Chinese Artists Officially Withdraw from Gwangju Biennale in Protest of ‘Taiwan Pavilion’
Chinese artists scheduled to participate in the 16th Gwangju Biennale officially withdrew on the eve of the exhibition’s opening on September 5, following a directive from the Chinese embassy in Seoul to halt activities. The dispute centers on the Biennale’s handling of a Taiwanese presentation, with allegations that organizers changed the name from “Taiwan Pavilion” to “The NTMoFA Pavilion,” referencing the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, without the artists’ consent; Taiwan’s Ministry of Culture echoed claims that the change amounted to political censorship. At a news conference, China Pavilion curator Ruan Yuelai said the withdrawal was in protest of what he called an “incorrect designation” for Taiwan’s participation and the intrusion of politics into art. China’s consulate-general in Gwangju criticized the Biennale for allowing Taiwan to participate under a name “inconsistent with its status,” while South Korea’s Foreign Ministry told the New York Times that its Taiwan policy had not changed and characterized the dispute as rooted in the private sector. The Gwangju Biennale Foundation issued an apology for “concern, confusion and disappointment” and said it does not intervene in or censor participating institutions’ exhibitions.
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This story was covered in Funding Fights, Fee Hikes, and Biennale Blowback