Taiwan Pavilion opens at Gwangju Biennale amid naming controversy

The Taiwan Pavilion opened Saturday at the 16th Gwangju Biennale amid a naming dispute that briefly saw it renamed NTMoFA Pavilion. Taiwan’s culture ministry protested, prompting organizers to restore the original name, while China’s ambassador expressed regret and concern to Gwangju Mayor Min Hyung-bae. Artists representing the China Pavilion then halted installation and withdrew. The pavilion’s exhibition, Instance Dungeons: Gray Zone, explores geopolitical tensions and uncertainty.

The 16th Gwangju Biennale includes a main exhibition in Gwangju, 16 national pavilions and 11 institutional pavilions.

The pavilion was originally called Taiwan Pavilion, then changed to NTMoFA Pavilion before the name was restored.

The exhibition at the pavilion is titled Instance Dungeons: Gray Zone and features works by Cheng Hsien-Yu, Lin Yu-Liang, Li Yi-Fan and Su Hui-Yu.

Published Sep 6, 2026 9:57 am KST

Chen Kuang-Yi, director of the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, speaks during the opening ceremony of the Taiwan Pavilion at the 16th Gwangju Biennale at the National Asian Culture Center in the southwestern city of Gwangju, Saturday. Yonhap

A pavilion showcasing works by Taiwanese artists at the 16th edition of the Gwangju Biennale opened Saturday amid its naming controversy.

This year's biennale, considered one of Asia's most prominent contemporary art events, features a main exhibition in the southwestern city of Gwangju alongside a project with 16 national pavilions and 11 institutional pavilions, including one for the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA).

The biennale organizers initially decided to call the space "Taiwan Pavilion" before changing it to "NTMoFA Pavilion." It drew a protest from Taiwan's culture ministry, forcing the Gwangju Biennale Foundation to reverse its decision and approve the use of "Taiwan Pavilion."

This in turn drew a formal expression of regret and concern from Chinese Ambassador to South Korea Dai Bing to Gwangju Mayor Min Hyung-bae. China views self-ruled Taiwan as part of its own territory under a one-China principle. Artists representing the China Pavilion subsequently halted installation work and withdrew from the event in protest.

At the opening ceremony for the Taiwan Pavilion, Chen Kuang-Yi, director of the NTMoFA, said it was "fortunate" the name remained in place thanks to support from various fronts.

"It carries extra significance to set up the pavilion under its original name in the city of Gwangju, home of Korean democracy and spirit of human rights," Chen said.

The exhibition at the pavilion is titled "Instance Dungeons: Gray Zone," which explores geopolitical tensions and uncertainty. The title comes from video game terminology, referring to an isolated level that players can repeatedly enter and challenge anew.

Works by such artists as Cheng Hsien-Yu, Lin Yu-Liang, Li Yi-Fan and Su Hui-Yu will be on display.

The biennale organizers are holding out hope that Chinese artists will return.

第十六届光州双年展台湾馆于周六开幕，开幕前曾因馆名争议短暂更名为“NTMoFA馆”。台湾文化部提出抗议，促使主办方恢复原名。与此同时，中国驻光州大使向光州市长闵亨培表达了遗憾和关切。随后，中国馆艺术家停止布展并退出。台湾馆的展览“实例地牢：灰色地带”探讨了地缘政治的紧张局势和不确定性。

第十六届光州双年展包括在光州举办的主展览、16个国家馆和11个机构馆。

该展馆最初名为台湾馆，后来改为国立美术馆馆，之后又恢复了原名。

展馆的展览名为“副本：灰色地带”，展出了程宪宇、林宇良、李义凡和苏慧宇的作品。

发布于2026年9月6日上午9:57（韩国标准时间）

国立台湾美术馆馆长陈光义周六在位于台湾西南部城市光州的国立亚洲文化中心举行的第十六届光州双年展台湾馆开幕式上致辞。（韩联社）

在第16届光州双年展上，一个展出台湾艺术家作品的展馆于周六开幕，但其命名却引发了争议。

今年的双年展被誉为亚洲最重要的当代艺术盛事之一，其主展览在西南城市光州举行，同时还设有 16 个国家馆和 11 个机构馆，其中包括国立台湾美术馆（NTMoFA）的展馆。

双年展主办方最初决定将展馆命名为“台湾馆”，后改为“NTMoFA馆”。此举引发台湾文化部的抗议，迫使光州双年展基金会撤回决定，批准使用“台湾馆”这一名称。

此事随后引发了中国驻韩国大使戴兵向光州市市长闵亨培的正式遗憾和关切之意。中国奉行一个中国原则，视自治的台湾为其领土的一部分。中国馆的艺术家们随后停止布展工作，并退出展会以示抗议。

在台湾馆的开幕式上，国家美术馆馆长陈光义表示，由于各方支持，这个名字得以保留下来，这“很幸运”。

陈先生说：“在韩国民主和人权精神的发源地光州，以其原名设立展馆具有特殊的意义。”

展馆的展览名为“副本：灰色地带”，探讨了地缘政治紧张局势和不确定性。标题源自电子游戏术语，指的是玩家可以反复进入并重新挑战的独立关卡。

郑宪宇、林宇良、李义凡、苏慧瑜等艺术家的作品将展出。

双年展组织者仍然希望中国艺术家能够回归。