KIWA London, Hong Sooyeon exhibition In the Flow.
Our new space in London’s Mayfair neighbourhood will open on February 20, on the tail of the Chinese Lunar Year and during London Fashion Week. Housed in a historical restored art and fashion building, the gallery includes an exhibition space where we’ll host four shows per year of renowned South East Asian established artist as well as new groundbreaking artists.
The inaugural show at the new exhibition space will be In the Flow, the first solo exhibition of renowned female Korean artist Hong Sooyeon. Following the run of this exhibition, KIWA will present three more shows in London throughout the year. Entry to the new space—which will be open to the public five days a week, Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6pm and Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.—will be free.
KIWA—which maintains two locations worldwide—establishes its gallery in London in 2025, helmed by Director C J Chun, to focus on supporting international representation for its artists and deepening connections with collectors and arts communities in the UK and Europe. Since its first space opening in Seoul in 2011, KIWA has expanded its activities worldwide, presenting now the critically acclaimed artists’ Hong Seoyeon’s first solo display in London, showcasing her most recent works in the inaugural exhibition in London, and facilitating the presentation of the most impactful South East Asian artists and art practices in the scene.
C J CHUN, Director of Gallery KIWA'KIWA has a deep commitment to London and its thriving creative community, and we feel so honoured to bring our artists’ work to Mayfair, in this very special building area in the city.'
With the opening of this new space in London, where KIWA will mount four public exhibitions per year, the gallery will reinforce its commitment to the British and European markets. Chun and his team will share the London space and the Seoul space to keep promoting the innovation and the cultural exchange that has been at the core of KIWA for the past twelve years.
The word KIWA refers to the roofing tiles used in traditional Korean architecture.
Typically crafted from natural materials such as clay, Kiwa-tiled roofs are a distinctive feature of traditional Korean houses, known as hanok. KIWA is regarded as a symbol of traditional Korean aesthetics and craftsmanship and with this imprint it opens its doors to London.
Representing this international dialogue of art and culture, Hong Sooyeon is the first Korean artist whose works are available at Gallery KIWA in London. She is globally recognised for the ability to portray reality in a vivid and unified image in harmony with East Asian Art's philosophies and the notable Dansaekwa monochromatic movement in Korea while featuring a style that finds roots in Western Abstract 'non-relational' painting of the 1950s and 1960s.
In Seoul, KIWA has distinguished itself by also introducing a new generation of artists to the art world, organizing in-depth collaborations, while maintaining a distinctive presence in public arts commissions, underlining the gallery’s art innovative and grounded approach to the contemporary artistic discourse.
C J CHUN, Director of KIWA Gallery, says:
‘The opening of this new exhibition space in London is so exciting, not only for KIWA, but, more importantly, for the local arts community. KIWA has a deep commitment to London and its thriving creative community, and we feel so honoured to bring our artists’ work to this very special building in the city. We look forward to strengthening our connection to London, its culture, and its artists with our programming at this historic site.’