Busan is good

2026 Busan Biennale Opens August 29, Bringing Diverse Voices to Busan

내용

Busan Metropolitan City, led by Mayor Chun Jae-soo, will jointly host the 2026 Busan Biennale with the Busan Biennale Organizing Committee for 65 days from August 29 to November 1 under the theme “Dissident Chorus.”

The Busan Biennale is an international contemporary art event co-hosted every two years by Busan Metropolitan City and the Busan Biennale Organizing Committee. It began in 1981 as the Busan Youth Biennale and adopted its current name when the organizing body was incorporated in 2000.

This year’s event will unfold across three exhibition venues located on two islands, Eulsukdo and Yeongdo: the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, Space Oneji, and the former Busan Nam High School.

Moving among the three venues, each with its own distinct history and atmosphere, visitors will be able to experience the diverse voices and sensibilities embodied in “Dissident Chorus” from multiple perspectives.

The theme of the 2026 Busan Biennale, “Dissident Chorus,” explores the meaning of nonverbal communication and collective solidarity mediated through sound and the body, while drawing on audio materials from the Busan area to shed light on the social roles of labor, movement, and resistance.

The event will feature 46 artists and collectives from 22 countries, including Belgian curator Evelyn Simons and British-Bahraini curator Amal Khalaf, who were selected as co-artistic directors through an international open call.

Selected through an international competition that drew applications from more than 70 teams, the two directors have developed the exhibition based on their extensive curatorial practices spanning contemporary art, performance, sound, and community-based practice.

Through works in a wide range of genres, including installation, sound, performance, video, and sculpture, the exhibition examines how sound and the body have connected people and fostered resistance and solidarity, while addressing the many questions facing contemporary society through artistic expression.

Beyond viewing the exhibition, this year’s Busan Biennale will also offer a variety of related programs, including performances, workshops, and talks that allow participants to listen, engage in dialogue, and take part physically.

International participating artists include Philippine-born performance artist Joshua Serafin; Julien Creuzet, who was born in Martinique and represented France at the 2024 Venice Biennale; and Éric Baudelaire, whose practice spans film and installation.

Participating Korean artists include Kang Seokyeong, Dew Kim, Ryu Sung-sil, and Im Heung-soon, as well as Busan-based Park Hyun-sung, Lee Dong-geun, and Minjung Gayo Archive.

The 2026 Busan Biennale will be open from August 29 to November 1, Tuesday through Sunday, from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

Visitors can access multilingual audio guides via QR codes. Exhibition tours that do not require advance reservations will also be available at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan and the former Busan Nam High School.

Admission to the exhibition at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan is KRW 16,000 for adults, KRW 8,000 for youth and military or police personnel, and KRW 5,000 for children. Tickets can be purchased through NOL Ticket online or at the ticket counter on the first floor of the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan. Admission to Space Oneji and the former Busan Nam High School is free.

For visitors’ convenience, Busan Metropolitan City will operate a free shuttle bus connecting the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan, Space Oneji, and the former Busan Nam High School.

More information about the event is available at busanbiennale2026.com.

The opening ceremony will take place at 5:00 p.m. on August 28 at the Museum of Contemporary Art Busan.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo and other distinguished guests are expected to attend and celebrate the opening. The ceremony will begin with a congratulatory performance by the Yeongdo-gu Women’s Choir, followed by presentations from the artistic directors and an opportunity to meet participating artists.

Mayor Chun Jae-soo said, “Busan Metropolitan City will continue to provide its full support so that the Busan Biennale can establish itself as a world-class exhibition and contribute to realizing Busan’s vision as a global city of culture and tourism.”