South Korea's Venice Biennale Pavilion Curator Search Reset After Cronyism Allegations

Arts Council Korea is re-forming the selection committee for the South Korean pavilion at the Venice Biennale after the previous committee resigned en masse on 6 July. This follows an anonymous complaint alleging conflicts of interest, specifically that two candidates had undisclosed connections to a committee member through their workplace. The Council had restarted the search for an artistic director after screenings last month, releasing a new plan that excluded the implicated member, but this prompted the other members to quit. A spokesperson told the Korea Herald that the committee members resigned to pursue fairness, feeling pressured by the issue. A source disputed the committee member's claim of not recognizing the applicants during the application and interview processes, calling it nonsense. The Venice Biennale is scheduled to open on 23 April 2022.