Gagosian Gallery brings U.S. artist Derrick Adams' works to Korea for first solo show

Gagosian Gallery chose American artist Derrick Adams for its first solo show in Korea, which also coincides with the artist’s Korean solo debut.

″Who Can I Run To (Xscape)″ by Derrick Adams, acrylic and spray paint on wood panel in artist's frame, 72 x 95 1/2 inches (182.9 x 242.6 cm) [DERRICK ADAMS STUDIO, GAGOSIAN]

Gagosian Gallery, which has 19 exhibition spaces across major cities like New York City, London, Paris, Basel and Rome, currently only has one Asian branch, located in Hong Kong.

It may be too early to hope for a Seoul branch, but particularly this year, it’s evident that the gallery has been eyeing the Korean capital city. The gallery participated for the third time in Frieze Seoul and is now holding its first Korean pop-up exhibition, titled “The Strip.”

Gagosian chose American artist Derrick Adams for its first solo show in Korea, which also coincides with the artist’s Korean solo debut. As many of his works explore Black culture, Adams' selection was an attempt to offer a “fresh, new and perhaps unexpected” type of art to the Korean audience, according to Nick Simunovic, managing director of Gagosian, Hong Kong.

The exhibition, which takes place at the APMA Cabinet on the first floor of the Amorepacific headquarters in Yongsan District, central Seoul, is showcasing Adams’ latest reliefs. They depict a series of display windows at beauty supply stores with mannequin heads, which act as both the muse and consumers of Adams’ works, that don colorful wigs. The window is surrounded by faux brick paneling that is spray painted with hearts, which Adams explained paid homage to the late American fashion designer Patrick Kelly (1954-1990).

Installation view of Derrick Adams' solo exhibition ″The Strip″ at the APMA Cabinet in central Seoul [DERRICK ADAMS STUDIO, GAGOSIAN]

The titles of his works are all named after songs by American R&B girl groups, like Destiny’s Child, Brownstone, Groove Theory, SWV, Total and Xscape.

“While in my studio, I listen to music all the time, and the music I listen to is very influential to the way I work in my studio,” he told reporters earlier this month at the exhibition, as the titles are a representation of the “attitude” and “personality” of each painting.

The name of the exhibition, “The Strip,” refers to shopping centers that have stores arranged in a row and are accessible from the streets. It also alludes to how the APMA Cabinet is viewable from the streets through its glass window, not to mention its location being inside the headquarters of a corporate cosmetics giant, making it the perfect choice of venue for Adams.

Derrick Adams speaks during a news conference for his first Korean solo exhibition ″The Strip″ at the APMA Cabinet in central Seoul on Sept. 2. [YONHAP]

“I think of my work as existing in the future than the past,” he said. “You have to be open to what is happening right now, and I’d like to think that my work is more about right now and what’s happening forward than what has happened.”

“Derrick Adams: The Strip” continues until Oct. 12. APMA Cabinet is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day except Mondays. The exhibition is free.

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]