Busan Biennale
The Busan Biennale is a biannual international contemporary art show that integrated three different art events held in the city in 1998: the Busan Youth Biennale, the first biennale of Korea that was voluntarily organized by local artists in 1981; the Sea Art Festival, an environmental art festival launched in 1987 with the sea serving as a backdrop; and the Busan International Outdoor Sculpture Symposium that was first held in 1991. The biennale was previously called the Pusan International Contemporary Art Festival (PICAF) before it launched.
The biennale has its own unique attribute in that it was formed not out of any political logic or need but rather the pure force of local Busan artists’ will and their voluntary participation. Even to this day their interest in Busan's culture and its experimental nature has been the key foundation for shaping the biennale’s identity.
This biennale is the only one like it in the world that was established through an integration of three types of art events such as a Contemporary Art Exhibition, Sculpture Symposium, and Sea Art Festival. The Sculpture Symposium in particular was deemed to be a successful public art event, the results of which were installed throughout the city and dedicated to revitalizing cultural communication with citizens. The networks formed through the event have assumed a crucial role in introducing and expanding domestic art overseas and leading the development of local culture for globalized cultural communication. Founded 38 years ago, the biennale aims to popularize contemporary art and achieve art in everyday life by providing a platform for interchanging experimental contemporary art.
Contemporary Art Exhibition
Artistic Director
Tae Man Choi
Born in 1962
Education
- Prof. Tae Man Choi, Artistic Director of the Busan Biennale 2004 Contemporary Art Exhibition, was born in 1962. He studied painting and art theory at Seoul National University and also completed doctorate course work in art history at Dongguk University.
Career
- As an independent curator and a former curator of the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea, he realised numerous exhibitions in domestic as well as international including Auguste Rodin-The Great Hands"(Seoul Arts Centre, 2002), "Love"(Marronnier Art Museum, 2001), "The Habitants in the Brave New World"(Seoul Arts Centre, 2000), "Korean Contemporary Art in Beijing" (China Art Gallery, Beijing, 1996), "Whitney Biennale in Seoul"(NMCA, 1993), and "The Moran International Sculpture Symposium"(Moran Museum of Art, 1992).
Also as an art critic and writer, he writes for several art magazines and newspapers including Wolgan Misool and Art in Culture. - From 1997 to 2002 Prof. Choi was an assistant professor at Seoul National University of Technology. He is also an accomplished author and has published several books including "Art as Communication", "Korean Sculpture Today", "Art and City", "Youth Shimmering in the Dark" and "Art and Revolution".
Choi is currently an assistant professor at Kookmin University and the Chief Curator of Kim Jong Yung Sculpture Museum.
Curator
Manu D. Park
Born in 1959
Education
- Manu D.Park, Curator of the Busan Biennale 2004-Contemporary Art Exhibition was born in 1959.
He studied aesthetics at Seoul National University and philosophy and cultural Studies at Universite Paris 1(Pantheon Sorbonne). He also completed his doctorate course work in theory of art criticism at Universite Paris 1.
Career
- He was the Director of Exhibitions for the Gwangju Biennale 2002(2001-2003). As an independent curator and art critic he organised the exhibition "Film, Contemporary Art and Spectators' Culture" at Art Sonjae Centre, Seoul in 2000 and he has been invited to lecture at various schools and institutions including the Curatorial Programme at De Appel, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
- Further Mr. Park has been invied to participate as a juror for several art events and competitions such as the Nordic institute for Contemporary Art, Helsinki, Finland and Hermes Korea Art Prize, Seoul, Korea.
- He is also an author of numerous articles and books including "Media Aesthetics", "Cinematic Worldvision and Praxis of Film Language". Currently, in addition to his duties with the Busan Biennale Mr. Park is Chairman of Cultural Exchange Committee at Gwangju Culture Forum.
Sea Art Festival & Busan Sculpture Project
Artistic Director
Kwang-Woo Kim
Born in 1941
Prof. of Sculpture Dept. at Dong-A Univ. Busan, Korea
Education
- B.A and M.A in Sculpture Dept. at Hong-Ik Univ. Seoul, Korea
Career
- 2002. Artistic director of Sea Art Festival in Busan Biennale 2002
- 2002. Dean of Art College AT Dong-A Univ.
- 2000. President of Sea Art Festival in Busan International Art Festival
- 1966. Jury of International Environmental Festival
- 1995. Vice President of Bu-II Art Festival, Jury of Busan Art Festival
- 1990. President of Busan Sea Art Festival
- 1999. Chief OF juries OF Busan Art Festival
- 1983. Trustee of Sculpture dept. In Korea Art Association