Art shows this week

World-famous boy band Big Bang member T.O.P. spends ninety-five percent of his earnings on collecting art, while member Taeyang recently purchased the most expensive piece from artist Nam June Paik’s collection. For most of us, however, purchasing expensive artwork is a luxury we cannot afford. We can, however, observe renowned sculptures for free at the Trinity Garden, located on the sixth floor of Shinsegae Myeongdong.  The works exhibited in the Trinity Garden include both pop art and classical sculptures by famed artists Jeff Koons (‘Balloon Dog’), Alexander Calder (‘Le Cepe’), Henry Moore (‘Reclining Figure’) and Louise Bourgeois (‘Eye Bench’). Set in the heart of Seoul, you can also enjoy the great view of the original Korean Bank and Namsan Tower from the garden.

Established by multimillionaire gallerist Kim Chang-il, Arario Gallery first opened its doors in Cheonan in 2012 before moving to its current place in Sogyeok-dong, Seoul. Making The ARTnews "200 Top Collectors" list for 7 years now, the internationally respected gallery boasts three-stories of exhibition space. At times, the basement and the upper levels are separated to showcase two exhibitions with unrelated curatorial goals. Although the gallery’s main interest lies in contemporary art, it branches off to support domestic as well as international artists in their early to mid-careers.

There’s an artificial quality to Jung Yeon-doo’s work that you can’t quite figure out. Despite the ever-so-slightly awkward smiles and staged poses, the people in these photos aren’t hired models. These are real families that live in the same apartment complex.