Greetings in our first newsletter of 2026! ❄️
Art Sonje Center is preparing a new exhibition to be unveiled this coming March, as well as the 10th session of our Docent School. In this newsletter, we share updates on exhibitions and programs, along with news about THE BOOKS, our art bookstore that has reopened in the hanok. Lastly, we look back on the past year of the art museum’s activities, revisiting the moments in which we questioned and experienced the world through art.

빛처럼 확장되는 퀴어 예술의 현재,  《스펙트로신테시스 서울》 💡
The Present of Queer Art Expanding Like Light — Spectrosynthesis Seoul
2026. 3. 20. – 6. 28.

2026년 첫 번째 전시로 《스펙트로신테시스 서울》을 선보입니다. 이 전시는 LGBTQ+ 작가들이 각자의 방식으로 질문해 온 시간, 공간, 그리고 정체성의 이야기를 '서울'을 중심으로 풀어내는 전시인데요. 국내외 여러 세대의 퀴어 작가 70여 명(팀)이 참여해, 서로 다른 경험과 시선이 한자리에 모입니다. '트랜스(trans)'라는 키워드를 중심으로 신체와 젠더, 인종, 현실과 상상의 경계를 넘나들며 변화하는 정체성을 살펴보는 한편, 한국 퀴어 작가를 ‘기억·장소·형식’이라는 주제로 소개하며, 서울이라는 도시가 품고 있는 퀴어한 시간과 공간을 새롭게 보여줍니다. 빛의 스펙트럼처럼 다채로운 작품들을 통해 퀴어 미술의 지금과 앞으로의 가능성을 탐색하는 《스펙트로신테시스 서울》에 많은 기대 바랍니다! ✨

We are presenting Spectrosynthesis Seoul as our first exhibition of 2026. This exhibition explores stories of time, space, and identity as questioned by LGBTQ+ artists, with 'Seoul' as its focal point. Over 70 queer artists (and teams) from multiple generations, both domestic and international, come together, bringing diverse experiences and perspectives into one space. Focusing on the keyword “trans,” the exhibition examines shifting identities that cross the boundaries of body, gender, race, reality, and imagination. At the same time, it introduces Korean queer artists around the themes of “memory, place, and form,” revealing anew the queer times and spaces embedded in the city of Seoul. Through works as diverse as the spectrum of light, Spectrosynthesis Seoul invites audiences to explore the present and future possibilities of queer art.

If you want to gain a deeper understanding of Spectrosynthesis Seoul and share its stories with visitors, why not join the 10th session of our Docent School? Art Sonje Center will operate the 10th Docent School in connection with Spectrosynthesis Seoul, running from March to June 2026. Over the course of eight weeks, participants will engage in lectures focusing on the exhibition’s themes, artists, and related discourses, alongside practical training in docent work. Upon completing the program, participants will have the opportunity to lead regular exhibition tours of Spectrosynthesis Seoul themselves. We look forward to the participation of those interested in connecting with audiences through the experience of art!

If you turn slightly to the left of the Art Sonje Center building, you’ll see a hanok. This is where Art Sonje Center THE BOOKS has reopened! If you feel it’s a bit too soon to head home after the exhibition, stop by this cozy bookstore. You’ll find exhibition catalogues, including From the Most Beautiful Moments of War Series (2023) by Adrián Villar Rojas, which captures the time of his DMZ project ongoing since 2014, among many others. You can also browse unique goods, such as the “Micro Duffel for Survival,” created to commemorate Art Sonje Center’s 30th anniversary. Through these publications and goods, you can experience the extended stories of the exhibitions! :)

2025년 한 해 동안 아트선재센터는 다양한 매체와 감각을 넘나들며, 동시대 예술의 여러 모습을 소개했습니다. 공기를 통해 음악을 경험하는 방식에 주목한 《그레이코드, 지인: 공기에 관하여》와 하종현 작가의 초기 회화 작업을 살펴보는《하종현 5975》를 시작으로, 예술을 통해 인간과 비인간이 어떻게 연결되고 회복할 수 있는지를 이야기한《맑고 투명하고 깨어 있는》, 그리고 몸과 감각, 말 이전의 표현에 주목한 《홍영인: 다섯 극과 모놀로그》가 이어졌습니다. 또한 퀴어 미술의 다양한 이야기와 실천을 소개한 《오프사이트 2: 열한 가지 에피소드》, 아트선재센터의 공간 자체를 새롭게 경험하게 한 《아드리안 비야르 로하스: 적군의 언어》까지. 한 해 동안 아트선재센터의 전시와 프로그램에 보내주신 따뜻한 관심과 참여에 진심으로 감사드립니다. 2026년에도 예술을 통해 질문하고, 느끼고, 함께 생각할 수 있는 자리로 찾아뵙겠습니다. 감사합니다 ✨

Throughout 2025, Art Sonje Center introduced diverse aspects of contemporary art, traversing various media and sensory experiences. The year began with GRAYCODE, jiiiiin: Quivering Air, which explored experiencing music through the air, and Ha Chong-Hyun 5975, which examined the early paintings of Ha Chong-Hyun. This was followed by Clear, Lucid, and Awake, a reflection on how humans and non-humans can connect and heal through art, and Young In Hong: Five Acts & A Monologue, which focused on the body, senses, and pre-verbal expression. Additionally, offsite 2: Eleven Episodes presented diverse stories and practices of queer art, while Adrián Villar Rojas: The Language of the Enemy offered a new way to experience the Art Sonje Center space itself. We sincerely thank everyone for your warm interest and participation in our exhibitions and programs throughout the year. In 2026, we look forward to continuing to provide spaces where we can question, feel, and think together through art. Thank you!