Madang:
Where We Become Us
Gwangju Biennale Foundation
30th Anniversary Exhibition
20th April — 24th November 2024
Il Giardino Bianco Art Space
Via Giuseppe Garibaldi, 1814,
30122 Venezia VE, Italy
Madang: Where We Become Us, a special commemorative archival exhibition marking the 30th anniversary of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, reflects on the biennale’s history and envisions its future. The Gwangju Biennale has evolved into Asia’s leading contemporary art biennale by intertwining the “spirit of Gwangju,” which embodies values such as revolution, democracy, and community, with the realm of art. This exhibition, comprised of archival materials accumulated over the years, works from the Gwangju Biennale Foundation collection, and additional works expanding its significance, does not merely seek to chronicle the biennale’s history; it has the overarching goal of proposing a perspective that contemplates the spirit of Gwangju through the gaps and scenes existing within materials and artworks, reestablishing the contemporary value of the Gwangju Biennale.
The title of the exhibition includes the Korean word madang, literally translating as “yard” in English; it signifies a core space in Korean. In traditional Korean residences, the yard serves as the “face” of the house, a pivotal element so integral to the house’s structure that a dwelling lacking a yard would not be considered a proper home. Furthermore, the yard functions as a space for communication, where various gatherings take place, both significant and minor decisions are made within the village, and festivities are held—essentially serving as a place where people constantly come and go. This exhibition illuminates the Gwangju Biennale’s past fourteen exhibitions through fourteen “madang,” each representing previous biennales.
Functioning as a gateway to contemporary international art, the Gwangju Biennale has moved beyond merely importing Western art to embrace the synchronic flows and cultural diversity of global art that extends to South America, Africa, and the Middle East. The themes explored in the Gwangju Biennale’s exhibitions, such as the climate crisis, race, gender, and democracy, are a testament to its endeavor to transcend geographical boundaries and contemplate the era from a planetary perspective. Simultaneously, the discourse of community, an integral part of the Gwangju Biennale from its inception, has sought multifariousness in various scales and forms, ranging from Gwangju city to Korea, Asia, and the global community. Against the backdrop of ongoing wars, discrimination, and hatred towards minorities across the globe, the Gwangju Biennale Foundation once again affirms the power of art as a madang, symbolizing diversity and inclusion.
Programs
Opening Ceremony
18th April 2024, 11 am
Il Giardino Bianco Art Space
Madang Dialogues I:
Madang Dialogues in Venice
— “Do biennials weather?”
18th April 2024, 2 pm
Il Giardino Bianco Art Space
Thinking about the perennial events’ life cycles – their temporal and durational nature – we hope to explore how biennials around the world seek to be ‘in time’ with the present moment, yet by making references to the past and speculating on the future. Considering time through the metaphorical notion of weathering, this roundtable will bring together different perspectives on what it means to historicize and commemorate a biennial such as the Gwangju Biennale, and to discuss the relevance of biennials as a format, concept, and methodology.
Moderator: Sooyoung Leam
Panel: Ayoung Kim, Joan Kim, Sylbee Kim, Nathalie Boseul Shin, Hans D. Christ, Davide Quadrio
Language: English
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Credits
Exhibition
Chair of Gwangju Biennale Foundation
Ki Jung Kang
President of Gwangju Biennale Foundation
Yang-woo Park
Chief Curator, Head of Gwangju Biennale Foundation Exhibition Department
Dusu Choi
Artists
Nam June Paik, Kcho(Alexis Leiva Machado), Ayoung Kim, Sojung Jun, Sylbee Kim
Exhibition Architect
So Young Han
Graphic Identity
Joheun Yeom
Research Coordinator
Jaemin Hwang
Local(Venice) Coordinator & Visitor Guide
Victoria Stephanie Uzumyemezoglu
Translation
Seoul Selection, Victoria Stephanie Uzumyemezoglu
Website Development
50 Tablespoons
Transport & Art Handling
ARTrans
Exhibition Agency
Culture Communication Center
Anna Choi, Dooyoun Kim, Jimin Park, MInjeong You, Chaerin Jo, Seungheui Lee
Construction
M+B
Opening Performance Artist
Sang Sik Sung
Curatorial Team
Juri Cho, Jaehee Kim, Jihyun Han, Sujin Jung, Nahyun Kim, Yeoreum Lim
Program Curator
Nathalie Boseul Shin
Program Manager
Jaehee Kim, Yeoreum Lim
Public Relations
Sarah Cho, Elisa Lee
Advisor
Mihee Ahn
Support
5·18 Archives, Istituto Culturale Coreano in Italia
Gwangju Biennale, 30 Years of Perspective
Project Manager
Sujin Jung
Film Director
The Docent (Yunsuk Baek)
Film Team
SungKeun Cho, Eunsuk Baek
Interviewed by
Anton Vidokle, Ayoung Kim, Eunyang Cho, Hong-hee Kim, Inseon Park, Jason Waite, Kyoung nam Yoo, Kyung-Woon Jeong, Mami Kataoka, Mark Rappolt, Riwon Lee, Sarah Cho, Sylbee Kim, Yang-woo Park, Yeon-gyun Kang
Publication
Project Managers
Jihyoun Han, Sujin Jung
Chief Editors
Juri Cho, Sujin Jung
Editorial and Publication Manager
Jaemin Hwang
Publication Designer
Joheun Yeom
Graphicom
Korean Copy Editor
Jaemin Hwang
Translation and copyediting from Korean to English
Maya West
Translation from English to Korean
Jinyi Han
Translation from Korean to Italian
Seoul Selection
Translations Copyediting
Victoria Stephanie Uzumyemezoglu
Contributors
Kim Hong-hee, Jessica Morgan, Fatoş Üstek, Emiliano Valdés, Enna Bae, Teresa Kittler, Han Kang
Gwangju Biennale Foundation
Chair, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City
Ki-jung Kang
President
Yang-woo Park
Trustees
Kwang Gu Park, Won Sik Im, Jun Gi Gim, Shinjoong Kang, Sang-Hoon Kim, Dong Il Ro, Mihee Ahn, Mangil Choi
Auditor
Jung Hyun Cho
General Secretary
Chang Ok Yun
Head of Administration Office
Keunchong Rim
Head of Exhibition Department
Dusu Choi
Head of PR & Marketing Department
Chang Ok Yun
Head of Gwangju Folly Department
Sun Ok Yang
Chief of Exhibition Team
Juri Cho
Exhibition Team
Haein Kim, Eui Hyeok Lee, Jihyoun Han, Sujin Jung, Hawon Jeong, Nahyun Kim, Do Hee Jun, Hayooung Kim, Nasung Lee, Jinseon Bea, Jeongmin Lee
Education & Event Team
Jungsun Han, Jaehee Kim, Yeoreum Lim, Jung Won Yoo
Chief of Planning & Finance Team
Hyeon Kim
Planning & Finance Team
Daseul Kim, Donggeun Im, Jongin Park
Chief of General Affairs & HR Team
Mansub Roh
General Affairs & HR Team
Jin Yu, Yeji Lee, Chang Hun Jeong, Jihyun Han, Mijeong An, Meeyoung Jung, Byeong Hwan Na, Yunhee Choi, Jiwoo Im, Seonhwa Jeong, Hanbyul Jang
PR & Marketing Department
Sarah Cho, Elisa Lee, Yunju Lee
Gwangju Folly Department
Jaewon Jeon, Riwon Lee, Hana Yang, Hayoung Kim, Ohweong Lee
