Gwangju Biennale Suspends Installation in China Pavilion Amid "Taiwan Pavilion" Dispute
After Chinese Ambassador to Korea Expresses Regret, Fallout Continues
At the 16th Gwangju Biennale, the installation of works in the China Pavilion has been suspended due to ongoing disputes surrounding the name of the Taiwan Pavilion.
According to the Gwangju Biennale Foundation and other sources on August 28, the curators and installation staff for the China Pavilion halted their installation activities and withdrew from the Hajeongung Art Museum in Gwangju, where they had been working on exhibits. The installation staff did not return to the site throughout the afternoon, and the Chinese artists did not enter Korea either.
The controversy arose over the naming of the Taiwan Pavilion. Since 2018, the Gwangju Biennale has operated a pavilion project, independent from the main exhibition, in which domestic and international art and cultural institutions participate. This year, 16 national pavilions and 11 institutions, including the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA), were scheduled to participate.
The Ministry of Culture of Taiwan stated that it had previously agreed, under the name "Taiwan Pavilion," but protested that the organizers suddenly changed the designation to the institution’s name "NTMoFA" in June. The Gwangju Biennale Foundation accepted this complaint and approved the change back to the name "Taiwan Pavilion," allowing it to operate as a national pavilion.
The Chinese side expressed regret over this decision. On August 27, Chinese Ambassador to Korea Xing Haiming met with Min Hyungbae, Mayor of Gwangju-Jeonnam Special Metropolitan City, to express regret and concern over the recognition of the Taiwan Pavilion as a national pavilion. Mayor Min reportedly responded that political considerations should not influence the realm of the arts.
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The Gwangju Biennale officials find themselves in a difficult position, as the diplomatic controversy over the name erupted just a week before the opening, leading to suspension of the installation work. An official from the Gwangju Biennale said, "There is not much time left until the opening on September 5, and we are closely monitoring the situation, hoping the exhibition will proceed smoothly."
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