Jeju Biennale 2022 set to run from Nov. 16 to Feb. 12

Park Nam-hee, artistic director of the Jeju Biennale 2022, gives an overview of this year's event during a press conference last week. [JEJU BIENNALE]

The Jeju Biennale 2022 is set to run from Nov. 16 this year to Feb. 12 next year on Jeju Island. It will be held across numerous art venues, including the Jeju Museum of Art and Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art.

After opening its first edition in 2017, the biennale has faced backlash regarding poor management and conflicts between the previous artistic director and the director of the Jeju Museum of Art.

The second edition was set for 2020, but was canceled due to the Covid pandemic.

Current artistic director Park Nam-hee said during a press conference on Wednesday that this year’s biennale will be called the third edition.

The theme is “Flowing Moon, Embracing Land.” Park said that after thoroughly contemplating on what the biennale should strive for, it was decided that it should be the attitude of forming a mutual understanding between humans and nature.

The artworks of 60 teams of artists from 16 countries will be exhibited, along with art-related programs such as forums that the public can participate in.

The artists include Yiyun Kang, Kim Jooyoung, Park Gwangsoo, Hyung-geun Park and Sun Choi from Korea; Zadie Xa from Canada; Rachel Rose from the United States; Wangechi Mutu from Kenya and Rirkrit Tirvanija from Thailand.

Lee Na-yeon, director of the Jeju Museum of Art, promised to make this year’s biennale an event that will “bring the people of Jeju together” and “contribute to energizing Jeju culture and its arts.”

BY SHIN MIN-HEE [shin.minhee@joongang.co.kr]