Gwangju Biennale dispute over Taiwan pavilion triggers Chinese withdrawal and spreads to Yeosu island expo

A naming dispute at the Gwangju Biennale has moved beyond the exhibition halls. After Chinese artists withdrew from the event, China’s side also said it would not take part in the upcoming Yeosu World Island Expo.

The Chinese pavilion team announced the withdrawal at a news conference on September 3 at the Ha Jung-woong Museum of Art in Gwangju. The team said it had unanimously decided to pull out “to express a strong protest.” Chinese participants had stopped installing their works on August 28.

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We unanimously decided to withdraw from the exhibition to express a strong protest.

Luan Weilai, curator of the Chinese pavilion, said the biennale’s use of what he called an incorrect name for Taiwan’s participation allowed political issues to enter the arts. The Chinese Embassy in South Korea said organizers had openly allowed Taiwan to use a name that did not match its status and claimed this directly damaged the political foundation of China-South Korea relations. The Chinese Consulate General in Gwangju also demanded an immediate correction, saying the name conflicted with the One China principle and South Korea’s foreign policy.

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The Gwangju Biennale organizers’ use of an incorrect name in connection with Taiwan’s participation caused political elements to intervene in the field of art.

The dispute began over the name of an exhibition by the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Taiwan initially agreed to use Taiwan Pavilion, but the biennale changed it in June to NTMoFA, the institution’s abbreviation. Organizers said the change reflected a contract for an institutional pavilion, not a national one. After criticism from the art community and delays to the exhibition, the biennale approved the use of Taiwan Pavilion last month. That decision eased the dispute with Taiwan but triggered the Chinese withdrawal.

The fallout reached the Yeosu World Island Expo, scheduled to open on September 5. Zhoushan in China’s Zhejiang province told organizers on September 2 that it would not operate its already installed promotional pavilion or attend Island Friends Day. Yeosu officials are trying to persuade Zhoushan to participate, saying the two events are separate. Concerns have also emerged that the dispute could affect efforts to attract Chinese group tourists.

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The organizers openly allowed Taiwan to use a name that does not match its status, directly undermining the political foundation of China-South Korea relations.