Journey through "The Geography of Objets" Cheongju Craft Biennale 2023 Commences

• Held in Cheongju, Republic of Korea, for 45 days from September 1st to October 15th.
• Showcasing 3,000 exhibits by 251 artists and teams from 57 countries on the theme of "The Geography of Objets."
• Engaging K-Culture events featuring exhibitions, workshops, experiences, markets, and performances.

CHEONGJU, South Korea, Aug. 31, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Finally, it is time to embark on a journey through "The Geography of Objets."

The Cheongju Craft Biennale 2023 opens on September 1^st, continuing through October 15^th at the Cheongju Culture Factory in the Republic of Korea.

This year's theme is "The Geography of Objects - Crafts: Connect, Create, and Cherish," which visitors can discover in more than 3,000 works by 251 artists and teams from 57 countries, including the United States, China, and Spain. Drawing from the crisis humanity has faced during the pandemic and from reflecting on civilization, the Biennale explores the future landscape of craft beyond creating objects for human use.

Experts and visitors have noted that "every exhibit, including the main exhibition, tells a precise and curated story." This year's Biennale has been evaluated as "an opportunity to experience the 24-year history that Cheongju has built on the craft genre, and to transcend one's own limits."

The Biennale is poised to be a journey exploring the landscape of craft through "objets" that have evolved in harmony with the Earth and life. Originating from the reflection on whether craft has strengthened anthropocentrism and contributed to the exploitation of natural resources, this Biennale unfolds a new craft spirit based on "Biophilia." In particular, the fact that 80% of the artists participating in the main exhibition presented new works gives a glimpse of the status of the Cheongju Craft Biennale.

The theme is presented through five narratives:

#1. Biophilia beyond Humanism
#2. Meme & Cultural Contexts
#3. Hybrid & New Craftsmanship
#4. Upcycling & Ecological Correctness
#5. Net of Biophilia & Future

Artistic Director Kang Jaeyoung expresses confidence, "From the digital craftwork that first greets you upon entering the main building of the Cheongju Culture Factory, to the imposing large-scale textile art that captures your gaze, and the immersive sound craftwork you encounter at the end – each piece in the main exhibition is a representative and recommended work." She further adds, "Regardless of tradition or modernity, East or West, domestic or international artists, these artists have shown a perfect understanding of this year's theme and are showcasing a befitting creative landscape. I hope you will pay attention to the challenging messages these artists are presenting alongside 21^st century crafts."

As the first post-pandemic event, this Biennale aspires to be more open than ever before. Everyone, regardless of age, can become a protagonist of the Biennale: From the "Craft Summit," a platform for discourse among domestic and international craft-related scholars, and the "International Craft Workshop" led by 13 artists and teams from seven countries, to the "Children's Biennale," where so-called "Biennale Kids," who grew up watching craft biennales, experience crafts in a space resembling a scene from a fairy tale. With the addition of the "Eoma-Eoma Festival," an unending relay of exhibitions, performances, markets, workshops, and talk concerts, the Cheongju Craft Biennale 2023 promises to make the vast 120,000 square meters of the Cheongju Culture Factory feel small and its 45-day duration seem short.

"The Cheongju Craft Biennale is already a representative K-Culture event," said Mr. Lee Beom-Seok, Mayor of Cheongju City and Chairman of the Cheongju Craft Biennale Organizing Committee. He invites everyone to "experience the value, infinite scalability, and inspiration of 'craft', which has always been by our side since the dawn of humanity, through the center of K-Culture, the Cheongju Craft Biennale."

The Cheongju Craft Biennale 2023, which encompasses the Main Exhibition, the Invited Country Exhibition (Spain), the International Craft Competition, and the Open Biennale (Children's Biennale, Eoma-Eoma Festival), can be enjoyed at the Cheongju Culture Factory, Cheongju, in the Republic of Korea until October 15^th.