The first ever Jeju Biennale is being held this year with the theme of ‘tourism’. It will discuss how tourism influences the residents, history, and natural environment of Jeju as well as what has become stagnant or has disappeared due to the tourism industry.

Artwork will cover the worries and troubles related to conflicts and changes between Jeju’s native residents and Jeju’s new immigrants. Also, by showing a city that is rapidly changing due to the tourism industry, it will show that this is not only a Jeju issue but also a global issue. By connecting touristification to contemporary art, it shows that it belongs to one generation.

<At a glance : Jeju Biennale 2017 >

Theme: Tourism

Date: Sept. 2 (Sat) - Dec. 3 (Sun)

Locations: Jeju Museum of Art, Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art, Jeju Wondosim (old town), Seogwipo old town (Wondosim), and throughout Altteureu Airfield.

Participating artists: About 60 artists (or art groups) Opening hours: 9:00 a.m ~ 6 p.m (Summer season, from July to September: 9 a.m~ 8 p.m) *Closed every Monday

Organizer: Jeju Museum of Art

Contact: 070-4548-4286~7

Admission fees

Adult: (over 25 years old~ under 64 years old) Individual 8000 won, group (over 10 people) 7000 won

Adolescents (over 13 years old ~ under 24 years old) and soldiers individual 5000 won, group (over 10 people) 4000 won

Child (over 7 years old ~ under 12 years old) individual 3000 won group 2000 won

Route 1: Jeju Museum of Art “The light and dark aspects of tourism”

In Jeju Museum of Art, works that deal with many issues and phenomenon of tourism such as the history of tourism, tourist dates, landmarks, tourism souvenirs, over-tourism are exhibited.

Exhibition Artist

OKSUN, KIM, Real DMZ Project, Vice Versa design studio

Park Ju Ae, Lee Wonho, Jeoung Jae Choul, Boo ji-hyun

Jirisan Project, Buhm Hong, Jinhwon Hong, Area Park, Kang Young Min, Moon Junyong

Modern Tourism Archive, Jeju Olle Trail, Seongbuk Art Commons

HIER, Jaejudojoa + RE:(Rescue Earth)+ROOEEZ+UM A LONG, Landscape Project

Halla Salon, Chang Lee Suok, Asim Waqif, Corinne Vionnet

Daniel Schwartz and Martin Andersson / U-TT, Dawn Ng, Fernando Garcia-Dory

Jane Jin Kaisen, Marc Schmitz, Marco Montiel Soto, Marina Abromović / Ulay

Marinos Tsagarakis, Tatiana Macedo, Nana Rebhan, Fabio Petronilli

Taiyo Onorato & Nico Krebs, Yang Bangean, Tsang Kinwah, Zizic/Kozul, Kim Hyung Kyu

Dae-Hong Kim, Marcos Novak, Suntag NOH, Gene-uk Choi, Yumi Park, Mark Lewis

Location: Jeju-do Jeju-si 1100-ro 2894-78 (제주도제주시 1100로 2894-78)

Route 2: Jeju Museum of Contemporary Art “Dark Tourism, Eco Tourism”

In this modern society that we live in, natural surroundings get destroyed and we lose much through history with hardship. Is it alright for our life to flow in this way? What do we need to remember and what do we need to protect? Jeju Contemporary Museum of Art is located in the area where the Gotjawal forest is located. The relationship between ecology and art, and living in harmony with nature are some of the aspects that needs to be thought about. Also, there is a chance to encounter works that deal with alternative solutions to the current tourism industry.

Exhibition Artist

Yeondoo Jung, Jiyu Lee, seems like community, Listen to the City, Oliver Ressler

Koh Seung Wook, Shilpa Gupta, The Road-43518AMMA道, Kim yousun

Dioniso Gonzalez, K-Arts Korea/China/Japan Cultural Olympic

Location: Jeju-do Jeju-si Hangyeong-myeon Jeoj, 14-gil 35 (제주도 제주시 한경면 저지 14길 35)

Route 3 : Alddreu Airfield

During the Japanese colonial era, a military base had entered peaceful farmlands. Alddreu Airfield has been used as a Japanese military outpost in 1937 when the Sino-Japanese War broke out and Moseulpo residents had been drafted into the construction of this field. There is a memorial stone for the civilian massacre at Seodal oreum beside Alddreu Airfield. Artists installed works of reflection on history and place in the land of pain, where hangars and bunkers remain as traces of the military base. The residents had begun to farm again in between the hangars. Seasonal crops show the power of farming and everyday life which can heal wounds of the war. The Alddreu Airfield where farming and arts coexist sends messages of peace to people who remember the lessons of history and lead a day.

Exhibition Artist

IVAAIU, Bonju Gu, Choi Pyung Gon, KIM HAEGON, kang moon seok

kang tae hwan, LIM KYUNGSUP, Seo sung-bong, ChoiKo Team

Jeon jong cheol, Jungho Oak, IVAAIU_2, Misuk,kim

Location : Jeju-do Seogwipo-si Daejung-eup Sangmo-ri 411 (제주도 서귀포시 대정읍 상모리 411)

Route 4 : Old downtown of Seogwipo city, Seogwipo Performance Art Theatre, Lee Jung Seop Residential Area

Lee Jung Seop Street is one of the most popular and well-known tourist districts in Jeju. In the area one can visit artist Lee Jung Seop’s home, where he lived with his family when he moved to Seogwipo during the Korean War. There is also Lee Jung Seop Museum, Lee Jung Seop Creative Space, and Seogwipo Performance Art Theatre as well as Jeju Olle Market. Jeju Biennale presents works at two locations in this area; Lee Jung Seop’s house and Seogwipo Performance Art Theatre. This route will provide a chance for visitors to experience a touristic district of Jeju and question visitors on what we expect at tourist places.

Exhibition Artist

Jeoung Jae Choul, Rainbow

Location: Jejupdo Seogwipo-si Lee Jungseop-ro 29 (Seogwi-dong)

Route 5 : Jeju Old Town (Wondosim) and Art Space IAA

Throughout this Biennale, ‘IAa’ has plans to reveal artwork that covers the regeneration of the historical city and tourism. In the past, the ‘IAa’ building was the administrative office that assisted Jeju governor during the Chosun dynasty. Later it became used as a medical center as Jeju Provincial Hospital, Jeju Medical Center, and Jeju National University Hospital. It is now being used as an exhibition hall and performance space.

Exhibition Artist

Kim Beom Jun, Kim, Tae-kyun, Lee Chun Fung, Seon Young Park & Jinie Park, Park, Jong-ho

Kang, Hyunah, Kim, Choons, Jang, Young-won, Jeong Kyop, Yang Jazoo, Jeonghee Churches

Huang Rui, Justin Tyler Tate

Location: Jeju-do Jeju-si Jungang-ro 14gil 21 (제주도 제주시 중앙로 14길 21)

All photos courtesy Jeju Biennale 2017