Art fair opens on fashion platform | 1 — [Photo provided by Shinsegae International]

The fashion platform transforms into an art fair exhibition hall.

Art fair opens on fashion platform | 2 — [Photo provided by Shinsegae International, Gallery Ilho Yoon Byung-rock ‘Autumn Fragrance’]

Shinsegae International's own digital platform S.I.VILLAGE announced that it would be conducting an exclusive online preview of Korea's longest-running art fair, 'Hwarang Art Festival', from today the 18th until next month the 7th. Ahead of the Hwarang Art Festival being held at COEX on April 4, they will exclusively reveal and pre-sell 47 major exhibited works.

Art fair opens on fashion platform | 3 — [Photo provided by Shinsegae International, Samteo Gallery Yoon Hyung-geun ‘Untitled’]

Launched in 1979, the Hwarang Art Festival, now in its 42nd year, is the first art fair in Korea. It opens first every year and serves as a barometer for predicting the year's art market trends. The online preview is expected to cover a wide range of customers, from seasoned art collectors to beginners, as it features works not only by well-known established artists but also by emerging artists who have been gaining recent attention.

S.I.VILLAGE has set up a special brand section for this preview, offering a rich array of activities including artwork exhibitions and sales, viewing guides, and curation by famous docents. This is a great opportunity for customers who find it difficult to visit the art fair in person or who want to gain background knowledge about the artworks before viewing the art fair.

The artworks premiered online include▲ 'Yoon Hyung-geun's Untitled (1992), representing Korean monochrome ▲ 'Kim Gu-rim's Untitled (1978), a pioneer of experimental art ▲ 'Yoon Byung-rock's Autumn Fragrance (2023), a leading artist in Korean realist painting.

Additionally, works by emerging artists selected in the fifth ZOOM-IN program at the Hwarang Art Festival can also be seen. ZOOM-IN selects emerging artists under the age of 39 to exhibit their works and awards the final three based on audience on-site votes and expert evaluation, providing them with prize money and sponsorship. Works by selected artists like Kwak Aram, Kim Hanna, and Choi Myeong-won can be previewed and purchased before the opening of the art fair.

S.I.VILLAGE has prepared various customer events along with the preview exhibition. It will provide online curation conducted by famous Korean docents Choi Yerim and Sim Sungah, offering in-depth analysis and stories behind the major artworks. Tips for enjoying the art fair and online guides for collectors are also provided, making it accessible for novice collectors and new art enthusiasts to enjoy.

During the online preview period, customers who make purchases at S.I.VILLAGE will also have a chance to win VIP tickets to the Hwarang Art Festival through a draw.

A representative from Shinsegae International's S.I.VILLAGE Art Category stated, "Since starting the sale of original artworks in 2020, we have been steadily strengthening our art-related areas, and this year we are holding a digital art fair event," adding, "We plan to continue exploring and introducing diverse contents and strengthen our status as a premium digital platform."

Meanwhile, S.I.VILLAGE started selling art in 2020, the first in the domestic fashion and beauty industry. Anticipating the high interest of luxury fashion enthusiasts in art, it has been expanding the art category by partnering with famous galleries and art brands, offering hundreds of artworks for sale.

The variety of artworks offered ranges from art posters in the hundred thousand won range to original paintings priced up to eighty million won, and there is a steady increase in customers buying art online each year. In fact, from January to March this year (2024.1.1~3.17), S.I.VILLAGE's Art Category sales have increased by 230% compared to the same period last year.