12th Seoul Mediacity Biennale with theme of 'This Too, is a Map' aims to redefine diaspora

Seoul Museum of Art announced Friday that this September's Seoul Mediacity Biennale would aim to redefine the concepts of migration, diaspora and languages.

Titled “This Too, is a Map,” this year's edition of the contemporary art event will be helmed by artistic director Rachael Rakes.

The artistic director of the 12th biennale was selected through an open call process for the first time in an effort to embrace diversity, organizers said. The artistic director had previously been chosen on a recommendation basis.

"It (the biennale) looks at systems imposed or created outside national borders, including transnational solidarities, 'underground' commitments, the coded mapping of data and infrastructure, as well as those of artistic and political communication," the museum noted on the 12th SMB.

Inaugurated in 2000 by the Seoul Metropolitan Government and the city-run museum, Seoul Mediacity Biennale will be held from Sept. 21 to Nov. 19 at the museum in central Seoul.

Coinciding with Frieze Seoul -- scheduled to take place from Sept. 6-9 at Coex in southern Seoul -- the museum will present a related program ahead of the biennale itself as part of “Seoul Art Week x Seoul Mediacity Biennale."

The list of the participating artists will be announced in coming months.

By Park Yuna (yunapark@heraldcorp.com)