Philippines Presents First Standalone Pavilion at 2024 Gwangju Biennale
Top Left: Ambassador Ma. Theresa B. Dizon-De Vega welcomes Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol to the PH Pavilion with Artist-Curator Ms. Avie Felix, and artist Mr. Veejay Villafranca, screenshot from Arirang TV. Top Right: “Locations of Freedom” Philippine banner. Below: Ribbon-cutting at the Opening Ceremony of the 2024 ASEAN Pavilion attended by Members of the Diplomatic Corps, Officials from Korean Cultural Centers and Government Offices. (Seoul PE photo)
SEOUL 26 September 2024 — The 2024 Gwangju Biennale themed “Pansori - A Soundscape for the 21st Century” explores the interplay of space, images, and sound which inform social, political, ecological, gender, and power dynamics. Directed by Nicolas Bourriaud, the latest edition is the largest in the history of the biennale with 31 country pavilions and a main pavilion featuring artists using different artistic media.
The Philippine Pavilion entitled “Locations of Freedom” features the works of renowned Filipino artists Adjani Arumpac, Sari Dalena, Toym Leon Imao, Dennis “Sio” Montreal, Paul Eric Roca, Veejay Villafranca with Karl Castro as designer. Participating artists Avie Felix, also serves as the pavilion curator.
The PH Pavilion is supported by the vMeme Contemporary Art Gallery, Fundacion Sanso, Imao Studios, the University of the Philippines Film Institute, the Philippine Embassy in Korea, and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation.
President Yoon expressed a particular admiration for the photo art of Mr. Villafranca, the works of Felix, and the sculptural pieces by Toym Leon Imao which he said were a “moving homage to those who sacrificed their lives for the attainment of freedom” which strikes a familiar chord in Korean history. The Gwangju Biennale will run from 6 September 2024 to 01 December 2024 at the National Asia Culture Center, Gwangju.
The Philippine Pavilion is part of the ASEAN cluster of pavilions on display at the sprawling National Asia Culture Center, a mixed exhibition, art, and library, and multi-use space in Gwangju under the management of the ROK Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
Ambassador Dizon-de Vega and Philippine Embassy Cultural Officer Anthony Cornista and all the participating artists likewise took part in the opening ceremony for the ASEAN-Korea Centre Pavilion and the individual country pavilions of six ASEAN member countries. END
(Left to Right) Top: Mr. Toym Leon Imao, Ms. Sari Dalena, Amb. Dizon-De Vega, Ms. Avie Felix, Mr. Dennis “Sio” Montreal, Mr. Veejay Villafranca and Mr. Paul Eric Roca. (Ms. Adjani Arumpac, not in photo). Below: (Left to Right) Opening Remarks by the Secretary-General of ASEAN-Korea Centre, H.E. Kim Jae-shin; Welcome Remarks by the President of Gwangju Biennale, Mr. Park Yang Woo; Congratulatory Remarks were delivered by the Mayor of Gwangju, Mr. Kang Ki-jung and the President of National Asia Culture Centre, Mr. Lee Kang-hyun. (Seoul PE photo)
Top: Artwork “Archipelago of Selves” by Artist-Curator Ms. Avie Felix. Below: Artwork “Conflicting Demarcations” by Mr. Dennis “Sio” Montera. (Seoul PE photo)
Top: Artwork “Marawi Did Not Take Place” by Ms. Adjani Arumpac. Below: Artwork “Paradise of Broen Promises" by Mr. Paul Eric Roca. (Seoul PE photo)
Top: Artworks by Mr. Toym Leon Imao. (Seoul PE photo)
Artwork by Mr. Veejay Villafranca and Below: Video art by Prof. Sari Raissa Dalena. (Seoul PE photo)
For more information, visit https://www.seoulpe.dfa.gov.ph, https://www.philembassy-seoul.com or https://www.facebook.com/PHinKorea/.