Lee Young-chul appointed curator for South Korea's 2022 Venice Biennale pavilion featuring artist Yunchul Kim

Lee Young-chul, a professor at Kaywon University of Art and Design, has been appointed to curate South Korea's pavilion for the 2022 Venice Biennale. The exhibition, titled 'Campanella: The Swollen Sun', will showcase the work of artist Yunchul Kim and draws inspiration from the 17th-century Italian philosopher Tommaso Campanella and his 1602 publication 'La città del sole'. Controversy arose during the selection process, resulting in the resignation of the entire committee in July due to anonymous complaints regarding potential conflicts of interest involving two candidates linked to a committee member. A representative from Arts Council Korea noted that, although more artists may join, single-artist pavilions are rare. Lee previously directed the Nam June Paik Art Center in 2008 and was the chief curator for the 1996 Gwangju Biennale, making the pavilion's organization particularly challenging.