SOLO SHOW: Organised Art Fair
Organised Art Fair
https://www.soloshow.info/soloshow
COOP (Check Out Our Project) is a group formed in 2018 by three gallery directors and art space representatives: Yeo Joonsoo (Gallery Chosun), Jaeho Jung (Gallery 2), and Inseon Kim (Willing ‘n Dealing). The group was established to explore new models for art distribution.
For galleries of different types and sizes to remain sustainable, cooperation between art systems and institutions is essential. This is a time for active efforts to make such collaboration work. Through these partnerships, COOP seeks to recognise the value of networks and shared information, and to amplify the focused marketing efforts that often remain limited to individual initiatives.
The activities of galleries and collectors involved in the sale of artworks go beyond simple transactions. They create a space for cultural engagement that enriches and gives meaning to everyday life, and can be understood as another form of artistic practice. The COOP team works closely together to build a distinct market structure, sharing opinions while making full use of available information and networks. Their aim is to expand the activities of artists and institutions and to develop art distribution as a form of cultural content. As a first step toward realising these goals, they planned their initial project: SOLO SHOW
SOLO Show is a temporary event in which exhibition spaces from different systems come together in a single location, stepping outside their fixed venues and schedules. It makes use of vacant or transitional spaces; spaces without a set purpose or awaiting new use, to create an unusual exhibition setting. Through this approach, the project proposes a fresh kind of art market and creates opportunities for selling artworks.
Each participating gallery represents only one artist from its program, with priority placed on promotion rather than immediate sales. This approach moves away from defining artworks solely by price and instead highlights the gallery’s role in supporting and shaping an artist’s practice. By bringing multiple solo presentations together into one exhibition, the project strengthens promotion and marketing for each artist, builds trust with audiences, and creates a focused platform for artists introductions. At the same time, it offers visitors new ways to experience and engage with contemporary art.
SOLO SHOW is the first project by COOP, a collective formed by three galleries. It is a market-focused event involving domestic galleries and art organisations, and serves as a research project that departs from the conventional art fair format. The project explores a new model in which small and mid-sized galleries operate flexibly, selecting spaces and timeframes suited to each situation, and developing a temporary yet adaptable form of art market.
Art fairs are a major platform in the established art market, attracting large numbers of visitors and potential buyers by offering the chance to view many artworks in one place. While they are highly effective for marketing, participation costs, especially booth fees, place a heavy financial burden on small galleries. SOLO SHOW was conceived as an alternative art market model that reduces participation costs while aiming to achieve maximum impact.
In this event, each gallery presents one artist. It serves as a platform for introducing the most promising artist selected by each gallery, with gallerists personally recommending a single artist to collectors. This strategy allows for focused promotion, strengthens marketing effectiveness, and offers collectors a greater sense of trust when considering a purchase.