The Arts Council Korea (ARKO) officially opened the Korean Pavilion exhibition at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia on May 10.
 
Curated by the artistic director team CAC (Curating Architecture Collective: Chung Dahyoung, Kim Heejung, and Jung Sungkyu), and featuring architects and artists Kim Hyunjong, Heechan Park, Young Yena, and Lee Dammy, the exhibition focuses on the architectural space and natural surroundings of the Korean Pavilion, which was established as the 26th national pavilion in the Giardini, the main exhibition venue of the Venice Biennale. 

The exhibition, titled 《Little Toad, Little Toad: Unbuilding Pavilion》, uses the well-known Korean folk song Little Toad, Little Toad (Dukkeoba, Dukkeoba) as a metaphorical framework to explore the past, present, and future of the Korean Pavilion, which marks its 30th anniversary this year. The participating artists propose visions for the future of the Korean Pavilion and its potential for coexistence with other national pavilions in the Giardini, grounded in a foundation that resonates with global crises such as the climate emergency and the spread of pandemics.

Lee Dammy reflects on the meaning of the Korean Pavilion as a space of coexistence by giving voice to hidden presences that have remained unacknowledged throughout its history. Young Yena explores the primordial time and space of the Giardini through a fictional narrative of an imagined underground world buried millions of years ago. 

Heechan Park creates an architectural device that responds to the trees surrounding the Korean Pavilion, drawing attention to the trees as an essential heritage of the Giardini. Installed on the rooftop—a unique feature of the Korean Pavilion—Kim Hyunjong’s work activates a space of hospitality and brings focus to the shared natural resources of the sky and sea that connect all national pavilions.

Meanwhile, at 5 pm on the opening day of the exhibition, a special architecture forum titled 《Vision & Legacy: 30 Years of the Korean Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia》 was held at the Auditorium of the Fondazione Querini Stampalia in Venice to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the Korean Pavilion.  

Moderated by Professor Choon Choi of Seoul National University, the forum brought together over 130 participants and featured presentations by Chung Dahyoung, Artistic Director of this year’s Korean Pavilion; former commissioners Jong Soung Kimm and Minsuk Cho; Franco Mancuso, Co-Architect of the Korean Pavilion; Professor Marco Mulazzani of the University of Ferrara; and Rinio Bruttomesso, former professor at the IUAV University of Venice.

The forum began with a keynote presentation by Artistic Director Chung Dahyoung, who proposed a new perspective on the Korean Pavilion as an “organic architecture” that encompasses not only neighboring national pavilions but also the many natural elements surrounding it. This was followed by a series of talks that revisited various episodes related to the Pavilion’s construction, including the numerous design revisions made in response to challenging conditions, as well as the architectural ideals and vision of the late Seok Chul Kim, co-architect of the Pavilion. 

In addition, an archive book documenting the 30-year history of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale was published in conjunction with the exhibition and will be made available as an e-book on the website of the ARKO Art Center, operated by the Arts Council Korea.

References

• 한국문화예술위원회 보도자료 (Arts Council Korea Press Release)
• 베니스비엔날레 한국관 (The Korean Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia)