Taipei: Taiwanese artists and curators on Saturday expressed relief and satisfaction at the opening of the Gwangju Biennale's Pavilion Project under the name "Taiwan Pavilion," following a contentious naming dispute that resulted in China's withdrawal from the event.
According to Focus Taiwan, Chen Kuang-yi, director of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA), which organized the pavilion in Gwangju, South Korea, shared her elation after navigating through official channels to ensure the exhibition's proper inauguration. Chen described the process as fraught with daily challenges, requiring numerous communications between NTMoFA and the event organizers, the Gwangju Biennale Foundation.
Initially, the pavilion was listed as "The NTMoFA Pavilion" in promotional materials, a decision that sparked accusations of political censorship from artists and the Taiwanese government. The foundation's reversal on August 26, allowing the use of "Taiwan Pavilion," was seen as a victory for artistic and national representation.
Artist Chen Ting-ting attributed the foundation's decision largely to the significant support for Taiwan from the people of Gwangju and the international art community. Su Hui-yu, the first Taiwanese artist to notice the omission of "Taiwan Pavilion" from promotional content, emphasized the artists' collective stance that without the rightful name, participation would be forfeited.
The incident underscored art's ability to transcend national boundaries, Su remarked, noting the unprecedented influence art wielded in this situation.
China's curatorial team announced its withdrawal on September 3, citing the participation of what it referred to as "the Taiwan region of China" under a name inconsistent with its status, according to Chinese state media reports. The Gwangju Biennale Foundation responded by stating that designation standards were applied as per administrative procedures and expressed hope for China's future participation.
The Gwangju Biennale is scheduled to run from September 5 to November 15.