Art Busan is gearing up for its 10th edition, scheduled to kick off May 13 at the Bexco Exhibition Center in Busan with 110 galleries. Among them are some renowned international galleries, joining for the first time amid rapidly growing interest in the art market in South Korea.

Participating galleries from abroad include Neugerriemschneider and Esther Schipper from Berlin, Commonwealth and Council from Los Angeles and Pilar Corrias from London.

A total of 4,000 artworks will be on display during the four-day fair, according to the organizer.

After the press and VIP opening May 13, the fair will be open to the public until May 16. Admission is 20,000 won ($17.95). 

The upcoming art fair will feature the participatory media art work “Your Uncertain Shadow” by Berlin-based Danish artist Olafur Eliasson, which was displayed at the Tate Modern in London in 2019, as part of the special exhibition session at the art fair.

For VVIP guests, who were recommended by each gallery, this year for the first time the organizer is offering services such as hotel accommodations and vehicles.

Meanwhile, a growing number of people are showing interest in local art fairs.

The Busan Annual Market of Art -- this year’s first art fair in the city, which closed last week -- saw the best turnout since its inception in 2012 and recorded its highest sales figure, 6.5 billion won.

Galleries Art Fair 2021, the oldest art fair in Korea, drew 48,000 visitors during its six-day run in March -- a 30 percent increase over 2019, according to the Galleries of Association Korea.

By Park Yuna  (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)