KAAF ART PRIZE 2025 21 November 2025 – 16 January 2026 OPENING NIGHT & WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: 21 NOVEMBER, 6-8pm The Korea-Australia Arts Foundation (KAAF) Art Prize is an annual competition that aims to promote cultural diversity in Australia by bringing together artists from a wide range of cultural backgrounds. Now in its 12th year, the Prize welcomes entries across various art forms with a primary focus on 2D works. With a total prize pool of $35,000, it offers both acquisitive and non-acquisitive cash awards to the winners.  The Korean Cultural Centre (KCC) Australia is the venue partner, hosting the exhibition of the finalists’ artworks.   WINNERS Winner: Min-Woo Bang, Cerebral Cloud Founder’s Prize: Robert Bennetts, Termite Mound in East Arnhem Highly Commended: Julie Poulsen, Small Cool Dip I Alice Xu, The Devil’s Hostel Commended: Anne-France Fulgence, Bad Luck and Trouble I Sunjoo Heo, 9 to 5 Learn more about the prize on the OFFICIAL KAAF WEBSITE For enquiries, please contact KAAF directly at info@kaaf.org.au  

SCREENING & TALK Saturday 16 August 2025, 1:30–5:00 PM (Updated time) Domain Theatre, Art Gallery of New South Wales PROGRAMS (Updated time) 1:30 PM – 1:40 PM Opened by Dr. Sunmin Yoon, Director of the KCCAU & Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, Film Curator of the AGNSW 1:40 PM – 4:05 PM The Handmaiden Screening 4:05 PM – 4:25 PM Break 4:25 PM – 5:00 PM Talk and Q&A (Ryu Seong-hee & Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd) This special event includes a screening of The Handmaiden (2016), directed by Park Chan-wook, followed by a conversation with the film’s renowned production designer, Ryu Seong-hee, in dialogue with Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, Film Curator at the Art Gallery of New South Wales. Production design is the art of translating the story and worldview of a film into a visual language by interpreting the scenario’s imagery and overseeing the look and feel of the entire production.  In The Handmaiden, Ryu Seong-hee’s masterful production design fuses Korean and Western sensibilities to create a lavish yet unsettling atmosphere that heightens the psychological complexity of the narrative. Her meticulous approach to building cinematic worlds has made her one of Korea’s most distinguished art directors, shaping the visual identity of numerous award-winning films. This program highlights the art of production design as a vital component of cinematic storytelling.  It is held in conjunction with the exhibition Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds, on view at the Korean Cultural Centre Australia from 14 August 2025. Ryu Seong-hee is a distinguished South Korean production designer known for her meticulous attention to detail and ability to create richly atmospheric worlds on screen. After realizing her original artistic path was not the right fit, she pursued specialized training in film art by enrolling at the American Film Institute (AFI) in 1995. Upon returning to Korea, she contributed to Ryoo Seung-wan’s No Blood No Tears (2002), where the term “production designer” was introduced in place of “art director” for the first time in Korean cinema. Ryu is widely recognized for her work on The Handmaiden (2016), Decision to Leave (2023), Oldboy (2003), and Memories of Murder (2003), films that helped elevate Korean cinema on the international stage. In 2016, she became the first Korean to receive the prestigious Vulcan Prize for Technical Artistry at the 69th Cannes Film Festival for her work on The Handmaiden. Her ongoing collaboration with director Park Chan-wook is particularly celebrated for its creative synergy and distinctive visual storytelling, solidifying her reputation as one of South Korea’s most accomplished and influential production designers. Most recently, she expanded her creative portfolio as co-artistic director of the Netflix original series When Life Gives You Tangerines, further cementing her versatility.

PRODUCTION DESIGN: SCENE ARCHITECTS BUILD ON-SCREEN WORLDS 14 August – 31 October 2025 Opening Night: 14 August, 6-8pm I Korean Cultural Centre Australia   Production Design: Scene Architects Build On-Screen Worlds brings to life the artistry behind some of the most striking films in contemporary Korean cinema.  This exhibition delves into how visionary production designers—Ryu Seong-hee (Decision to Leave (2022), The Handmaiden (2016)), Cho Hwa-sung (Hansan: Rising Dragon (2022)), and Han Ah-reum (Kill Boksoon (2023), Kingmaker (2022))—transform words on a page into unforgettable moving images.   Explore original production materials, from early concept sketches to detailed set designs, and see how stories, characters, and moods take shape through their creative process. Each project offers a unique visual journey, inviting you to discover a new way of experiencing the magic and aesthetics of cinema.   Production Design in Korean Film History   Production design serves to visually interpret a film, overseeing its overall appearance — its visuals and look — to articulate the story and worldview through a distinct visual language.   Until the early 1990s, it was common practice in Korean cinema for assistant directors to handle art-related tasks, including sets and props. This began to change with Blue in You (1992, directed by Lee Hyun-seung), which introduced Korea’s first formal ‘art direction system. Following the film’s commercial and artistic success, the Korean filmmaking landscape started to evolve, and by the mid to late 1990s, the concept of production design became firmly established.   Since the 2000s, Korean films have risen in international stature, winning awards at major film festivals around the world. At the core of this success lies the pivotal role of production design in achieving cinematic artistry. As ultra-high-definition digital cinematography became standard, demands for more intricate and realistic visuals grew, alongside audiences’ heightened expectations for aesthetic accomplishment. Responding to these shifts, recent Korean film production design has garnered acclaim both domestically and abroad, including honors such as the Vulcan Award at the Cannes Film Festival.   Presented in partnership with the Korean Film Archive, this exhibition was supported by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange (KOFICE) as part of “Touring K-Arts” project.         

NURTURE / NATURE 13 June – 18 July 2025 Opening Night & Artist Talk: Friday 13 June, 6-8pm Public program Stone & Orchid: A Living Sculpture Demonstration with Tony Lennon: Wednesday 9 July, 3:30-4:30pm (Highlight video)   Nurture/Nature presents a deeply personal exploration of family, identity, and belonging through the lens of a blended Korean-Australian family of local artists.  The exhibition delves into themes of adoption, loss, care, cultural identity, and lived experience, offering insight into the complexities of family life within a multicultural society.   Over fifty works are featured, including childhood drawings and paintings by the daughter, sculptures by the father crafted from Sydney sandstone and native flora, and paper pulp sculptures by the mother created using recycled materials. Inspired by their 37 years of life in the Blue Mountains, each artwork is imbued with personal and familial narratives shaped by their natural and cultural environment.   The exhibition raises profound questions: How do nature and nurture intersect in a family shaped by cross-cultural adoption? What defines ‘nature’, and who, ultimately, nurtures whom? Through the creative practices of Jane and Tony, and the childhood artworks of Seon Ae, Nurture/Nature offers a moving reflection on the interplay of personal history, identity, and the bonds that sustain us.   Artists Jane Lennon (b. 1952) is a sculptor based in the Blue Mountains, NSW. She is known for creating vibrant, biomorphic forms from pulped waste office paper, using a sustainable, plant-based practice that blends intuitive processes with social and environmental commentary.   Tony Lennon (b. 1952) is an Australian artist known for his unique sculptural practice that breathes new life into stone. Through his work, Tony carves sandstone into sculptural forms that serve as hosts for cultivating Australian rock orchids.   Seon Ae Lee (b. 1987) is a naturally gifted artist and human rights advocate, committed to veganism and involved in activism for planetary survival that transcends cultural boundaries.

INFLECTION-FOLLOWING POLARIS 14 March – 9 May 2025 Opening Night: Friday, 4 April, 6-8pm Artist Floor Talk: Saturday, 5 April, 2:30pm-4:30pm   Inflection-Following Polaris delves into key moments where Korean and Australian cultures intersect and shape each other within contemporary art.  The exhibition highlights pivotal points in the artists’ creative journeys that spark innovation and enrich artistic expression. Through diverse media, including photography, sculpture, and installation, it offers a rare opportunity to experience the artistic narratives of both Korean and Australian artists in a shared space, encouraging deeper cultural understanding and engagement through art.   Artists Carolyn Craig is an interdisciplinary artist examining how power is manifested through biological relations and physical architectures. She I s board member for Frontyard Projects Marrickville and founding Director of SYRUP Contemporary. She holds a PH.D. from the Queensland College of Art and teaches at the National Art School, Sydney.   Damian Dillon is a Sydney based artist who works across photography, installation, sculpture and video. His Photomedia practice deconstructs digital and analogue processes to consider how representational practices over the landscape inform a postcolonial comprehension of place. Dillon has a bachelor’s degree from Sydney College of the Arts, and two master’s degrees from the College of Fine Arts NSW. He has been a recipient of many grants and prizes including the Blacktown Art Prize, and Waverley Mayor’s prize ,and his recent work has been collected by Artbank ,Waverley council, and MAPH Melbourne His latest studio residencies include, Sim Iceland ,Megalo Print studio and Photo Access Canberra ,and recent exhibitions include Hong IK university Seoul a, Muswell brook regional gallery ,and a major commission for the Museum of Contemporary Photography .He is founding director of schmick contemporary Gallery Sydney and current director of Syrup contemporary gallery Sydney.   David Manley is a Sydney based artist educator. He is a lecturer in Photomedia at the National Art School Australia. He holds a PhD in Fine Arts and a Masters of Fine Arts from the University of New South Wales Art and Design. His work is concerned with the interplay between architecture, the image and human psychology. He was a winner of the Head On Portrait Prize and a four-time finalist in the Bowness Photography Prize. His visual and textural work has been published in Australia and internationally. Some venues that his work has been exhibited in include – Perth Institute of Contemporary Art, Monash Gallery of Art, the Australian Centre for Photography, Verge Gallery Sydney University, Gallerie Pompom, Blackeye Contemporary Photography Space, NSW Parliament, Customs House Sydney and the Ulsan Cultural Arts Centre, South Korea.   Geoff Kleem has held numerous solo exhibitions in Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane and Canberra, his work is represented in all National and State Gallery collections. Exhibitions include Ballarat Photo Biennale, Sculpture Connects the World MUMA, Less is More: Minimal and Post Minimal Art in Australia, Heide MoMA, Envisioning Buildings: architecture in contemporary art photography, MAK Museum, Vienna, Austria, New Psychedelia University of Queensland Art Museum, Untitled, Project Space AGNSW, What is thing called photography AGNSW, Photography is Dead – Long Live Photography MCA, Sydney, Perfect for every occasion- photography today Heide MoMA, Art Pared Down – exploring minimalism across media. Queensland Art Gallery, Love Hotel, National Gallery of Australia Touring Exhibition, Asia and Australia. Commissions include, Untitled installed AGNSW 2020. He has held numerous residencies including The Power Institute Sydney University Studio, Cite des Arts International, Paris, France, VAB studio Tokyo, Japan, Chinati Foundation, Marfa, Texas USA and Institute of Contemporary Art (MOMA/PSI Museum) New York, USA. His work has been critically discussed in publications such as Art and Australia, Australian Art Collector, Art Gallery of NSW, MAK Museum, Artforum Magazine, Eikon Magazine, Photofile, The Monthly Magazine, Column 2 Artspace, Eyeline Magazine, Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, the New York Times. Geoff Kleem is represented by Kronenberg Mais Wright Gallery.   Roy Subum Lee is a Korean-born, Sydney-based artist working across photography, sculpture, and installation. Inspired by the vastness of Australia’s outback, his recent series ‘Time Cable’ explores the fading presence of analogue telecommunications through telegraph lines and public phones using them as a metaphor for memory and obsolescence in the digital age. The series reflects on the historical significance of these structures within the context of Australia’s remote landscapes. Lee holds a Master of Arts in Photomedia from University of New South Wales and a B.A. in Sculpture from Hongik University. His works have been exhibited extensively in Australia and overseas, including at Ryugaheon Gallery in Seoul, at University of Barcelona Spain, at Grace Cossington Smith Gallery in Sydney and at PhotoAccess gallery in Canberra. Lee has been a finalist in the National Contemporary Art Award in Alice Springs, and the “Look Photography Prize” at the Museum of Australian Photography. www.artroylee.com   KO Kyoung Ho earned his BFA and MFA in Sculpture from Hongik University in Korea, pursued graduate studies in Fine Art at the School of Visual Arts (SVA) in the USA, and obtained his Ph.D. in Architecture Design from Kookmin University in Korea. He was awarded the Grand Prize at the Grand Art Exhibition of Korea in 1993 for his work Conversation with Max Frisch. Since his first solo exhibition, The Needle of Cleopatra (Gallery Hyundai, Seoul, 1991), KO has held fifteen solo exhibitions and participated in over 200 group exhibitions worldwide. Notable exhibitions include the Gwangju Design Biennale (2019), the Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Media Art Project (2018), the Echigo-Tsumari Art Triennale (2009), and Media City Seoul (2002). KO is currently a professor in the Department of Sculpture at Hongik University. His artistic practice spans diverse fields, including sculpture, media, painting, and installation. He is actively engaged in research and production of art that integrates architecture, engineering, and fine art.   KIM Kunju graduated from the Department of Sculpture at Hongik University and completed his studies at the Akademie der Bildenden Kunste in Nurnberg, Germany, including the Meisterschuler program. He is currently a professor at the Graduate School of Art at Hongik University.   GEUM Joong-gi earned his MFA in Sculpture from Hongik University and received the Woo Prize at the 1995 Joongang Biennale, followed by a solo exhibition the next year. Since 2000, he has actively participated in various exhibitions, beginning with The Net of Life at the Sungkok Art Museum. Geum has also engaged in domestic and international residencies, including the Cité International Arts Community in Paris, Changdong Residency, and Gana Atelier. His notable solo exhibitions include Loose Collision, Culture of Threat, and Optimistic Form. He has also featured in special exhibitions such as the Gwangju Biennale Theme Exhibition, Light and Environment Exhibition, and the opening exhibition of the Nam June Paik Art Center.   KOH Bongsoo is a sculptor and painter who graduated from Ohhyun High School in Jeju and earned his Master of Fine Arts from the Academy of Art University in California, USA. Koh received his Ph.D. in Fine Arts from Hongik University in 2009. Koh was awarded the Grand Prize at the 22nd Korea Art Exhibition and has held several invited solo exhibitions at prestigious venues, including the Gana Insa Art Center and the Kumho Museum of Art.   MOON Sang-wook lives in Cheongju, Korea, and has showcased his work in numerous solo and group exhibitions across Korea, Australia, Japan, China, India, the Netherlands, Bosnia, Türkiye, and Georgia. Moon holds a Master’s degree in Photography and Imaging from the Graduate School of Joongbu University in Korea and currently teaches Aesthetics of Photography at the Lifelong Education Center of Seowon University. Moon has curated over 30 photography exhibitions both domestically and internationally. His works are included in the collections of the Cheongju Museum of Art (CMOA, Korea), the National Sarajevo Olympic Museum (Bosnia & Herzegovina), the Taeyangdo Art Museum (China), and the Art Museum of Cheongju Education University (Korea). His artistic focus centers on the theme of “Humans and Nature,” exploring harmonious coexistence between humanity and the natural world.   LIM Anna explores photographic media through a self-reflective lens, using photography to satisfy her curiosity and engage with the world. She has presented 21 solo exhibitions, including Anxiety ON/OFF (2023) in Arles, France, and has participated in over 70 curated exhibitions both in Korea and internationally. Her work has earned her several prestigious awards, including the 11th Ilwoo Photography Award (2020), the ARLES International Photography Festival Portfolio Award (2019), the Surim Photography Culture Award (2014), and the Emerging Female Artist Award (2013). Her photography has been featured in major publications such as The New Yorker and the British Journal of Photography, and she has been invited to exhibit at Unseen and Photo Basel in 2024. Her published photobooks include The Cyclops and the Angel, Anxiety ON/OFF, Frozen Hero, and White Veil. Lim earned her Master’s degree in Art Photography from California State University, Fullerton, and a Ph.D. from Hongik University. She is currently a professor in the Department of Photography, Video & Media at Sangmyung University in Korea. www.photobyanna.com   LEE Jeoung Hee holds a degree in art theory, pursued graduate studies in photography, and completed part of a doctoral program in Western philosophy. With a keen interest in the relationship between text and images, LEE has curated 27 exhibitions and authored over 30 exhibition reviews. Currently, LEE serves as the lead instructor at the Bloomsbury Weekly Commune for the Contemporary Photography Association, the director of New Photographer Ten Voices, the academic committee chair of the Imago Society, and a board member of the Korea Women Photographers Association (KOWPA). Every Tuesday and Wednesday, LEE teaches photo aesthetics, humanities, art history, and philosophy, as well as contemporary artist research at Photo Class, guiding artists in preparation for solo exhibitions. LEE has participated in numerous solo and group exhibitions. In 2023, LEE published New Photographer: Dreaming of Ten Voices Arcadia, followed by Ten Voices: The Sound of Silence in 2024.