Simon Fujiwara's First Solo Show in South Korea at Esther Schipper Seoul

Esther Schipper Seoul is presenting 'Who Lived Happily Ever After?', marking Simon Fujiwara's first solo exhibition at the gallery's Seoul location and his fourth with the gallery overall. The show features new paintings from Fujiwara's ongoing series centered on his original cartoon character, Who the Bär, a bear perpetually in search of identity, morphing through various styles, characters, and tropes. For this exhibition, Fujiwara places Who within the realm of myths and fairy tales, with the works displayed across themed rooms distinguished by differently colored walls. Who transforms into archetypal figures such as the Hero and the Princess, embodying beloved and archaic cultural characters that have accompanied humanity for millennia. These characters, while rooted in classical myths, appear more aligned with the bright, hyper-mediated world of contemporary animation, most notably Disney. The exhibition underscores Fujiwara's exploration of identity and cultural archetypes through a playful yet critical lens.