ICHCAP

The 2017 Cheongju Craft Biennale will be held from 13 September to 22 October 2017 (40 days) at the Old Cheongju Tobacco Processing Plant. This year’s theme is “Hands+ embrace,” which means creating something more than crafts with hands (Hands+) and embracing local and global communities (embrace). At the biennale, about 780 artists (including teams) from 18 countries will display 4,000 works under the co-direction of eleven local artists. As this year’s biennale marks the 10th anniversary, it reflects on the past and looks ahead to the next 100 years.

The main exhibition “RE: CRAFT” pursues convergence of media art and craft for the first time in Korea to allow communication between visitors and art-objects. It is an active exhibition where visitors can not only see exhibits, but also play with them. It will be used as space of coexistence to show the process of creation as well as the completed works. The Global Pavilion will exhibit about 400 works from a total of nine countries (Germany, Mongolia, Switzerland, Singapore, the UK, Italy, Japan, Finland, and Korea) while Cheongju Craft Fair and Cheongju Art Fair will help revitalize local craft and art markets. The Street Market on the weekends will be open to all interested craftspeople (individual or in groups) Please contact the Cheongju Craft Biennale Organizational Committee for any inquiries.

On 15 September, the International Conference “RE: Make” will bring together scholars from all over the world to discuss the future of the biennale and craft. This symposium will consist of two parts: (Part 1) The Biennale of Yesterday and (Part 2) The Future of Craft. It will reflect on the past from the first to the ninth biennale and discuss the sustainable future of craft. Free admission to the workshop and biennale is offered to those who sign up in advance (register in advance here). The Craft Workshop “Craft, So into You” will be held for eight times to provide an opportunity to experience collaboration on crafts and other areas (food, music, design, etc.).

The 2017 Cheongju Craft Biennale will feature high-quality exhibitions, educational sessions, symposium, fairs, and other cultural events to provide a glimpse into the future of local craft and cultural art. For more information, you can visit here.