Lehmann Maupin Promotes Emma Son to Partner, Based in Seoul
The Facts
Lehmann Maupin has promoted Emma Son to Partner, based in Seoul. Son will continue to oversee the gallery's Seoul outpost and its broader initiatives in South Korea. She joined the gallery in 2017 and led its expansion, including the opening of a new location in Seoul's Hannam-dong neighborhood in 2022, designed by the Society of Architecture (SoA). Son has introduced Korean artists Seung Neung Kyung and Kim Yun Shin to the gallery's roster and oversaw solo exhibitions in South Korea by Lari Pittman, Nari Ward, and Teresita Fernández (forthcoming August 2025). She also fostered long-term relationships with artists like Do Ho Suh, represented by Lehmann Maupin for over two decades.
The Signal
Son's promotion signals Lehmann Maupin's deepening commitment to the South Korean market, where the gallery was among the first international galleries to establish a permanent space in 2017. Her background as a former curator at Kukje Gallery and founder of Gallery EM provides her with deep local institutional and collector networks. For collectors, this move underscores Seoul's growing importance as a hub for contemporary art and the value of local expertise in navigating its market. The appointment also reflects a broader trend of international galleries strengthening their leadership in Asia through internal promotions rather than external hires.
- Artists: Seung Neung Kyung, Kim Yun Shin, Lari Pittman, Nari Ward, Teresita Fernández, Do Ho Suh
- People: Emma Son, Rachel Lehmann, David Maupin
- Galleries: Lehmann Maupin, Kukje Gallery, Gallery EM
- Locations: Seoul
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