Re_Crafting Tomorrow – Polish artists at the Craft Biennale in Cheongju

In 2025, the Korean city of Cheongju will host the 14th edition of the prestigious Cheongju Craft Biennale, bringing together artists from across the world. For the first time in history, this year’s edition, held under the slogan Re_Crafting Tomorrow, will showcase the work of Polish artists. Poland’s participation forms a part of a global dialogue on the future of craft, combining local traditions with contemporary sensibilities.

Cheongju Craft Biennale in Korea – building the future through craftsmanship

The Cheongju Craft Biennale (청주공예비엔날레), running for 27 years, is one of the most significant events dedicated to craftsmanship both in Korea and internationally. Each edition attracts an average of over 300,000 visitors from around 60 countries, creating a cultural event that harmoniously blends everyday life with the artistic dimension of craft.

The 14th edition of the Cheongju Craft Biennale in 2025 is held under the theme “세상 짓기 (se-sang jisgi): Re_Crafting Tomorrow”, which can be translated as “Building the World: Re_Crafting Tomorrow”. This theme originates from the Korean phrase 세상 짓기 (se-sang jisgi), which refers to creative activities such as making clothes, preparing food or building houses, encompassing all aspects of sustaining life. Drawing on these practices, the Biennale explores the new identity and potential of craftsmanship, engaging in a dialogue with humanity, nature and objects, and expressing cultural codes through contemporary craft. In an age of digital technology and the constant search for new stimuli and entertainment, the event invites visitors to rediscover the value of applied art as a source of solace for the body and as a tool for developing material intelligence.

Polish artists at the Cheongju Craft Biennale for the first time

This year’s edition of the Cheongju Craft Biennale will feature Polish artists for the first time in its history. The artistic director of the Biennale, Kang Jaeyoung, has invited four exceptional artists to participate. The following artists will present their works in Cheongju:

• Alicja Patanowska – visual artist and potter. Her works, which will be displayed in the main exhibition of the Biennale, have previously been exhibited in the main lobby of the Justus Lipsius building of the Council of the European Union, among other venues.

• Beata Legierska – master lace maker specialising in Koniakowska lace. Her works are distinguished by their high technical and artistic quality. Legierska is a master of composition, and her works can be found in both museums and private collections. They will be presented in the main exhibition of the Biennale.

• Justyna Smoleń – painter, sculptor, and author of art installations. She has exhibited her works at numerous international exhibitions and currently teaches at the Academy of Fine Arts. Her work will also be part of the main Biennale exhibition.

• Marcin Rusak – artist and interdisciplinary designer whose practice focuses on issues of value, ephemerality, and aesthetics. At the main exhibition of the Biennale he will showcase works reflecting shifting concepts of value and symbolising transience, examining the apparent stability of the world around us and raising questions about overproduction and the excessive consumption of goods.

The Clothed Home, Sumuk Biennale, and Polish cinema – art from Poland in Korea 2025, presented with the support of the Adam Mickiewicz Institute

Participation in the biennale is one of the artistic initiatives promoting the Polish contemporary art scene, supported by the Adam Mickiewicz Institute in the Republic of Korea. Until October, the Seoul Museum of Craft Art is hosting a unique Polish-Korean edition of the exhibition “The Clothed Home” – a project that brings traditional textile crafts into the context of contemporary challenges related to climate change and architectural design. Polish artists are also presenting their works inspired by East Asian brush and ink traditions at the prestigious Jeonnam International Sumuk Biennale. Polish film art will be showcased in Seoul and Gwangju, with the 7th edition of the Polish Film Festival focusing on the work of Wojciech Jerzy Has, commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth. In October, the Seoul Performing Arts Festival 2025 will feature a performance of “The Employees”, directed by the renowned Polish artist Łukasz Twarkowski. Information about the events is regularly updated on the website: iam.pl.

Cheongju Craft Biennale – practical information

• Dates: 4 September – 2 November 2025

• Venue: Culture Factory, Cheongju, North Chungcheong Province, South Korea

• Polish artists: Alicja Patanowska, Beata Legierska, Justyna Smoleń, Marcin Rusak

• Tickets and more information: www.okcj.org