Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale 2026 Explores Earth as Co-Author

The 13th edition of the Gyeonggi Ceramics Biennale, titled Earth Makes, runs from September 18 to November 1, 2026, across Icheon, Gwangju, and Yeoju in Gyeonggi Province, South Korea. Organized by the Korea Ceramic Foundation (KOCEF) since 2001, the biennale attracts over 230,000 visitors annually. Artistic director Daehyung Lee, who curated the Korean Pavilion at the 2017 Venice Biennale and launched Connect BTS, aims to expand the definition of ceramics. The exhibition features 28 teams (67 artists) from 14 countries, with Australia as the focus country. The biennale is divided into three chapters: Made from Earth (authorship and materiality), Made by Earth (terroir and regional traditions), and Made in Earth (sustainability and digital technologies). Notable artists include William Cobbing (UK), Syyoung Kim (Korea), Maja Quille (Denmark), the Hermannsburg Potters (Australia), Yasmin Smith (Australia), Kiyoul Cha (Korea), Seongman Ahn (Korea), LEE Wan (Korea), and Youngkak Cho (Korea). Special projects include Piljeong, a modular timber pavilion by Youngchul Jang with buncheong ceramics by Sungjae Choi, and Dear Future, featuring emerging artists from 28 Korean universities. The biennale addresses themes of AI, authorship, climate change, and cultural restitution, positioning ceramics as a medium for contemporary and futuristic art.