Kukje Gallery

Since it opened in 1982, the Kukje Gallery has been at the forefront in representing the most current and significant tendencies in Korean and international contemporary art. The gallery has established itself as a leading venue for showing works by major international figures such as Helen Frankenthaler, Frank Stella, Robert Mangold, Anthony Caro, Cy Twombly, Ed Ruscha, Joseph Beuys, Anselm Kiefer, Louise Bourgeois, Rachel Whiteread, Jeff Wall, Bill Viola and Anish Kapoor. The exhibitions provide the first rare opportunity for the Korean art audiences to view the works of world-renowned contemporary artists without going abroad. In organizing these exhibitions, the Kukje Gallery works directly with the artists and their galleries and dealers worldwide, establishing important networks for future exchange and collaboration.

Recognizing the importance of promoting Korean artists abroad, the Kukje Gallery participates in art fairs. Since 1998, Kukje has been showing at the annual Art Basel, the most important fair of modern and contemporary art held in Basel, Switzerland for the past 32 years. To introduce Korean artists whose work was relatively unknown to the international art audience, Kukje Gallery first showed their work alongside more recognizable works of high caliber by international artists. In doing so, the Korean artists as well as the gallery have been successfully gaining wide exposure and receiving much attention from the non-Korean collectors. The gallery also promotes Korean artists to non-commercial venues, using its solid network of museum curators and critics worldwide. Many of the Korean artists who have shown with the gallery have gone on to participate in special exhibitions at international biennials such as the Venice Biennale, Lyon Biennale and Kwangju Biennale. The artists have also been invited by major art museums abroad to participate in curated group shows as well as one-person exhibitions.

The Kukje Gallery continues to play an important role in developing the domestic art market and promoting Korean artists abroad as well as raising Korean art audience's awareness of the international art world. The gallery has an unmatched reputation in Korea for having introduced many of the most critically acclaimed international artists, and for supporting the most promising emerging Korean artists. The exhibition space in the new building is ample enough for large-scale works and installations as well as smaller-sized works. The original building now houses a cafe, a wine bar and a restaurant that has built its own reputation for its authentic French/Italian cuisine. The eateries complement the gallery program by providing a place of respite to the visitors as well as a meeting place for artists, collectors and other dealers.

http://www.kukjegallery.com