Gosari and No-Sik Lim Selected as Final Artists for Kiaf “HIGHLIGHTS”... Each to Receive 10 Million Won Support

Two Artists Selected After On-site Review of Gallery-nominated Candidates

Focus on Artists with Over 10 Years of Experience This Year

Evaluation Based on Artistic Merit, Originality, and International Potential

Kiaf Seoul selected Gosari and No-Sik Lim on September 3 as the final artists for its artist support program, “2026 Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS.” Each artist was recommended by different galleries—Shilla Gallery and Arario Gallery, respectively—and will receive a creative grant of 10 million won per person, sponsored by COEX.

Artist Kosari, who was selected as the final artist for '2026 Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS,' is taking a commemorative photo after receiving a creative support fund of 10 million won. Kiaf Seoul

Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS is an artist support program in which artists recommended by participating galleries are reviewed by leading industry professionals. Finalists are selected for their distinctive practices and provided with intensive promotional opportunities. First introduced in 2023, the program offers Kiaf finalists valuable PR and promotional support during the fair, allowing them to present their work to domestic and international collectors as well as art world insiders.

This year, the program specifically focused on artists who have consistently established an independent practice for over 10 years. Candidates recommended by participating galleries were evaluated comprehensively, including artistic merit, originality, contemporaneity, a strong artistic identity, and the potential for expansion within the international art scene. Ten semifinalists were selected in the first round, with the final decision on the opening day of Kiaf—after a second in-person review of their work—ultimately naming Gosari and No-Sik Lim as this year’s final artists.

The semifinalists, besides the two final artists, included Jae-Sam Lee (Gallery Grimson), Chae-Young Lee (Sun Gallery), Hyun-Jung Lim (Atelier Aki), Kyung-Jae Cho (Gallery Palzo), Geunwook Ji (Hakgojae), Matthew Stone (CHOI&CHOI Gallery), Xavi Solà (Opera Gallery), and Yui Suzuki (mizusai). Both domestic and overseas artists were included in the pool of candidates, evaluating their potential for success in the international art market.

Artist No-sik Lim, selected as the final artist for '2026 Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS,' is taking a commemorative photo after receiving a creative support fund of 10 million won. Kiaf Seoul

This year, the presentation of selected artists has also been enhanced. Separate “in-booth” exhibition spaces will be installed within the respective participating galleries, offering an in-depth introduction to each artist’s body of work. This approach allows visitors and collectors to grasp the development and trajectory of the artists’ practices, and provides artists with a more comprehensive opportunity to present their work.

The jury comprised five members: Lorencina Hwarant Lee, Director of SongEun Art Space; Jin-Seok Seo, Director of the Busan Museum of Art; Yeonshim Jung, Professor at Hongik University; Taehyung Lee, Director of Hzone; and Gyehoon Ha, Director of the Yangpyeong Art Museum. The panel commented that the works submitted offered insight into current trends in contemporary painting through an extremely diverse range of themes and styles, further noting, “A large number of works explored the boundaries between reality and virtuality, conscious and unconscious realms, based on figurative elements, and the level of aesthetic achievement was so high that it was difficult to distinguish which works were superior."

Kiaf HIGHLIGHTS targets not only painters but also artists working in sculpture, installation, and media art. This year’s roster of nominees addressed a range of contemporary art themes—including society and the individual, nature and technology, tradition and modernity. Kiaf will continue to utilize this program as a platform for discovering talented artists and introducing them to collectors and art professionals at home and abroad.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.