An Interview with Esther Schipper & Jochen Meyer
Berlin galleries Esther Schipper and Meyer Riegger, longtime players in the East Asian art market, are expanding by opening gallery spaces in Seoul, South Korea. The Asian art market’s visibility has grown in the West, highlighted by Korean artist Mire Lee’s installation at Tate Modern and a 20% increase in Asian galleries at Art Basel 2024. Both galleries saw Asia become their strongest market during the pandemic, building networks through major fairs like Art Basel Hong Kong and Frieze Seoul. Esther Schipper registered in Korea in 2017 and gradually expanded, while Meyer Riegger recently partnered with Parisian gallery Jocelyn Wolf to create a new business model in Seoul. Challenges include navigating Korean bureaucracy and adapting to local market dynamics. Younger Asian collectors are energetic and represent the future, with Korea seen as culturally aligned with Western aesthetics and a favorable expansion location. The local scene is evolving but still fragmented, and stronger cultural and commercial exchanges between East and West are growing.