From Prints Starting at 0 Won to Kim Whanki's 2.8 Billion Won Painting... Seoul Auction to Host 1,000-Work Auction Festival

Nov. 11-24 at Gangnam Center: "2026 Auction Show" with 12 auctions and 8 exhibitions and pop-ups
Kim Whanki's previously unseen blue all-over dot painting to be shown in Korea for the first time; low estimate of 2.8 billion won
Evening Sale features 34 lots worth about 19 billion won; works by Kusama and Lee Ufan, plus a Joseon white porcelain moon jar
From a special auction of assets seized by the National Tax Service to Pokemon cards and prints starting at 10,000 won

From a Chagall print with a starting bid of 0 won to a Kim Whanki all-over dot painting with a low estimate of 2.8 billion won, an art festival is bringing together first-time bidders and collectors who trade works worth tens of billions of won in one place.

Yayoi Kusama's "Pumpkin" (1995). The work, featuring a red pumpkin covered in a repeating pattern of black dots, will be offered at Seoul Auction's evening sale on the 23rd. It is estimated at 1.2 billion to 1.6 billion won. Seoul Auction

Seoul Auction announced on Nov. 2 that it will host the 2026 Auction Show at its Gangnam Center in Seoul from Nov. 11 to 24. The event will showcase more than 1,000 works of art and collectibles, with 12 auctions and eight exhibitions and pop-ups over two weeks. It is an effort to broaden the collector base by combining lower-priced prints, crafts and vintage jewelry with the high-value artworks that have traditionally dominated auctions.

The standout work is Kim Whanki's 1971 painting "30-XI-71 #212." Created during his New York period, this blue all-over dot painting will be shown in Korea for the first time. Blue dots repeat across the 152-cm-wide canvas, creating variations in color intensity and rhythm. Its low estimate is 2.8 billion won.

The work will be offered at the Evening Sale, which begins at 5 p.m. on Nov. 23. The auction will feature 34 lots with a combined value of about 19 billion won. Also on offer are a 1969 cross-composition painting by Kim Whanki and works from his "Sanwol" series of the 1960s.

Works by international masters will also be offered. Damien Hirst's large butterfly painting "The Importance of Elsewhere-The Kingdom of Heaven" (2006) has a low estimate of 2.4 billion won. Made using real butterflies and standing approximately 3 meters tall, the work looks like stained glass from a distance, but the shapes of the butterflies emerge as viewers approach.

Lee Ufan's 1977 work "From Point" has a low estimate of 1.25 billion won, while Yayoi Kusama's red "Pumpkin" (1995) is estimated at 1.2 billion to 1.6 billion won. A Joseon-era white porcelain moon jar, standing approximately 47 cm tall, will also seek a new owner with a low estimate of 1 billion won.

The Contemporary Day Sale on Nov. 24 will feature 73 lots with a combined value of about 4.1 billion won. They include Woo Kukwon's "Hester" (2023), a modern reinterpretation of the protagonist of the novel "The Scarlet Letter"; a painting of ducks by Lee Kang-so; a large edition by Do Ho Suh; and a portrait by Hernan Bas.

A large white porcelain jar from the Joseon Dynasty to be offered at Seoul Auction's 2026 Auction Show Evening Sale. Standing about 47 cm tall, it is distinguished by its ample form and understated glaze. Its low estimate is 1 billion won. Seoul Auction.

Separate from the auctions, an exhibition titled "MODERN" will be held on the fifth floor of the Gangnam Center, showcasing works valued at more than 50 billion won. The exhibition will feature Picasso's late-period portrait "Personnage" (1971) and Chagall's "La lune noire" (1968-1971), as well as Park Soo-keun's "Laundry Place," Lee Jung-seob's "Bull," and works by Kim Whanki and Yoo Youngkuk.

The auction is also lowering the barriers to entry, having previously focused on high-value artworks. At the print auction on Nov. 13, a print produced after the artist's death based on an original image by Chagall will have a starting bid of 0 won, while a print by Kim Jeom-seon will start at 10,000 won. Art posters by Andy Warhol and Henri Matisse, among others, will be auctioned on Nov. 12, and works by emerging artists will go under the hammer on Nov. 18.

A special National Tax Service auction of assets seized from high-value tax delinquents will be held on Nov. 14. Hermès and Chanel bags, Rolex watches and gold bars will be offered, with the proceeds used to return unpaid taxes to state coffers. On Nov. 20, World Children's Day, a charity auction will also be held with UNICEF, featuring works by Lee Bae, Kim Sunwoo and Eva Armisen, among others.

The exhibition program is also diverse. Items on show will include 100 Pikachu cards created in collaboration with the Van Gogh Museum, five Pokémon cards reinterpreting Munch's "The Scream," and a vintage Hermès collection. A solo exhibition by American artist Devon DeJardin will also feature prints created in collaboration with The8 of SEVENTEEN.

The official poster for the "2026 Auction Show," which Seoul Auction will host at its Gangnam Center from the 11th to the 24th. The event will showcase around 1,000 artworks and collectibles, with 12 auctions and eight exhibitions and pop-ups. Seoul Auction

Related events will include a discussion on artificial intelligence (AI) and creativity with KAIST Professor Kim Dae-sik and choreographer Kim Hyeyeon, as well as a lecture on modern Korean art by art historian Kim Inhye.

Tickets cost 22,000 won and allow visitors to return during the event. Those wishing to participate in the auctions must register as Seoul Auction members and register a bidding paddle. Separate reservations and payment are required for the lectures and Art Brunch.

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