๐จ Upside Down, Forever: Discover Georg Baselitz’s Final Legacy in Seoul If you're looking for a truly unforgettable art exhibition in Seoul this year, Georg Baselitz’s retrospective at Sehwa Museum of Art deserves a spot on your list. ๐ผ๏ธโจ Known worldwide as the legendary artist who turned his subjects upside down, Baselitz (1938–2026) challenged the way we look at paintings—and ultimately changed the course of contemporary art. https://www.hankyung.com/article/2026081399501 Opened on August 12 in Gwanghwamun, Seoul, the exhibition has taken on even greater significance following Baselitz’s passing in April 2026. The museum had been preparing the show with the artist for more than a year, and it has now become the first museum retrospective of Baselitz held anywhere in the world since his death. The exhibition brings together 46 paintings, drawings, and sculptures, spanning an extraordinary artistic journey from 1966 to works completed shortly before his death. Even more exciting for Korean art lovers, 39 of the works are being shown in Korea for the first time. ๐จ๐ฐ๐ท One of the first works visitors encounter is “Two Divided Cows I” (1966), a striking painting reflecting the violence and trauma of war. Baselitz was only seven years old when he witnessed Dresden burning during the bombing of 1945, and memories of war deeply influenced his early artistic career. But what made Baselitz internationally famous was something completely different: painting figures upside down. ๐๐๏ธ https://www.hankyung.com/article/2026081399501 Beginning in 1969, Baselitz deliberately inverted the people and objects in his paintings. His goal wasn't simply to shock viewers. When we see a normal portrait, our brain instantly recognizes “a person” and may move on. Turn that person upside down, however, and suddenly we pay more attention to the colors, brushstrokes, texture, composition, and physical act of painting itself. In an era when photography and abstract art were challenging the relevance of traditional painting, Baselitz found a radical way to make people look at painting again. Visitors can also see monumental portraits of Elke Kretzschmar, Baselitz’s wife and lifelong muse, who remained beside him for more than six decades. โค๏ธ One particularly fascinating work, “Elke in France II” (2019), was created by pressing canvases together, producing a rough surface where layers of paint appear almost to peel away like skin. Moving through the exhibition, you'll encounter Baselitz’s later “Remix” series, in which the artist revisited subjects from his younger years using brighter colors and freer, more spontaneous brushwork. It is almost like watching an older artist have a conversation with his younger self. ๐จโณ https://www.hankyung.com/article/2026081399501 Then comes perhaps the most emotional part of the exhibition. Inside the final darkened gallery, golden works glow against black surroundings. โจ Baselitz’s final work, “More Than That” (2026), depicts the fragile aging bodies of himself and his wife with just a few delicate lines over a gold-leaf background. Even during his final years, Baselitz continued working on canvases placed on the floor while relying on a wheelchair and walking aid. Marks left by his mobility equipment remain visible on the artwork itself—physical traces of an artist who continued painting until almost the very end. Before leaving, don't miss the 22-minute final interview filmed in Germany shortly before his death. Outside the museum, visitors can also encounter “1965,” an approximately 3.5-meter-tall bronze self-portrait originally carved from wood using a chainsaw and axe. ๐จ The museum even removed parts of its ceiling to accommodate Baselitz’s enormous works, some reaching around three meters in height—a fitting reminder of just how ambitious this retrospective is. https://www.hankyung.com/article/2026081399501 ๐ Sehwa Museum of Art, Gwanghwamun, Seoul๐ Until December 27, 2026๐๏ธ General Admission: โฉ15,000 Whether you're already passionate about contemporary art or simply searching for something different to experience in Seoul, this exhibition offers a rare opportunity to follow more than half a century of one artist’s life—from war and rebellion to love, aging, and his final brushstrokes. ๐ค๐จ #GeorgBaselitz #Baselitz #SehwaMuseumOfArt #SehwaMuseum #SeoulExhibition #SeoulArt #Gwanghwamun #ContemporaryArt #ModernArt #ArtExhibition #SeoulMuseum #KoreaTravel #VisitSeoul #VisitKorea #SeoulTravel #ArtInSeoul #ArtLovers #MuseumLovers #UpsideDownArt #GermanArtist #EuropeanArt #ArtHistory #SeoulCulture #KoreanMuseum #ThingsToDoInSeoul #SeoulEvents #ExhibitionInSeoul #ExploreSeoul #CulturalExperience #Seoul2026
