China artists quit S.Korea art show after organisers let ‘Taiwan’ be used in name of exhibition

Chinese artists pulled out of a prominent South Korean art exhibition after organizers permitted the use of "Taiwan" in the name of an exhibition, officials confirmed on Thursday. The Gwangju Biennale, one of Asia's largest contemporary art events, was set to commence on Saturday, showcasing works from various global artists in venues across the southwestern city.

The conflict arose when Taiwanese artists claimed organizers initially permitted their exhibition to be called the "Taiwan Pavilion," but later changed the name to "NTMoFA," the abbreviation for Taiwan's National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. This alteration, according to the artists, occurred "without the consent of the participating team, and brutally erased Taiwan from the poster," accusing organizers of "political censorship."

China maintains Taiwan as part of its territory and has threatened to employ force to annex the self-governing island of over 23 million residents. Late last week, the Gwangju Biennale foundation caved to pressure and agreed to reinstate the term "Taiwan Pavilion." Chinese artists subsequently halted preparations for their pavilion, and on Thursday, they formally withdrew from the biennale, according to local media reports.

A foundation spokesperson confirmed to AFP that the Chinese artists were indeed withdrawing. The Gwangju Biennale foundation's representative told AFP, "We have confirmation the Chinese artists are withdrawing from the biennale." China's consulate general in Gwangju expressed outrage, stating that the organizers "openly allowed the Taiwan region of China to participate in the exhibition using a name that is completely inconsistent with its status."

It labeled this action as a "serious violation of the One China principle" and urged the Gwangju Biennale organizers to rectify their behavior immediately. South Korea's foreign ministry attempted to defuse the tension, stating that the "government's basic position regarding Taiwan remains unchanged." They emphasized that the decision was made in the cultural and artistic sphere and was unrelated to South Korea's stance on Taiwan.

The ministry expressed hope that this issue would not impact South Korea-China relations or exchanges and cooperation between the two nations.