A view of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Seoul, located in Jongno-gu, Seoul. (Yonhap)
SEOUL, Aug. 21 (Korea Bizwire) — The National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA) announced on Wednesday that its four branches — in Seoul, Gwacheon, Deoksugung, and Cheongju — will host an array of exhibitions, markets, and performances as part of the 2025 Korea Art Festival.
Timed to coincide with major art fairs such as Frieze Seoul, Kiaf, and seven biennales across the country, all MMCA venues will offer free admission from September 1 to 10. The Seoul branch will hold a special late-night opening on September 4 to align with Samcheong Night, when galleries in the neighborhood remain open into the evening.
That same day, the museum courtyard will host the eco-friendly “MMCA Market,” selling art books, crafts, local produce, and food, alongside live performances by DJs and indie musicians.
The Seoul branch is also staging a major retrospective of the late Kim Tschang-Yeul, one of Korea’s most celebrated contemporary artists, opening August 22. Other ongoing programs include Korea Artist Prize 2025, supporting mid-career artists, and Highlights of Korean Contemporary Art, a showcase of key works from the national collection.
On August 13, at the Deoksugung branch of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Jung-gu, Seoul, reporters examine artworks during the exhibition “Nostalgia: Painting Hometowns,” held to commemorate the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation. (Yonhap)
At the Deoksugung branch, an exhibition marking the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation, Nostalgia: Painting Hometowns, features more than 210 works by artists such as Oh Ji-ho, Lee Sang-beom, and Lee Ungno.
The Gwacheon branch is presenting its permanent modern and contemporary Korean art collections and will host a performance and conversation on September 5 with artist Song Ye-hwan, part of the Young Korean Artists 2025 program. International curators specializing in Korean and Asian art will also gather there for a special program from September 2 to 5.
In Cheongju, the museum is commemorating the 20th anniversary of the National Art Bank with the exhibition Return to the Future: The Emergence of Form and Thought. Visitors can also view Bunker: From Darkness to Light, a collaborative project with the Cheongju Museum of Art.
On April 30 this year, at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Gwacheon, Gyeonggi Province, an attendee views Lee Jung-seop’s “Bull” during a press preview of the MMCA Gwacheon permanent exhibition “Korean Modern and Contemporary Art I.” (Yonhap)
MMCA Director Kim Sung-hee said the institution aims to showcase “the value and appeal of Korean art” to global visitors and the art world during the September festival season, while offering local audiences the chance to immerse themselves in cultural experiences.
Details on exhibitions and programs are available at mmca.go.kr
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
