Biennales Open in Gwangju, Busan This Week
By Cathy Rose A. Garcia
Staff Reporter
Korea becomes an international hub for contemporary art this week, with the opening of the Gwangju Biennale Sept. 5 and Busan Biennale Sept. 6.
Korea's top two art events are not only competing for international attention between themselves, but also with other biennales scheduled to open in Shanghai, Singapore and Taipei, as well as a triennale in Yokohama next week.
Gwangju Biennale
The 7th Gwangju Biennale, considered Asia's most prestigious art event, runs from Sept. 5 to Nov. 9. There is no overall theme for the biennale, which artistic director Okwui Enwezor said was a response to what he called a ``crisis in thematic exhibitions.''
``Annual Report: A Year in Exhibitions'' will show works and exhibits produced by artists from January 2007 to September 2008. ``For the Gwangju Biennale, the key concepts reflect on the economy of contemporary art, not just the in regards to the marketplace, but also the public; to see the broad range of practices; and to try to link up the network of spaces, markets, institutions and practitioners. The biennale has a very specific temporal device. This is to make exhibits that reflect activities from January 2007 to the current biennale September 2008,'' Enwezor said, in a press conference in May.
The biennale has three inter-connected components: ``On the Road,'' featuring recent exhibitions from 2007 to 2008; ``Position Papers'' dedicated to initiatives of five emerging curators; and ``Insertions,'' featuring new works specifically commissioned for the biennale.
Exhibitions, performances, film screenings, music and theater events will be held at the Biennale Hall, Gwangju Museum of Art, Uijae Museum of Korean Art, Cinema Gwangju and the Daein traditional market. For more information visit www.gb.or.kr.
Busan Biennale
The Busan Biennale revolves around the theme of ``Expenditure," taken from philosopher Georges Bataille's concept which was used to understand the structure of culture and society.
``Differentiating itself from existing biennales, which focus on exhibiting the latest art trends `with speed' and `in abundance,' the 2008 Busan Biennale seeks to illuminate and predict the latest directions of contemporary art, from paintings to sculptures to videos, under the theme of `expenditure,' employing thorough analysis and maintaining critical views," the organizers said.
The biennale features a Contemporary Art Exhibit at the Busan Museum of Modern Art, a Sea Art Festival at Gwangalli Beach and Busan Sculpture Project at APEC Naru Park. More than 200 art works by artists from 40 countries will be on display for 71 days through Nov. 15. For more information visit https://www.busanbiennale.org
Biennales Around Asia
The 7th Shanghai Biennale, with the theme ``Translocalmotion," opens Sept.9 and runs through Nov. 16. The biennale ``reflects on the socio-economic and cultural implications of urbanization on both the local and global levels, including the issues of migration and identity." Visit www.shanghaibiennale.com.
The Singapore Biennale kicks off Sept. 11 with art works by 50 artists from 36 countries on display at City Hall, South Beach and Marina Bay. With the theme ``Wonder," the biennale ``proposes to investigate the creation of marvels, riddles and illusions in our world today." Visit www.singaporebiennale.org.
The Taipei Biennale, which runs from Sept. 13-Jan. 4, features ``correlated themes connected to neo-liberal capitalist globalization." Visit www.taipeibiennial.org.
The Yokohama Triennale, Japan's biggest contemporary art event, tackles the theme ``Time Crevasse." It will showcase a diverse range of art works by 70 artists from around the world, including site-specific installation works around the city. The triennale runs from Sept. 13 to Nov. 30. Visit www.yokohamatriennale.org.
Overseas visitors interested in visiting the different events around Asia can check out Art Compass 2008 (www.artcompass2008.com). The Web site provides overseas visitors with information about the art events in Sydney (which closes on Sept. 7), Gwangju, Shanghai, Singapore and Yokohama, as well as help in planning itineraries. Art Compass is a collaborative project among the five leading art events in the Asia-Pacific region.
