2026 5th Jeju Biennale: Heokgok, Modakchigok, Iyahong: The Art of Transformation

The civilization that blossomed on Jeju, a volcanic island on the Eurasian Plate, did not only flow in from the sea but also arrived from the northern mainland. All manner of elements scattered far and wide, converged on Jeju, blended together, and transformed, shaping the ecology, geography, and way of life that define Jeju today. Now in its 10th year, the 5th Jeju Biennale focuses on Jeju’s historical process of dispersing (heokkda), gathering (modakchida), and transforming (iyahong) through its encounter with Northern civilizations. To this end, the Biennale adopts “Iyahong”—the refrain of the “Iyahong Taryeong,” a folk song that flowed in from the mainland and became another indigenous folk song of Jeju—as its theme and core concept. Through Jeju—an island imbued with the principles of climate and healthy living—the Jeju Biennale seeks to present the ways of survival and their aesthetics, shaped by the interplay of objects, nature, human life, and the divine.

- Major Programs: Exhibition Programs 1. From Chusa’s Perspective (Jeju Provincial Art Museum) - An exhibition that reinterprets the aesthetics of Chusa Kim Jeong-hui through the lens of Jeju’s sculptural qualities and expands the context of his exile—shaped by political realities and historical violence—from a contemporary perspective 2. Though Black, the Stone Rolls On (500 Generals Gallery, Jeju Stone Culture Park) - An exhibition that explores the intersection of nature, humanity, and Northern civilizations through Jeju’s basalt and stone culture, offering an experience of multidimensional temporality 3. The Great Grandmother’s Navel (Jeju Art Platform / Art Space Ia / Gallery Remicon) - An exhibition that examines Jeju’s inclusivity and the multilayered vitality of life through the lens of its polytheistic (miscellaneous deities) culture, expressed in the language of parables