Art Starting from Earth, 《Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale 2026》 Opens on the 18th in Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju

The international art event centered on ceramic art, 《Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale 2026》, will be held for 45 days, using Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju as its stages. This year, under the theme "Earth Makes," the event will unfold the creative processes of earth, ceramics, and humans through various exhibitions and programs.

The Gyeonggi Provincial Government and the Korea Ceramic Foundation announced today (the 17th) that they will hold an opening ceremony at the outdoor plaza of the Gyeonggi Museum of Ceramic Art in Icheon and host the 《Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale 2026》 from the 18th to November 1st.

This year's Biennale has adopted the slogan "The Pulse of the Earth, Blooming the Time of Clay into Today." It takes as its main theme the process where clay obtained from the ground transforms into the material known as ceramics, which is then expanded through human skill and artistic expression.

At the opening ceremony, an entrance parade will be held featuring approximately 100 participating domestic and international artists and students from Korea Ceramic Art High School. The artists plan to introduce their work to the audience through their artworks and introductory videos. Performances by singers ALi and Sohyang will also take the stage at the opening ceremony.

Award ceremonies for the international and domestic competitions will also be held. The Grand Prize for the international competition was awarded to German artist David Lauer, and the Grand Prize for the domestic competition was awarded to artist Woo Eun-joo.

On the exterior wall of the Gyeonggi Museum of Ceramic Art, a media facade expressing the Biennale theme through video will be displayed. Through four scenes—"The Earth Awakens," "The Earth is Shaped," "The Earth Shines," and "Earth Makes"—it visually demonstrates the process of life being born from clay and being made into ceramics.

The main event will take place throughout Gyeonggi Province, centered around Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju. In addition to the themed exhibition, there will be international competitions, special exhibitions, and collection exhibitions, and academic programs such as international ceramic conferences and workshops will also be operated.

Visitor-participation events, such as a Biennale for children, a traveling Biennale, a ceramic market, and education/experience programs, will also be held.

Tickets can be purchased via NAVER Booking, Ticketlink, or on-site, and information regarding discounts, free admission targets, and detailed programs can be found on the websites of the Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale and the Korea Ceramic Foundation.