A.A.Murakami brings ‘New Nature’ to Paradise City in South Korea

Ahead of the opening of this year’s Frieze Seoul, and in celebration of the occasion, Paradise City hosted Paradise Art Night 2026, the latest iteration of an annual event bringing together contemporary art, gastronomy, music and scenography. Held on 31 August, the event reflected the South Korean resort’s ‘Art-tainment’ philosophy, in which art, entertainment and hospitality converge to create experiences that extend beyond the traditional gallery setting.

This year, the programme centred on ‘New Nature’, the first solo exhibition in Korea by London- and Tokyo-based artist duo A.A.Murakami. Formed by Japanese artist Azusa Murakami and British artist Alexander Groves, who met at the Royal College of Art and later co-founded Studio Swine, the duo is known for its exploration of ‘Ephemeral Tech’: using technology to shape fleeting natural phenomena into immersive works.

Presented at Paradise Art Space, ‘New Nature’ considers nature and technology not as opposing forces, but as interconnected elements capable of creating new environments and sensations. Across installations incorporating light, mist and movement, A.A.Murakami blurs the boundaries between the natural and artificial, while contemplating how our relationship with both might evolve. The resulting environments appear, transform and disappear, inviting visitors to experience something at once physical and transient.

Following a preview of the exhibition, Paradise Art Night continued with a one-night-only gala dinner by We Are Ona, returning to Paradise City for the second consecutive year, and chef Woo James Jin of Seoul restaurant Escondido.

Conceived in dialogue with ‘New Nature’, the dinner drew on ideas of earth, erosion, the passage of time and the lunar cycle. Sweeping curtains revealed a monumental moon enveloped in fog, while curved sculptural tables transformed the dining space into an otherworldly landscape.

Jin translated the concept through Escondido’s contemporary approach to Mexican cuisine, foregrounding connections between hands, earth, fire and craft. Fresh tortillas and aguachile were followed by different expressions of mole, while churros arrived playfully presented on umbrellas. Each course introduced its own rhythm, colour and texture to the evening.

Together, the exhibition and dinner encapsulated Paradise City’s considered approach to ‘Art-tainment’, allowing art, food, technology and hospitality to exist as parts of a single sensory experience.

A.A.Murakami’s ‘New Nature’ is on view at Paradise Art Space, Paradise City, until 10 February 2027.

paradisecity.com