ICON: The Chair Series

Who knew a single chair could contain a city, instruments, and people all at once?

When I first looked at the catalog image, what caught my eye was a single chair. But when I looked closer, I saw that inside the chair were buildings, stairs, instruments, and even human figures packed densely together. This exhibition, ICON: The Chair Series, is a solo show by painter Kwon Young-sul, who has been active in Busan. It runs from June 23 to July 31, 2026 at Samseyoung Gallery in Pyeongchang-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul. For decades, the artist has focused on the ordinary object of a chair to depict human existence and desire, memory and the structure of time. In the images, the chair is not something to sit on, but rather a place where life briefly stays and a psychological space where memories accumulate.

What I especially liked were the countless dots filling the canvas. From a distance, it looks like one landscape; up close, each grain-of-sand-like dot scatters like a crowd of people. Because the work is built by tightly layering dots and lines, the longer you stand in front of it, the more new forms you keep discovering. In an age overflowing with digital images, once you know this is a body of work created by hand, dot by dot, and accumulated over more than 40 years, the way you face the paintings changes a little.

Pyeongchang-dong is not served by the subway — the practical route to get there

To be honest, Pyeongchang-dong is not the easiest neighborhood to reach even within Seoul. Because it sits at the foot of Bukhansan, there is no direct subway connection, and there are many uphill roads. My route was to go to Gyeongbokgung Station on Line 3 and then transfer to a bus. If you take a city bus from around Gyeongbokgung Station or Gwanghwamun heading up to Pyeongchang-dong, it will drop you near the gallery street, but you still have to walk a gentle incline from the stop, so sneakers are convenient. Many people just take a taxi straight up.

Once you get there, though, walking is enjoyable. Around Samseyoung Gallery, art spaces such as Gana Art Center, Total Museum, Kim Chong Yung Museum, and Kumbo Seong Gallery are clustered within walking distance, making this a neighborhood where you can spend an entire day strolling from gallery to gallery. It is quiet because there is no busy commercial district, and the calm atmosphere with Bukhansan in the background makes it feel almost too good to see just one exhibition and leave. Samseyoung means to encompass the past, present, and future, and it is a space that handles both classical art and contemporary art.

I recommend checking the gallery's official channels before you go for admission fees, whether advance reservation is required, and the exact opening hours on the day of your visit. Galleries in Pyeongchang-dong generally open late in the morning and close around evening, and many are closed on Mondays, so checking the closing day in advance is the safest way to avoid a wasted trip.

Don't expect English guidance, but paintings do not need language

Here is something to be honest about with foreign friends. Exhibitions at independent galleries like this often do not have English audio guides or multilingual leaflets as well prepared as national museums. The artwork captions are also likely to be mostly in Korean. But that is precisely why Kwon Young-sul's paintings feel approachable: instead of reading explanations, you 'walk' through the image with your eyes. As you move your gaze along the chair forms, a city appears, then stairs, then instruments and people, and you cross from one story into another kind of sensation. This is an exhibition where spending time matters more than language.

• It is not a crowded blockbuster show, so it is great for quiet immersion — you can stay in front of the works for a long time without being pushed around by crowds.
• Pyeongchang-dong has many cafes and restaurants, so if you combine the exhibition with a meal and coffee, it makes for a satisfying half-day course.
• Because it is a gallery, the on-site conveniences such as ticketing and merchandise are usually small-scale, so bringing a little cash can make things easier.
• The area has many hills and stairs, so shoes with low heels and light baggage are recommended.

For travelers who walk slowly and look long

If you expect flashy experiences or photo spots, you may find it a bit quiet. But for people who like to spend 20 minutes studying a single painting, or who want to step away briefly from the noise of Seoul's tourist districts and walk through a quiet art neighborhood, this exhibition is a perfect fit. After slowly passing through the layers of city, memory, and time following the familiar form of a chair, you come out feeling strangely refreshed, along with the clear air of Pyeongchang-dong. Don't rush; wait until the paintings speak to you.