Gwangju Design Biennale’11

(published at NEH Magazine, October) 

The 4^th Design Biennale is going on now in Gwangju, South Cheolla Province. This small city with long and sorrow history was not a popular tourist attraction in the past, but recently it became a part of the world art process and attracted attention from the art society. Currently, Gwangju Biennale is one of the most well-known art events in the world and the most prestigious biennial of contemporary art in Asia, and while we have the chance, we shouldn’t lose this opportunity.

What’s Gwangju Biennale

Looking back to the history of Gwangju Biennale, it was founded in 1995 in memory of civil uprising of the 1980 repression of the Gwangju Democratization Movement. General Biennale, including contemporary art works, opens every 2 years. The Gwangju Design Biennale as a part of general one stated in 2005. Organizations the target was to promote the design industry in Gwangju and to contribute to the development of Korea. The important feature is that the Gwangju Design Biennale incorporates not only the aesthetic and practical value of design but also socio-cultural relationships. We can definitely see this conception in the biennial of this year.

“Design is design is not design”

If you were used to thinking that design is just boring projects of everyday life’s objects around us, this Biennale will change your opinion. Sometimes it is much more about concepts, so you can’t really see the border in between design and contemporary art. The theme of the Gwangju Design Biennale is “Design is Design is not Design” (“dogado bisangdo”), which was inspired by the first words in the book “Tao Te Ching” of Lao Tze (the patriarch of Taoism): “The way that is the way is not always the way”.

The Biennale is divided into 6 different sections: Thematic, Named, Un-named, Urban Follies, Community, and Biennale City. The 6 sections are mixed in the exhibition space, and some of the works by named designers and architects are situated in between the city – their venue we can find by a map. The main goal of this disposing was to illustrate that Gwangju not only hosts the Biennale but it changes with and shows an appearance of a real Biennale City.

The 2011 biennial came to be realized by the work of two artistic directors. Seung H-Sang, is famous for the Paju Book City project, DMZ Peace-Life Valley in Korea and many overseas projects. Also he served as a commissioner of the Korean Pavilion for Venice Architecture Biennale in 2008, therefore he is an important and respected figure in Korea. The other director, Ai Wei Wei, is even more famous and we hear his name mentioned throughout the year. Chinese artist, curator, social commentator and activist, he has had his own exhibition in New York, London and another world capitals. In his works, he reflects Chinese realities without any embellishments. The Chinese government disapproves. This past spring, he was arrested by police in the airport. This event raised a big reaction from the world art society, and the most famous person of contemporary art, such as Anish Kapoor, Damian Hurst and Olafur Elliason - all of whom actively protested against it, requiring his freedom. Later Ai Wei Wei was supported by museums, galleries and everyday people. Finally, Ai Wei Wei was exempt by the Chinese government, but this accident raised new talks about freedom of opinion and expression for artists.

Impressions

In my opinion, visiting this biennial is not just for pleasure, but requires work. You can not just easily watch some of the design projects and experience some aesthetical joy. You have to see, you have to think, and you have to act. For me, the main feature of this exhibit is that it’s interactive. It’s not just an “artist-viewer”, but more “creator-creator” relationship. For example, you can vote by cell-phone if the work you see is design or not design, use the telephone in the call-box to listen to different sounds or voices of Gwangju, which are already recorded by an artist. You can make your own book about design, donate money for natural disaster victims or just sit and relax in the nature-friendly designed room. Artists try to involve viewers into their work, making them act and create, and only in this exchange an artwork could be completed.

Also, this Biennale seemed very humanistic. One of the biggest themes was Japan and the consequences of this past spring’s earthquake and flooding. Reflecting on this distress, artists are invoking us to react and to not forget about it. Another interesting part is the design of the human body. We don’t really think that things going on within our body are some kind of design as well. Artists focused on this, and sometimes their works are even shocking. Attracting viewer’s interest, designers are trying to make an influence on people’s lives.

High-level artists, who are in the main flow of contemporary design development, are taking part in this biennial, so their works could be unaccustomed and sometimes very strange to everyday people. During my visit to this exhibition, I heard somebody ask about a particular artwork: "and this is a design too?" Biennale will not give you an answer. In Taoism philosophy, the way you can name is not the way. It cannot be defined but it’s always is in the process of changing. The same is true of design.

Biennale will take part until the 23^rd of October.

Directions: Take bus #83, 64 from Gwangju station or bus #58, 95 from Bus terminal. There’s also a shuttle bus service (look for schedule in Tourist information centers).

Opening hours: 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Admission fee: 10,000 won (7,000 with online booking)

Contacts: 82-62-608-4114
www.gb.or.kr

With Seung H-Sang, Gwangju Biennale Director :)