For many students, the school break is a chance to step away from their usual routines and explore new interests. Among other things, it can be a great opportunity to visit art exhibitions that are difficult to fit into a busy semester. From contemporary art spaces in Seoul to internationally renowned museums, there are many places where visitors can encounter different artists, ideas, and forms of art.

Before looking at the exhibitions I visited, let’s consider how to enjoy an exhibition. There is no single right way to experience one. Instead of trying to understand every artwork at once, visitors can begin with the works that naturally catch their attention. A work’s color, size, material, or even the way it is displayed can be a starting point. Asking yourself why a particular work caught your eye or what kind of feeling it evokes can create a more engaging experience. It can also be helpful to take your time and view an exhibition as a whole. It can simply be an opportunity to encounter unfamiliar ideas and find your own way of looking at art. With these simple approaches in mind, here are three exhibitions worth exploring during the school break.

First, I visited Ranee Seoul, which is currently hosting an exhibition titled Portraits: Ourselves. Ranee Seoul is located in Yongsan-gu, Seoul, and visitors can enjoy a pleasant atmosphere even before entering the exhibition space, as the garden features several sculptures surrounded by beautifully arranged flowers. The exhibition begins with the question, “How have different eras viewed the human being?”

Although the word “portrait” usually brings a person’s face to mind, portraits have evolved beyond the physical representation of appearance. They can also reveal identity and explore the meaning of human existence in the context of changing times. Featuring works by 15 artists, the exhibition invites visitors to reflect on different interpretations of portraiture and how each artist represents it.

A 20-minute bus ride from Ranee Seoul took me to another gallery, Frieze House Seoul. Frieze House Seoul is located in Jung-gu, Seoul. It is a permanent exhibition space presented by Frieze. Since opening in September 2025, it has introduced visitors to works from leading Korean and international galleries through carefully curated exhibitions and year-round programs in the heart of Seoul. Visitors can explore works by a variety of artists, while the exhibition space itself is also notable, with its distinctive layout extending upward through the building.

Among the exhibitions on display, Impression: A View from the Artist by artist Noh Choong-hyun stood out. As he is also a professor at SeoulTech, I had the opportunity to interview him about his work and the exhibition.

Room, 2023, oil on canvas, 112.0x145.5cm

Q. What themes do you explore in your work?

A. I am drawn to spaces and landscapes that convey a sense of anxiety or instability. Rather than focusing only on what a place looks like, I am interested in the emotions we experience when looking at it. The subjects I choose often reflect my own state of mind at the time. That is why I tend to be attracted to things that are damaged, altered, or empty rather than things that appear completely beautiful or perfect.

Q. Your paintings often feature empty spaces. What interests you about them?

A. The meaning of a space can change depending on the place and the circumstances surrounding it. During graduate school, I was interested in empty public spaces because I could project my own uncertainty about the future, economic conditions, and emotional instability onto them. In another series, I painted a space that had once been associated with institutions and political history after those elements had been removed. I was interested in showing the emptiness itself rather than giving it one fixed meaning.

Q. Your paintings feel both lonely and peaceful. What inspired the phrase “I have tried to ruin myself in front of abundant and profound nature”?

A. I think this phrase captures something that runs through my work. Since graduate school, my state of mind has influenced the subjects I choose to paint. At the time, I was drawn to damaged or incomplete things because they reflected the sense of poverty and instability I felt within myself. Painting something beautiful or abundant that did not resonate with me felt artificial, like wearing clothes that did not fit. Even as my perspective has changed over the years, I am still interested in damaged things and in the expressions or states we take on when we experience anxiety.

Q. How would you like viewers to approach your paintings?

A. I do not think there is one correct way to understand my work. I prefer viewers to bring their own experiences and feelings to the paintings rather than trying to find a fixed meaning. Their own interpretations can make the work richer.

Q. What would you like to say to people who may feel unfamiliar with art?

A. Art has become much closer to people than it used to be, and there are many different ways to enjoy it. You do not have to approach an exhibition in a serious or difficult way. Simply look at the works comfortably and experience them in your own way. Even spending a short time with a work can be meaningful if it gives you a chance to notice something new.

Another exhibition I visited was Cubists: Pioneers of Visual Innovation, the inaugural project at Yeouido’s Centre Pompidou. The collection takes inspiration from Paris, the birthplace of Cubism, and offers a broad overview of the movement’s development over approximately two decades, from 1907 to 1927.

Even visitors without extensive knowledge of art history can find the exhibition worthwhile, as it features original works by renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso and Juan Gris. Seeing the works in person can be a very different experience from viewing them on a screen. Their scale and presence can feel far more immersive and powerful. The exhibition also includes works by Korean artists, offering visitors an opportunity to compare different approaches and perspectives.

A wide variety of exhibitions continue to take place throughout Seoul. If you did not have the chance to explore them during the summer break because you were not familiar with Seoul’s art scene, consider visiting one on a weekend or during the winter break. Looking at different works can help you experience new emotions that you may not have known were there, while simply spending time in an exhibition space can also be a relaxing way to take a break from everyday life. Whether you come looking for inspiration or simply a quiet moment, an exhibition can offer a different kind of experience.

 

Reporter

Jiyun Bae

jenneybae@g.seoultech.ac.kr

Reporter 배지윤

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