Korean Contemporary Art Makes Market Impact at Seattle Art Fair — Presented by Gallery B612, Now on Artsy

At the 2025 Seattle Art Fair, Gallery B612 made a powerful and poetic impact with its curated presentation of Korean contemporary art. Under the direction of MiYoung Seul Margolis, the gallery introduced four Korea-based artists — Minjung Kim, KyoungMug Park, MiYoung Margolis, and YoungHwa Choi — in an exhibition centered around hanji, the traditional Korean paper reimagined as a medium for modern expression.This thoughtfully curated showcase resonated with both local and global audiences — not only drawing attention but also converting interest into real art acquisitions. It marked a meaningful market breakthrough for the participating artists. Select works from the exhibition are now available globally on Artsy, expanding access and allowing collectors worldwide to engage with the exhibition beyond the fair itself. ⸻
 

[Seattle Art Fair View]

Among the featured artists, Minjung Kim stood out with her deeply resonant and introspective work. Trained as an art therapist, Kim investigates emotional transference, shared breath, and psychological resonance between individuals through her ink-on-hanji practice. Her work Gravity Between Us doesn’t depict a single emotion, but rather traces the intangible flow of feeling between people — “like breath suspended between inhale and exhale.”“My paintings are about how we breathe through each other—how emotion is not a thing we hold, but something that moves between us,” Kim explains.
Through soft tonal transitions and layered textures, her pieces quietly pose the question: Can emotion be shared without words?
 

Minjung Kim: Visualizing Emotion Through Breath and Ink, MINJUNG KIM, Gravity Between Us, 2025]

48 × 36 × 1 3/4 in | 121.9 × 91.4 × 4.4 cm As both director of Gallery B612 and a featured artist, MiYoung Seul Margolis merges visual storytelling with cultural memory through her mixed media works on hanji. Drawing from Korean mythology, personal history, and abstract aesthetics, she layers resin, ink, and natural elements to explore themes of identity, longing, and feminine strength. Her featured series, Ithaca and Windows to Ithaca, reflect on the quiet emotional journey of return — a poetic metaphor for homecoming and healing. “I work with hanji not just as a surface, but as a living material that holds memory,” says Margolis. “It breathes, it absorbs, and it carries the weight of stories that aren’t always spoken.” Crystals embedded within the layers act as quiet echoes of resilience and inner clarity, inviting viewers to look beyond the visible and sense what lies beneath.  
 
Reimagining Tradition: Hanji as Conceptual Medium

Curated by Gallery B612, the exhibition proposed hanji not just as a material, but as a conceptual framework for contemporary expression. “Hanji is strong yet delicate, traditional yet deeply open to interpretation,” notes MiYoung Seul Margolis. “It holds the spirit of Korean resilience, and when used as a surface for emotional storytelling, it connects cultures and generations.” Each artist approached hanji with a distinct lens, weaving in themes like sky, wind, star, and poetry — inspired by the words of poet Yun Dong-ju. This poetic thread lent the exhibition a quiet yet powerful emotional rhythm, accessible even to those unfamiliar with Korean aesthetics.
 
Beyond Borders: Diplomacy, Sales, and Global Reach
The exhibition attracted significant attention from collectors, curators, and cultural institutions. Several pieces were acquired during the fair, validating both the artistic strength and market relevance of the featured works. Notably, the exhibition also sparked interest from the Consulate General of the Republic of Korea in Seattle, opening the door to future cultural collaborations and ambassadorial showcases. By expanding to Artsy’s global platform, Gallery B612 continues to elevate the visibility of Korean contemporary art, ensuring its artists’ voices reach audiences across borders, languages, and cultural lines — creating connections that transcend medium and geography.
  

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