since grown into the largest gallery federation in Korea, now comprising 185 member galleries nationwide, and has led the institutionalization and internationalization of the Korean art market through events such as the Gallery Art Fair and Kiaf.

Established in May 1976, the Korea Gallery Association started with five member galleries (Dongsanbang, Myeongdong, Yangji, Chosun, Hyundai) and has grown into the largest gallery federation in Korea, now comprising 185 member galleries nationwide. Photo by Korea Gallery Association

The association has promoted the popularization of art through initiatives such as the "One Painting Per Home" campaign and the "May Art Festival," and has supported member galleries' participation in overseas art fairs, laying the groundwork for Korean art's international expansion. As a result, Kiaf has been co-hosted with Frieze Seoul since 2022, establishing itself as a major platform in the Asian art market. The association recently agreed to extend its partnership with Frieze for another five years.

Regarding the restoration of market trust, the association also emphasized the strengthening of internal standards. In the screening process for new members, the discovery, support, and nurturing of artists are core criteria, while galleries focused solely on sales or rentals are excluded. The current approval rate for full membership is less than 10 percent, and the association maintains the principle that "standards are more important than the number of members."

This awareness aligns with the Art Promotion Act, which is set to take effect in July. Once the act is fully implemented, art-related service businesses such as galleries, appraisal, and consulting will be required to register with the relevant local authorities in order to operate. However, the association pointed out that key detailed regulations, such as registration criteria and appraisal report formats, have yet to be finalized, leading to significant confusion in the field.

In particular, regulations related to art appraisal are a major concern. The Art Promotion Act defines art appraisal as "the act of evaluating the authenticity and historical, cultural, and artistic value" of artworks, but does not clearly specify who is responsible for appraising market value (economic value). Chairman Lee explained, "Even works by the same artist can vary greatly in value depending on size, period, and condition," adding, "There are structural limitations to assessing the market value of artworks using real estate-based evaluation methods."

Seonghoon Lee, Chairman of the Korean Gallery Association, is answering questions at the Korean Gallery Association 50th Anniversary Media Day held at Lotte Hotel Sogong-dong, Jung-gu, Seoul on the 28th. Photo by Yonhap News

The association is calling on the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to clarify the scope of art appraisal, design practical appraisal report formats, specify registration criteria for art service businesses, and apply penalties with caution. The association believes that a smooth implementation of the system is possible at the enforcement decree and notification stages.

This year, the association plans to sequentially hold the Gallery Art Fair in April, the Gallery Art Fair in Suwon in June, and Kiaf in September. At Kiaf in September, a special performance by pianist Seongjin Cho is scheduled in collaboration with sponsor KB Financial Group to commemorate the 50th anniversary.

On the day of the event, former chairmen from the third chairman Kwon Sangneung to the twenty-first chairman Hwang Dalseong participated via video. In a joint message, the former chairmen stated, "Today's Art Gallery Association is the result of the dedication of previous generations of art professionals," and expressed their hope that "this spirit will continue to the next generation, allowing the association to grow into an organization recognized worldwide."