Hyundai Motor (005380.KS) announced Thursday that it will extend its sponsorship of the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, the world's largest international art exhibition, through 2034, continuing a partnership that began in 2015. Held biennially, the Venice Biennale is often called the Olympics of the global art world, showcasing representative artists and works from each country. The 61st edition runs from October 9 (local time) through November 22 at the Giardini park in Venice.
Hyundai Motor recently signed an agreement with Arts Council Korea to continue its official sponsorship through 2034, contributing to introducing the trends of Korean contemporary art and experimental works to the international community.
This year's Korean Pavilion exhibition, themed "Liberation Space: Fortress and Nest," is curated by artistic director Choi Binna, with artists Choi Goen and Noh Hyeree participating. The main theme, "Liberation Space," draws from the historical concept referring to the period (1945–1948) when a new order was being sought on the Korean Peninsula after liberation. Rather than a simple retrospective of the past, it presents the Korean Pavilion as a "space" for communication, repositioning it within contemporary geopolitical and social contexts.
Choi Goen presents "Meridian," a site-specific work that uses copper pipes—a basic architectural element—to express lines and flows that penetrate the interior and exterior of the Korean Pavilion in sculptural language.
Noh Hyeree embodies a "nest" space for the self-reliance and coexistence of life through "Bearing," a work that layers more than 4,000 wax-coated organza pieces to envelop the interior of the Korean Pavilion.
For the first time since the Korean Pavilion opened in 1995, this year's Venice Biennale will also feature joint events and exhibitions between the Korean and Japanese pavilions. The two national pavilions will present an opening ceremony performance, along with artwork installations inside and outside the exhibition halls and a procession performance moving between the two pavilions.
"Following the past decade, we find it meaningful to continue sponsoring the Korean Pavilion so that diverse and experimental art can be presented on the global stage within a stable foundation," a Hyundai Motor official said. "We will continue to support the Korean Pavilion as a platform for various practical discourses needed in our contemporary era."
Beyond sponsoring the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale, Hyundai Motor conducts cultural sponsorship activities through partnerships with world-renowned museums including Tate, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.
