Special Report Discovering 'Beauty' at the Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale...Icheon's 'World'·Gwangju's 'Master Craftsmen'·Yeoju's 'Tradition'

Gyeonggi Province and the Korean Ceramic Foundation announced on the 20th that through November 1, the '2026 Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale' will simultaneously host exhibitions and programs highlighting regional characteristics at three hubs—Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju—featuring everything from contemporary ceramic art to traditional pottery and family experiences.

In Icheon, visitors can encounter experimental contemporary ceramic art from artists around the world; in Gwangju, master craftsmen of ceramic art and the flow of Korean ceramics; and in Yeoju, everyday ceramics that reinterpret tradition from a modern perspective. Participant programs including international ceramic workshops, academic conferences, kids biennale, and local pottery artisan experience markets will also operate throughout the biennale period.

Icheon: Experiencing the Present and Future of World Ceramic Art

The biennale's main exhibition 'Earth Makes' will be held at the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Icheon. This exhibition views soil and earth not merely as materials for artwork but as creative subjects, exploring new possibilities in ceramic art.

Twenty-eight teams from 14 countries with 67 artists participate, showcasing works by domestic and international artists including William Covving from the UK, Kim Chang-ho, Kim Si-young, and Yi Wan from Korea, Yasmine Smith from Australia, and the French artist duo Senokosm.

The exhibition is organized into three parts: 'Clay Makes It,' 'Earth Makes It,' and 'The Planet Makes It.' In the special project 'Landscape,' visitors can experience a space where ceramics and architecture blend, featuring the buncheong works of ceramic artist Choi Sung-jae and architect Jang Young-chul's traditional Korean pavilion 'Piljeong.' 'To the Future' introduces works by next-generation artists selected from 28 domestic ceramic university departments and graduate programs.

The 13th 'International Competition' showcasing ceramic works from around the world also takes place in Icheon. This year, 1,050 artists from 77 countries submitted 1,397 works. Among these, 58 selected pieces will be exhibited, including 'Punch Card House' by German artist David Lauer, the grand prize winner, and various works featuring diverse cultural backgrounds and formal experimentation.

Gwangju: Master Craftsmen of Ceramic Art and the Flow of Korean Ceramics at a Glance

The Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum in Gwangju will premiere the special exhibition 'Master Ceramic Artists of Our Time.' Through works by 64 artists including those designated as Master Craftsmen of Korea and of Gyeonggi Province, viewers can explore long-accumulated ceramic techniques and craftsmanship spirit.

The 7th 'Beautiful Korean Ceramics Competition' displays 37 selected works from 254 submissions. Featuring the grand prize work 'Distortion' by Woo Eun-ju and other contemporary Korean ceramic works that explore new sculptural possibilities based on traditional materials and techniques.

The special collection exhibition 'Korean History Seen Through Ceramics' traces changes in ceramics from the Goryeo period through the modern era, allowing viewers to examine the flow of technology and living culture by era.

Yeoju: Viewing Familiar 'Traditional Ceramics' from a Different Perspective

The Gyeonggi Living Ceramic Art Museum in Yeoju will host the special exhibition 'Unfamiliar Tradition' linked with the art market. This exhibition departs from the familiar image of Korean ceramics represented by celadon and white porcelain, instead casting new light on earthenware, black-glazed porcelain, onggi, and iron-painted buncheong. Six artists from established masters to emerging practitioners present 94 works that reinterpret traditional materials and techniques from a contemporary perspective.

'Unfamiliar Tradition' can also be viewed at Gallery 'Jiuheon' in Bukchon, Seoul, from September 16 to October 17. Linking exhibitions with artwork sales, the space provides consultation and purchase opportunities for visitors interested in acquiring works.

Yeoju will also host the special collection exhibition 'What is Beautiful is Eternal Joy.' Through approximately 300 collection pieces, visitors can examine how vessel forms and uses have changed according to era and region.

Directly Observing Artists at Work and Families Molding Clay...Participant Programs Also Available

Beyond exhibition viewing, programs enabling direct meetings between artists and visitors are prepared. At 'International Ceramic Workshops,' visitors can observe the creation processes and experiments of domestic and international artists up close, and artists and visitors communicate through open studios and artist talks.

The 'International Ceramic Academic Conference' held twice in Icheon brings together 11 domestic and international experts to discuss the flow of contemporary ceramic art and its future direction.

A participant program 'Kids Biennale' allows children and families to directly handle clay and experience ceramic culture. Operating around the Gyeonggi Ceramic Museum's clay play educational experience space, it comprises programs such as 'Imaginary Clay Storehouse,' where families touch and mold clay together, and 'Earth Studio,' a children's art creation program, along with 'Craft Pojangmacha' featuring local craft artists.

'Local Pottery Artisan Experience Market,' where visitors directly experience works and creative processes of regional pottery artisans, and 'Biennale Outreach,' which visits various regions throughout Gyeonggi Province beyond the biennale venue, will also operate. The outreach program is a collaboration with local cultural institutions to present ceramic and craft content.

Detailed information including schedules for each exhibition and experience program can be found on the Gyeonggi Ceramic Biennale website (gcbiennale.org).

Ryu In-gwon, CEO of the Korean Ceramic Foundation, stated, "We have structured exhibitions and experience programs so that visitors can encounter different charms of ceramic art in Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju," and added, "Rather than stopping at appreciating artworks, we hope visitors will experience ceramic art more closely by directly handling clay and meeting artists."