Seoul, the vibrant capital of South Korea, is becoming an unexpected hub for cultural dialogue, hosting an exhibition organized by Sotheby’s that pays homage to Mexican surrealism. The exhibition, aptly titled “Imaginary Worlds: An Exhibition of Female Surrealists,” showcases the powerful work of female artists who found inspiration in Mexico. Their paintings not only capture the essence of surrealism but also offer fresh perspectives on female artistic expression in the 20th century.
The exhibition brings together a selection of first-rate works by renowned artists like Frida Kahlo, Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, Sofía Bassi, María Izquierdo, Bridget Bate Tichenor, and Alice Rahon. These women, who arrived in Mexico under various circumstances, found a safe haven to create and express themselves, breathing life into the already vibrant artistic scene. Mexico offered them a cultural landscape where they could thrive and contribute to a unique artistic movement.
Tatiana Peralta, Vice President of Business Development at Sotheby’s Mexico, shared insights about the exhibition with Vogue. “Surrealism was an artistic movement born from the ashes of World War I in Europe. Emerging in this context, it quickly gained worldwide resonance. Mexico became one of the epicenters of this movement because many of the artists arrived in the country for different reasons. The beauty of it is that Mexico offered them a space to breathe culture, an environment full of cultural and artistic activity, where they found a safe place to create. This created an extraordinary breeding ground with this group of women who brought with them significant baggage.”
Peralta further explained the uniqueness of the exhibition and the surge in interest surrounding Mexican surrealism. “This is a unique opportunity to see the great masters of Mexican surrealism. While it won’t be an auction, the works are indeed for sale. Starting in 2021, when the record sale of a Latin American artist was broken with Frida Kahlo’s work, “Diego and I,” for $34.9 million at auction, we saw how this movement began to be considered by important collections and museums. The market is looking at this part of surrealism with more interest. Not long ago, the Centre Pompidou in Paris inaugurated the exhibition “Surrealism” which will be open until January next year, with very important works, which we had not seen for years. This year also saw a record broken with a Leonora Carrington work that reached $28.5 million at auction, so this motivated us to push this project and give visibility to these works from different collectors.”
Peralta delved into the decision to showcase the exhibition in Seoul, a move that signifies the growing global appeal of Mexican surrealism. “We decided to open a path in Asia, where not as many exhibitions like this have been presented. Already a large percentage of these pieces are sold, so this also confirms the movement of this market.”
The exhibition offers a chance to delve deeper into the works of iconic figures like Remedios Varo, Leonora Carrington, and Frida Kahlo, while also spotlighting lesser-known artists like Bridget Bate Tichenor. Tichenor, who was once a fashion editor at Vogue in New York, found a home and a thriving artistic community in Mexico. “In Bate Tichenor’s work “Diplomatic Paris in Eden,” we see a weasel playing with a snake, but all these scenes that she creates with animals always have a message, a comment that speaks about scenes of human life. So there’s always a deeper meaning,” explained Peralta.
Another highlight is Leonora Carrington’s “Bird Bath II.” “It’s a kind of self-portrait that shows us this mansion in the back. A recurring scene in her work. There we see this bird that represents her, freeing herself from the past, in a fountain, being baptized. The work has this feeling of rebirth and that she enters a new life. And for me, at least, that new life is the fact that she arrived in Mexico.”
Frida Kahlo’s work, with its limited but powerful impact, is also a must-see. “An artist with a very limited body of work. Her total production could be cataloged in about 150 works. That’s why her drawings are very special. Here we can see the artist directly from pencil to paper, a little bit naked. These works express a lot of her world, with allusions to yin and yang.”
Peralta reflected on the enduring legacy of Mexican surrealism and its continued relevance in the art world. “We believe that this market still has a lot to offer. In the end, the women of Mexican surrealism have been raising their prices and, of course, their recognition. But there is still much to be done to close the gap in terms of prices and exposure compared to other artists [men] of this same movement. The trend is very clear and we have seen how this market has grown fourfold in size in recent years. The important thing is that these women, these creators, have greater visibility worldwide. Beyond whether their works cost $5, $10 or $50 million, the fact that their life stories are spread and that their works reflect what they lived through, is part of what we seek with these kinds of projects.”
The exhibition’s journey may continue beyond Seoul, with plans for stops in New York and other cities. “We can’t confirm it yet, but we want this exhibition to reach New York and other cities. I can tell you that a very important auction with surrealist works will also take place in Paris, organized by Sotheby’s, on October 18th.”
“Imaginary Worlds: An Exhibition of Female Surrealists” will be on view until September 14, 2024, at the Salon Hannam 2024, Platform For Discourse & Discovery in the 5-6, Dokseodang-ro 29-gil of Yongsan-gu, Seoul, South Korea.
