Corporate sponsors focus on luxury at Seoul's first Frieze Art Fair

With just three days before the world-renowned Frieze Art Fair launches its inaugural event in Seoul, corporate sponsors are duking it out to outshine each other. 

German carmaker Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), the event’s official partner, will showcase vehicles designed by US artist Jeff Koons for the first time in South Korea. 

In his collaboration with BMW, Koons completed designs on 99 units of the M950i models. One of them sold at an auction in New York in April for $475,000.

BMW will reveal The 8 x JEFF KOONS editions and another limited edition car named New BMW M850i x Drive Gran Coupé.

After the Seoul exhibit, the auto giant will begin the sale of limited edition vehicles autographed by Koons. 

The American artist is known for works featuring pop culture and sculptures depicting everyday objects, most notably balloon animals made of stainless steel with mirror-finish surfaces.

French fashion label Chanel will highlight Korean artists.

On August 31, it will screen a video titled “Now & Next” at Chanel Korea's flagship store in the posh Cheongdam district of southern Seoul. 

And LG Electronics Inc. will operate two lounges at the fair.

In one, the electronics behemoth will showcase a limited edition LG Signature OLED R monitor made in collaboration with British-Indian artist Anish Kapoor. In another, it will unveil the first non-fungible token (NFT) art piece by US sculptor Barry X Ball. 

Champagne label Maison Ruinart has teamed up with artist Kim Chong-hak, who transformed 15 cases of Cuvée Blanc de Blancs bottles into works of art centered around sustainability. 

Swiss luxury watch maker Breguet will showcase installation art.

During the art gala, a Breguet artisan will demonstrate the guilloché technique, in which a precise, intricate and repetitive pattern is mechanically engraved into an underlying material via engine turning.

Samsung Card, an official sponsor of the Korea International Art Fair (KIAF), will operate an indoor garden and display digital art pieces against this natural backdrop. 

Write to Bo-Ra Kim at destinybr@hankyung.com
Jee Abbey Lee edited this article.