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
The Contemporary Art Exhibition proposed a theme of 'Expenditure- as it is always and already excessive' and exhibited Sep. 6th to Nov. 15th during 71 days at Busan Museum of Art, Busan Yachting Center with 92 artworks from 22 countries.
Outline
- Period 2008. 9. 6~11. 15 (71 Days)
- Venues Busan Museum of Art, Busan Yachting Center
- Theme EXPENDITURE - as it is always and already excessive
- Artworks 92(teams) from 22 countries
Theme : Expenditure - as it is always and already excessive
The concept of "EXPENDITURE", which was borrowed from Georges Bataille, can be applied in a variety of areas, like politics, economics, culture, aesthetics, etc. EXPENDITURE stands in contrast with purpose-driven, power-oriented, phallic economic terms, such as "production", "moderation", "accumulation", "acquisition", "system", "control", in that it means the "consumption", "discharge", "exhaustion", "extravagance", "reckless spending" of surplus products. In essence, society is maintained through the meaningless processes of releasing and consuming symbols, order, power, etc., which have been excessively produced and accumulated. The examples of the processes are art, extravagance, laughter, crime, death, etc. In this regard, "EXPENDITURE stands at the antipode of purpose-centered and production-oriented values and complement these values at the same time. Thus, it can be interpreted as an important cultural activity and driver
Sea Art Festival
A theme of 'Voyage Without Boundaries' and exhibited at 4 Sectors near Gwangalli Beach with 195 artworks from 26 countries.
Outline
- Period 2008. 9. 6~11. 15 (71 Days)
- Venues 4 Sectors near Gwangalli Beach
- Outdoor Space : Gwangalli Beach area and nearby area
- Indoor Space : Minlakdong Me World
- Urban Space : Urban Spaces (Shops, Subway Station, Cultural Center)
- Mobile Gallery : Mobile Gallery (Container Boxes)
- Theme : Voyage Without Boundaries
- Artworks : 77(teams) from 26 countries
- Theme Voyage Without Boundaries
In "Voyage Without Boundaries," we encounter not only the field of time and space but also causational topological structure involving spatio-temporal fields. This took synchronism from the field of time and the concept of an interval from the field ofspace, reversing and distorting existing causationism. The 3-dimensional space reproduced by the Euclidean geometry becomes a 4-dimensional space-time continuum. Now a certain coordinate is assigned to a certain event. "Voyage Without Boundaries" assignedin the de-modern space of the non-Euclidean geometry lies on the map of a new desire and has routes with coordinates leading to immeasurable areas. We will set directions through empirical observations. However, the voyage will be an actual and relative navigation, not a subjective one.
Busan Sculpture Project
The Busan Sculpture Project proposed a theme of 'Avant-Garden' and exhibited 20 artworks from 10 countries at APEC Naru Park.
Outline
- Period 2008. 9. 6~11. 15 (71 Days)
- Venues APEC Naru Park
- Theme Avant-Garden
- Artworks 20 Artists from 10 Countries
Theme : Avant-Garden
"Avant-garde"means all attitudes and artistic movements that deny existing artistic concepts and forms in favor of innovative art. Thus, "Avant" means "in front" and it refers not only to the innovativeness of artistic forms but also to the attitude toward life. Add to this a spatial concept of "Garden," which implies a stronger sense of privacy than a "park."
"Avant" also refers to a difference in perception between artists as creators and visitors as consumers, as well as artists' aesthetic and creative attitudes. A stroll into a "garden" leads us to a "space where we feel a sense of community" in nature. It also helps us to leave the cycle of everyday life and enjoy a "stroll into time." This stroll into time is an "unproductive activity" from the perspective ofmodern society, where all systems are set according to the mechanism of production.