Paradise aims to provide customers with a healing experience through art. We will continue to strive to attract great exhibitions and provide many opportunities for emerging domestic artists.
Choi Jong-hwan, CEO of Paradise Group, said this during the opening ceremony of Joel Mesler's solo exhibition 'Paradise Found' held on the morning of the 1st at Paradise City, a complex resort in Jung-gu, Incheon. Paradise Group has planned this exhibition to coincide with Korea's largest art events, 'Kiaf' and 'Frieze', which will be held jointly starting from the 3rd. Kiaf mainly features Korean and Asian artists and is organized by the Korea Galleries Association. Frieze is an event showcasing works by globally renowned artists, organized by its headquarters in the UK.
Joel Mesler is a pop art artist from New York, USA. He is gaining attention in the contemporary art world for his hopeful works that convey a message of recovery based on his experiences overcoming a difficult past marked by his parents' divorce in childhood and substance and alcohol addiction in his youth. CEO Choi noted, "In terms of providing healing through art, the themes of Joel Mesler's works and Paradise's direction are ultimately the same."
This exhibition is Mesler's first solo exhibition in Korea. It will be held from the 2nd to February 22 of next year at 'Paradise Art Space', an art exhibition area within Paradise City. A total of 24 pieces will be on display, including 20 new works themed on paradise (19 paintings and 1 sculpture), featuring vibrant colors and a lively painting style.
Mesler said, "I was aware of the art collection owned by Paradise even before starting the collaboration. I only learned that Paradise was operating a resort business after the collaboration started."
He added, "When I first stepped into this place, I felt that all the spaces were perfect. Accordingly, I thought I must create the best exhibition."
Paradise Group has planned large exhibitions every year during the Kiaf and Frieze events for the past three years. In 2023, it hosted 'Love in Paradise: Banksy and Keith Haring' in collaboration with one of the world's largest auction houses, Sotheby's.
Last year, it held an exhibition featuring the American contemporary artist Josh Sperling's 'WONDER', along with an art auction collaboration with 'G-Dragon X Pharrell Williams' and a live performance by American rapper Pusha-T, showcasing a form of exhibition where art, music, and brands are organically connected.
This initiative is explained as being in line with Paradise Group's operational philosophy of 'Art+Entertainment.' Paradise aims to differentiate itself in the industry as an 'Art+Entertainment complex resort' that naturally integrates art into its spaces under the slogan 'design life as art.' The goal is to lower the barriers of pure art while contributing to the development of the tourism industry.
In particular, Paradise City in Incheon boasts over 3,000 pieces of art by domestic and international artists, adhering to the concept that 'the entire resort is one art museum.' Hundreds of pieces are on display in public spaces year-round, and artworks are placed even in guest rooms to enhance the intersection of art in daily life. Since its opening in 2018, the 'Art Space', where major exhibitions are held, has attracted about 200,000 visitors annually.
Paradise City is planning free admission for Jung-gu residents to enhance the development and enjoyment of cultural arts in the community. On the 2nd, there will be a special lecture conducted by Mesler at Kye Won Art University, operated by Paradise Group.
A Paradise official said, "We will contribute to Korea's leap as a cultural powerhouse by establishing a sustainable cultural ecosystem through art and expanding its base."