What's Up / 12 Masters

Coinciding with Frieze Seoul 2023, an exciting artistic convergence will take place in the historical neighbourhood of Bukchon. What’s Up / Seoul ‘12 Masters’, an exhibition that will bring together 12 masters of painting and sculpture, will be staged within the traditional hanok of Teo Yang. This latest collaboration will see the refined aesthetic of Yang meet the curatorial expertise of Lawrence Van Hagen.

Yang’s hanok provides a distinctly unique backdrop for the exhibition. Nestled in the hills between Gyeongbok Palace and Changdeok Palace, Bukchon is a rare gem that preserves 600 years of history. Yang’s hanok dates all the way back to 1917, and has garnered interest by interior design enthusiasts around the world, often featured in international publications like the Architectural Digest and Dezeen. The fusion of historical Korean architecture and important works of post-war and contemporary art will offer a unique opportunity within the city of Seoul to explore new ideas and cultivate fascinating dialogues.

What’s Up / Seoul ‘12 Masters’ will include important works by Andy Warhol, Lee Ufan, Alexander Calder, Jean-Michel Basquiat, John Chamberlain, Keith Haring, Yayoi Kusama, Giorgio Morandi, Yoshitomo Nara, Gerhard Richter, Stanley Whitney and Lucas Arruda.

Stepping off the bustling streets of Seoul, visitors will enter Yang’s intimate hanok and be transported to a sanctuary of stillness and beauty. Visitors will move between seven rooms in the hanok: the reception, the wine room, the tea room, the living room, the dining room, the library and the basement. Each of these rooms offers intimate encounters with artists that are both internationally-renowned and instantly recognisable. The exhibition will offer a singular opportunity to experience museum-quality art in situ – within a real home – reinventing the very idea of exhibitions as we know it.