Sydney Contemporary 2025 to Debut Photography Section 

Sydney Contemporary has unveiled details of the fair’s ninth edition, which will include the first instalment of Photo Sydney, a section solely dedicated to photography that was formed in response to collector demand for wider representation of the medium. Sandy Edwards—photographer and former director of Sydney’s now-closed Stills Gallery—advised the development and curation of Photo Sydney, while the inaugural exhibitors were chosen by a four-person selection committee, comprising: Margot Riley, curator of the New South Wales State Library; Merilyn Fairskye, artist and former board member of the Australian Centre for Photography; Melbourne-based art historian and curator Gael Newton; and writer, researcher, and curator Alasdair Foster. In a press release, the fair’s director, Zoe Paulsen, said that Photo Sydney “will bring critical focus to the richness and diversity of contemporary photography, offering a dedicated platform for established and emerging voices in the medium.” Marking its largest event to date, Sydney Contemporary is set to run from September 11–14 at Carriageworks, featuring 114 regional and international exhibitors, more than 500 artists, and a series of curatorial programs and talks.

Jack Ball Wins 2025 Ramsay Art Prize

On May 30, the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) in Adelaide announced Sydney-based artist Jack Ball as the winner of its AUD 100,000 (USD 64,920) Ramsay Art Prize. Established in 2017 by the nonprofit James & Diana Ramsay Foundation, the award is granted every two years to a contemporary Australian artist under the age of 40. Ball was selected out of 22 finalists for their large-scale installation Heavy Grit (2024), which blends photography and sculpture, comprising materials such as textured stained glass, beeswax, sand, charcoal, and copper pipes. The work centers on the transgender experience, exploring both personal and historical narratives of queer intimacy and desire. For this project, Ball drew from scrapbooks and press clippings from the 1950s and ‘70s, held by the Australian Queer Archives in Melbourne, to probe the multifaceted perceptions of trans people during this time. In a statement, the jury praised the winning piece for its “experimental processes and sophisticated creative resolve.” As part of the award, Heavy Grit will be acquired by AGSA, and all finalists’ works will be exhibited at the gallery from May 31 to August 31.

KIAF Seoul 2025 Announces Gallery Lineup

The Galleries Association of Korea has revealed the full exhibitor list for the 2025 edition of the Korean International Art Fair (KIAF), which will run from September 4–7 at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in Seoul, coinciding with Frieze Seoul. Now in its 24th year, KIAF Seoul will host 176 exhibitors from over 20 countries, 22 of whom are first-time participants. Newcomers include Hong Kong’s Art of Nature Contemporary, The Bridge Gallery from Paris, and Tokyo-based hide gallery. The event will  continue to spotlight Korean art with more than 120 domestic galleries, including Kukje Gallery, Gallery Hyundai, and Johyun Gallery.  Among the returning international participants are 333Gallery (Taipei), Lazy Mike (Riga), Galerie Marguo (Paris), and Sundaram Tagore Gallery (New York). Meanwhile, local returnees like ARTSIDE Gallery and BHAK  will be hosted in the main KIAF Galleries section. Along with the main exhibition sectors, the fair will stage its fourth iteration of KIAF PLUS, a curated platform for emerging artists and galleries.

Frieze Seoul Reveals Participants for 2025 Edition

Frieze Seoul has announced details for its fourth edition, which is slated to run from September 4–6 at the COEX Convention & Exhibition Center in the South Korean capital. Positioning itself as a meeting point for Korean and international audiences, this year’s Frieze Seoul will feature 120 exhibitors from more than 30 countries, with a strong focus on galleries across Asia, as well as Korean participants and newcomers like de Sarthe and 10 Chancery Lane Gallery (both from Hong Kong), Make Room (Los Angeles), and Leo Gallery (Shanghai).The event will be split into three sections: the main Galleries section, which will spotlight over 80 exhibitors—from established international galleries like Gagosian, Hauser & Wirth, and David Zwirner to notable regional and local galleries like Antenna Space (Shanghai), STPI (Singapore), and PKM Gallery (Seoul); Focus Asia, which will host solo presentations of ten emerging artists; and Frieze Masters, which will comprise 20 booths showcasing works that span the Middle Ages to the 20th century.

New Zealand Museum Removes Māori Artist’s Work

The Suter Art Gallery in Nelson, Aotearoa New Zealand, has removed Māori artist and activist Diane Prince’s work Flagging the Future (1995) from public view. According to the gallery, the decision was made following a “sharp escalation in the tone and nature of discourse, moving well beyond the bounds of respectful debate.” Initially intended to remain on display for five months as part of Prince’s solo show, it was taken down after 19 days. The piece invites the audience to walk on a New Zealand flag, printed with the words “PLEASE WALK ON ME.” It was first displayed in 1995 at the Auckland Art Gallery in response to a government policy capping compensation offered to Māori people for historical land theft. The work was subsequently removed due to public backlash. Decades later, while the work has been exhibited around the country, the controversy re-emerged after a video—showing one Nelson resident lifting the flag from the ground—circulated on social media, prompting Flagging the Future’s second removal since 1995.

Seoul Mediacity Biennale Announces Artist Lineup

The 13th Seoul Mediacity Biennale, which is slated to run from August 26 to November 23 at the Seoul Museum of Art, has announced its artist lineup. Titled ”Séance: Technology of the Spirit,“ the event is set to take place across various citywide venues, featuring 49 artists and collectives whose works explore the occult, as well as mystical and spiritual traditions in art. Led by artistic directors Anton Vidokle, Hallie Ayres, and Lukas Brasiskis, the Biennale will survey the spiritually-guided practices of artists such as Hilma af Klint and Georgiana Houghton, explore the influence of shamanism on Nam June Paik and Joseph Beuys, and present the otherworldly experimental films of Maya Deren and Jordan Belson alongside other artists working across themes of occult, enchantment, and magic.