Kiaf SEOUL returns with 175 galleries and new coexistence-themed programming

Kiaf SEOUL 2026 will run Sept. 2-6 at COEX in Seoul with 175 galleries from 18 countries and territories, marking the fair’s 25th anniversary. The fair is centering this year’s edition on the theme “Coexistence” and expanding special exhibitions, artist spotlights and a live music program.

Why it matters: - Kiaf SEOUL is using its 25th anniversary edition to frame a broader conversation about how art, humanity and technology can coexist. - The fair remains one of Seoul’s anchor cultural events and a major draw for collectors, galleries and visitors during Seoul Art Week. - The expanded programming gives emerging artists, experimental work and interdisciplinary projects a larger platform inside and outside the fair.

What happened: - Kiaf SEOUL 2026 will take place at COEX in Seoul from Sept. 2-6, 2026. - The Galleries Association of Korea organizes the fair. - The event will bring together 175 galleries from 18 countries and territories. - Creative Director Kuho Jung is leading the fair’s 25th anniversary edition. - The fair is centered on the theme “Coexistence,” focused on the relationship between humanity and technology. - Kiaf SEOUL is also positioned as a central part of Seoul Art Week.

The details: - The gallery lineup includes established and emerging galleries from Korea and abroad, along with a strong group of first-time exhibitors. - Kiaf PLUS and the expanded Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS program will spotlight emerging voices, experimental practices and artist-focused exhibitions. - Gallery standouts include a 1982 tempera painting by Marc Chagall at Art of the World Gallery. - Obscura will present Sol LeWitt’s Irregular Grid (1999). - Yeasung Gallery will show Damien Hirst’s limited edition print For the Love of God (2012). - The Damien Hirst sculpture of the same name was exhibited in a solo show at MMCA Seoul earlier this year. - The fair will also feature works by Lee Ufan, including pieces from the Wind series. - Wellside Gallery will present mixed media works by Seobo Park. - PYO Gallery will show Kim Tschangyeul’s abstract water droplet paintings. - Gallery JJ will present a soap relief sculpture by Meekyoung Shin depicting dancing angels. - Kukje Gallery will show Korakrit Arunanondchai’s The Angel (2025), a mixed media work on bleached denim. - Opera Gallery will present a KAWS painting built with bold colors, graphic contours and transparent overlays.

Between the lines: - The fair is pairing art-market programming with curatorial framing that reads as a response to AI, digital innovation and changing ideas about human perception. - The mix of blue-chip names and younger artists suggests Kiaf SEOUL is trying to satisfy collectors while also signaling relevance in current artistic debates. - HUMAL and Invisible extend the fair beyond booth sales and into exhibition-led storytelling, which can deepen audience engagement. - The special programming also broadens Kiaf’s identity from a trade fair into a citywide cultural event.

What's next: - HUMAL will examine human instinct, embodied perception and vitality through the work of seven interdisciplinary artists: Kang Kun, Kwak Ji Su, Sung Byunghee, Oh Heinkuhn, Lee Dongwook, Yi Hwankwon and Hwang Sueyon. - Invisible will use QR codes and augmented reality artworks embedded in the exhibition space. - Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS will present 10 semi-finalists in dedicated in-booth exhibition spaces by their galleries. - The semi-finalists are Gosari, Lee Jaesam, Lee Chaeyoung, Lim Nosik, Lim Hyunjung, Cho Kyungjae, Ji Geunwook, Matthew Stone, Xevi Solà and Yui Suzuki. - The shortlist was selected by a panel of art professionals including Laurencina Farrant, Seo Jinseok, Chung Yeon Shim, Lee Daehyung and Ha Kyehoon. - Kiaf Classic: Resonance of Coexistence with Seong-Jin Cho will be held at the COEX Auditorium on Sept. 4.

The bottom line: - Kiaf SEOUL 2026 is expanding beyond a conventional art fair, combining market momentum, curated exhibitions and live performance around a single theme: how art and technology coexist.