Busan Biennale 2022
WE, ON THE RISING WAVE
03 Sep - 06 Nov 2022
Artistic director: HAEJU KIM
This exhibition takes Busan as a starting point in reflecting on the stories that remain or lie hidden within the history of Busan since the modern era and the changes in the city’s structure, and examining them in relation to the reality in the world. The “rising wave” in the title signifies the history and transformations of Busan, and the people pushed out of it and flowing into it, while also signifying global interconnectedness. Additionally, the wave is a metaphor for dissemination in an environment of technological change, as well as a description of Busan’s rolling landscape of seaside hills. “On the rising wave” is an expression that refers to the ways in which the individual bodies situated in this terrain and history are closely tied to their environment, and to the situation of standing atop this endlessly shifting topography as we survey the future. Through a structure of observing small-scale urban narratives and juxtaposing and repeating their connections to the larger world, the exhibition attempts to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the present. As it reflects of the conflicts and issue found within this context, it asks the ultimate question: How can all these different actors live together in this changing environment? Focusing on “migration,” “labor and women,” “the ecosystem of city,” and “technological change and placeness” as major keywords, the exhibition examines concrete events and situations in Busan that relate to them, as well as stories from other regions and countries that relate to them.
This exhibition takes Busan as a starting point in reflecting on the stories that remain or lie hidden within the history of Busan since the modern era and the changes in the city’s structure, and examining them in relation to the reality in the world. The “rising wave” in the title signifies the history and transformations of Busan, and the people pushed out of it and flowing into it, while also signifying global interconnectedness. Additionally, the wave is a metaphor for dissemination in an environment of technological change, as well as a description of Busan’s rolling landscape of seaside hills. “On the rising wave” is an expression that refers to the ways in which the individual bodies situated in this terrain and history are closely tied to their environment, and to the situation of standing atop this endlessly shifting topography as we survey the future. Through a structure of observing small-scale urban narratives and juxtaposing and repeating their connections to the larger world, the exhibition attempts to achieve a comprehensive understanding of the present. As it reflects of the conflicts and issue found within this context, it asks the ultimate question: How can all these different actors live together in this changing environment? Focusing on “migration,” “labor and women,” “the ecosystem of city,” and “technological change and placeness” as major keywords, the exhibition examines concrete events and situations in Busan that relate to them, as well as stories from other regions and countries that relate to them.