INSIGHTS | Interview with gallerist Jason Haam

In 2019, Jason Haam, from Seoul, participated in the PRIME section of Art Brussels, which focuses on mid-career and established artists on an international level. As part of Art Brussels Insights, we spoke with Jason Haam about his participation in the fair and how he looks at Belgium from Korea.

Interview with Jason Haam (owner Jason Haam, Seoul)
By Louis-Philippe Van Eeckhoutte

How would you describe the vision of Jason Haam?
Jason Haam is dedicated to showing works that are original and definitive of their time. We want to provide an international platform for our artists, and we are committed to promoting contemporary art to a global audience within an art historical context.

Since its inauguration, the gallery has exhibited a wide-ranging survey of contemporary artists in Korea. What is the art scene like in Korea?
The art scene is good in Korea: there are great collectors and the institutions are strong, working with intuition and purpose. The government is behind promoting the art industry as well. I can’t complain.

From a gallery perspective, what are the valuable aspects of taking part in an art fair such as Art Brussels?
One of the main reasons that we participated in Art Brussels 2019 was to promote our two Belgian artists in the gallery programme. Another reason was, even before I opened the gallery, that I had heard great things about Brussels as a city—the art scene and its collectors—and I wanted the gallery to be a part of that. The general consensus around Belgian collectors is that they are inquisitive and smart about the works they buy, and they are not easy buyers. I wanted to infiltrate the European region, and Brussels was the starting point because it was supposedly the hardest place to start.

What is your best memory of Art Brussels?
There are too many great moments to choose from, but the best aspect of Art Brussels was meeting great collectors and collections, people in institutions and in academia, and those who took interest in our artists and their works.

What are your favourite places in Belgium when you are here for the fair?
My favourite places to visit in Belgium are Marie Cloquet’s and Peter Buggenhout’s studios in Ghent, and the Ghent Altarpiece.

What is your advice for young collectors?
Buy from Jason Haam! In all seriousness, I think it is important to buy works that not only speak to your heart but also speak to your brain, because your taste in works is always going to change. Buying a work solely based on its aesthetics is like choosing to marry someone based on their outward appearance. You have to think about all the different factors and have an objective agenda in order to evaluate the work: consider its originality, timelessness, and the expansiveness of the work.