The Pharma Research Culture Foundation presents 《Esiza, Osiza,》 the third chapter of the Gangneung International Art Festival.

The first GIAF aimed to present Gangneung through a sensory experience, redefining the city’s identity by mapping it through the lens of experience and memory. The second edition delved into the meaning of path, exploring the physical and abstract meaning of its existence. Inspired by Seoyurok, a 1913 travel journal documenting the journey of Madam Kim of Gangneung, the festival explored the profound impacts that traveling has on our body and mind.

The third Gangneung International Art Festival focuses on Daegwallyeong – a magnificent mountain pass that crosses Mount Taebaek, leading to Gangneung. This year’s edition explores non-human elements that roam the highland’s breathtaking landscape.

The restless wind and drifting clouds that breathe life into the green pastures of spring, the untamed animals and soaring birds that rule the meadows and claim the summer sky, the endless expanse of snow that blankets the earth in winter like a quilt of shimmering silver, and the ancient myths and legends woven into the very soul of this land—whispered through time, carried by the wind. By focusing on these natural and mythical elements, the festival invites you to explore Daegwallyeong from a fresh perspective, revealing its beauty in ways you have never seen before.

From the intricate details of Daegwallyeong’s landscapes at your feet to the sweeping vistas from the mountain pass, every step unveils a story waiting to be heard. These stories urge us to pause—to reflect on our bond with this land, the ancient threads that tie us to it, and the ways we continue to keep them alive.

In a world hurtling forward with relentless speed—driven by technological breakthroughs and an unceasing pulse—this same wind carries both renewal and ruin, much like the wildfires that occasionally sweep across these lands. Yet, for those who have long called this place home, harmony with nature is not a choice but a way of life, embodied in traditions like the Danoje Festival. It serves as a powerful reminder: nature is boundless, unpredictable, beyond control—yet inextricably tied to us.

This year, the Gangneung International Art Festival invites you on a journey beyond the rugged folds of Daegwallyeong Pass, where the unseen wind moves like a silent messenger, carrying echoes of stories waiting to be uncovered, voices waiting to be heard.

In addition to the exhibitions held at Gangneung Station, Okcheon-dong Warehouse, Gangneung-daedohobu Government Office, Former Hahm’s Surgical Clinic, Changpo Bridge, Seven-Roomed Yeogwan, A Small Concert Hall, and Gangneung Independent Art Theater Shinyoung, there are also performance and workshop programs available. For more details, please visit the Gangneung International Art Festival website (http://giartfestival.com/).

Participating Artists: KIM JAE HYEON, SUH Dasom, Minok AN, YUN Suknam, Yanghee Lee, Leehaiminsun, Jung Yeondoo, Kiwalim, Ho Tzu Nyen, Hong Lee Hyunsook, Hrair Sarkissian

“Esiza, Osiza”
2025.03.14 - 2025.04.20
Daily 10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Gangneung Station, Okcheon-dong Warehouse, Gangneung-daedohobu Government Office, Former Hahm’s Surgical Clinic, Changpo Bridge, Seven-Roomed Yeogwan, A Small Concert Hall, Gangneung Independent Art Theater Shinyoung

Ji Yeon Lee has been working as an editor for the media art and culture channel AliceOn since 2021 and worked as an exhibition coordinator at samuso (now Space for Contemporary Art) from 2021 to 2023.