China Withdraws from Gwangju Biennale in Protest of Taiwan’s Inclusion
The news comes just nine days after the South Korean biennale reinstated the name “Taiwan Pavilion” after it was omitted from initial press materials.
China has withdrawn from the Gwangju Biennale in South Korea, citing protests over Taiwan's inclusion. The decision was made just nine days after organizers reinstated the title of "Taiwan Pavilion" to a group show featuring Taiwanese artists. This move comes two days before the biennale's scheduled opening. The rift between China, Taiwan, and event organizers intensified in mid-August after the biennale removed the name "Taiwan Pavilion" from promotional materials, replacing it with the English acronym for the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, "NTMoFA."
Initially, organizers refused to reverse the name change demanded by Taiwan's Ministry of Culture and participating artists, who denounced it as political censorship. However, they later reversed their decision on August 25. In response, Chinese curator Ruan Yuelai announced the China Pavilion's withdrawal during a press conference, stating that the biennale's use of an incorrect name concerning the participation of China and Taiwan regions had brought about political intervention in the domain of art.
Chinese artists had already ceased preparations for the pavilion several days before the announcement.
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