A Chorus of Sounds Reflects Busan’s History at the 2026 Biennale
Creatrip Team
21 days ago
The 2026 Busan Biennale, titled “Dissident Chorus,” opened with a focus on sound art rather than visual spectacle. Held across three venues—the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art, the former Busan High School (used as an exhibition space), and Space Wonji—the biennale features 46 teams from 22 countries presenting installations, performance, video and sculpture that foreground city and sea sounds: waves, ship horns, labor songs and protest histories. Highlights include Ryu Seong-sil’s ‘Ten Thousand Dreams’ (mannequins on a lift with a 15-minute choral work), Mongolian artist Yanchanhorol Erdenebayar’s classroom installation using chairs and field recordings, and Julien Creuzet’s seven wrapped cars in Space Wonji (a former ship repair warehouse). Works address labor, migration, colonial memory and queer and religious themes; some pieces let visitors listen to archived 민중가요 (minjung songs, Korean protest/folk songs) and even use a public transport card collaboration. The biennale closes at Space Wonji overlooking the sea—underscoring the curators’ idea that the harbor’s mixed sounds connect histories and struggles. Admission: KRW 16,000 for the Busan Museum of Contemporary Art; Space Wonji and Busan High School are free. A free shuttle links the three sites. Runs through Nov. 1.
