Aerial View of the Main Exhibition Venue of the Island Biennale © Boryeong City
The
Island Biennale, Korea's first biennale dedicated to islands, will open on
April 3, 2027, and run for approximately two months across Wonsando and Godaedo
in Boryeong, South Chungcheong Province, bringing together a diverse selection
of artworks by more than 70 artists from 24 countries.
Under
the theme 《Moving Island: Beyond the Horizon of Event》, the inaugural edition seeks to envision a sustainable future
through the coexistence of islands and art.
A total
of 70 participating artists and artist collectives—31 from Korea and 39 from
abroad—will present approximately 80 works spanning sculpture, installation,
painting, media art, and performance.
The
biennale will unfold across the Island Culture and Arts Platform on Wonsando,
as well as vacant houses and underused spaces on Wonsando and Godaedo, in
addition to beaches, coastal roads, and other sites throughout the islands.
Seong-Youn Kim, Artistic Director of the 1st Island Biennale 2027 © Island Biennale
Contemporary
artist, curator, and administrator Seong-Youn Kim has been appointed as the
inaugural Artistic Director of the Island Biennale. Since 1999, he has engaged
in alternative art activities centered on nonprofit spaces, notably founding
Alternative Space Seom and running Alternative Space Bandi in Busan, Korea,
where he supported emerging artists while organizing experimental exhibitions
and public programs.
He has
served as Guest Artistic Director for the Busan Biennale, Visual Arts Director
for the Moving Triennale, Artistic Director for the Singapore Open Media Art
Festival, Artistic Director for the Pyeongchang Biennale, Founding Director of
the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan (2017–2022), and Executive Committee Chair
of the Busan Biennale (2019–2025).
He also
participated as Co-curator in the curated exhibition “Geopoetics” at the
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts in 2023.
The
Island Culture and Arts Platform, the biennale's principal venue and core
infrastructure, is currently under construction on a 9,886-square-meter site
with a total floor area of 3,989 square meters. Built with an investment of KRW
30 billion, the facility is scheduled for completion by the end of this year.
The
biennale will also feature an extensive public program to enrich the exhibition
experience. These include Moving Network, Moving Talks: Artist Talk, docent-led
tours, art tours, Moving Performances, and educational programs with
participating artists, all designed to deepen visitors' engagement with the
exhibition.
The 1st Chungnam Island Biennale Key visual © Chungnam Island Biennale
To
establish a long-term framework for collaboration among Korean and
international public art curators, local artists, and overseas cultural
professionals, the Island Biennale Organizing Committee held an international
symposium at the Boryeong Mud Theme Park on July 9–10.
Organized
in advance of the inaugural Island Biennale in 2027, the symposium was
conceived as an international platform for artistic exchange, aiming to
articulate the biennale's identity and vision while fostering a global network.
The
symposium brought together more than 100 participants, including the Mayor of
Boryeong, the Administrative Vice Governor of South Chungcheong Province, as
well as public art curators, artists, and cultural professionals from Korea and
abroad.
The
presentation sessions introduced a range of international public art
initiatives situated in environments comparable to the Island Biennale,
including the Matsu Biennale in Taiwan, the Biwako Biennale in Japan, and
EXMURO Arts Publics in Quebec, Canada. Korean case studies included the
Geumgang Nature Art Biennale, the Busan Sea Art Festival, and the Changwon
Sculpture Biennale.
Building
on these examples, participating experts discussed the future direction of the
Island Biennale and its role in connecting islands with art, and local
communities with the international cultural landscape.
The
Organizing Committee also announced plans to hold a second symposium following
the biennale's opening to further enhance the event's international profile and
public recognition.
Further
details regarding participating artists and public programs will be released
sequentially on the official Island Biennale website.
