MOC thanks artists, world as Taiwan name restored at Korean biennale

Taipei, Aug. 26 (CNA) The Ministry of Culture (MOC) on Wednesday welcomed the restoration of the "Taiwan Pavilion" name at the Gwangju Biennale, thanking the Taiwanese curator and artists for their perseverance and the global community for its support.

The Gwangju Biennale Foundation sent a message Tuesday confirming that the pavilion's name had been restored to "Taiwan Pavilion" after the organizer arbitrarily changed it in June to "NTMoFA Pavilion," referring to the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.

The development came after the MOC issued an ultimatum earlier Tuesday that the foundation restore the name by Wednesday.

The foundation said Wednesday that it had received an official document from Taiwan's Ministry of Culture confirming that the NTMoFA was participating in the biennale on behalf of Taiwan under the name "Taiwan Pavilion" and that the approval process had been completed.

The event's documents and promotional materials now identify Taiwan as an exhibitor, while the Asia Culture Center (ACC), the venue for the Taiwan Pavilion, notified the NTMoFA on Wednesday that exhibition staff would be allowed to enter and begin setting up on Thursday, according to the MOC.

The development followed accusations by the MOC that the ACC had prevented Taiwanese exhibitors from entering the venue to set up the exhibition.

In a statement, the MOC thanked the Taiwan Pavilion curator and artists for their perseverance as well as the global community, art workers and media, including the Gwangju Biennale's chief curator and curators representing other participating countries for their support.

The ministry said their efforts demonstrated how art and culture can be used to resist authority and uphold the "Gwangju spirit" of freedom and democracy.

The MOC said the controversy began in June, when the foundation abruptly changed its designation of the Taiwan Pavilion to "NTMoFA Pavilion," despite the NTMoFA having proposed, reviewed and signed the participation agreement under the name "Taiwan Pavilion."

The change prompted the NTMoFA and Taiwan's representative office in South Korea to contact the foundation and request that the original name be restored, the ministry said.

However, when the biennale's promotional poster was unveiled in early August with "NTMoFA" as the pavilion's name, the Taiwanese curator and artists, along with members of the global art community, began speaking out against the change, the MOC said.

The MOC and Ministry of Foreign Affairs also discussed the issue with the organizers, emphasizing the shared historical experiences of the two sides and their sacrifices for democracy, freedom and human rights, the MOC said.

The ministry quoted Kim Hwa-sun of the Gwangju Minjung Artist Association as saying that the controversy "should not have happened in Gwangju, which advocates democracy."

The MOC also cited a social media post by Culture Minister Li Yuan (李遠) on Wednesday titled "What are we still waiting for? What are we longing for?" in which he said Taiwan's commitment to the issue was rooted in its belief in Korean democracy.

"We believe in the power of the Korean people, as well as in the friendship of artists from around the world," Li wrote.

He thanked those who had stepped forward during the race against time, with the biennale scheduled to open Sept. 5.

"Justice that arrives late is still justice. The spirit of Gwangju lives on," Li said.

The 16th Gwangju Biennale is scheduled to run from Sept. 5 to Nov. 15.