Busan becomes an art rendezvous for ASEAN and Latin America
WVR - On the afternoon of October 30, the Korea Foundation for International Exchange (KF) held the opening ceremony of the international art exhibition "Dialogues of the South: Images in Transit and the Second Arrival" at the ASEAN Culture House (ACH) in Busan, Republic of Korea. The Consul General of Vietnam in Busan, Doan Phuong Lan, attended and spoke at the ceremony.
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The event was attended by Mr. Song Guido, Chairman of the KF; Mr. Choi Jaejin, Director of the ASEAN Culture House; diplomatic representatives from ASEAN countries and Cuba in the Republic of Korea; representatives from the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art (MMCA), Gwangju Biennale Foundation, Busan Biennale Organizing Committee, Kim Dal-jin Art Research Institute, Dong-A University, along with artists and guests.
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| Busan becomes an art rendezvous for ASEAN and Latin America |
Journey from La Habana through Hanoi to Busan
The exhibition runs from October 30, 2026, to February 28, 2027, tracing the journey of images crossing borders, originating from La Habana (Cuba) in 1966, passing through Manila, Hanoi, and now making a “second arrival” in the Republic of Korea to recreate the artistic exchange, empathy, and solidarity that once connected geographically distant regions between ASEAN and Latin America.
For Vietnam, the exhibition holds special significance as it recreates the international solidarity movement opposing war and supporting Vietnam by the people of Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
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| Consul General Doan Phuong Lan speaks at the event. |
In the exhibition space, the public can view posters about Vietnam issued by the Organization of Solidarity with the People of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (OSPAAAL) from La Habana in the 1960s and 1970s, which spread worldwide, along with two documentaries by Cuban director Santiago Álvarez: Hanoi, martes 13 (Hanoi, Tuesday the 13th), filmed in Hanoi in December 1966 amidst bombings, and 79 primaveras (79 Springs), a film commemorating President Ho Chi Minh in 1969.
These valuable historical documents provided by Cuba and art organizations are placed in dialogue with contemporary works by artists from the Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Mexico, and the Republic of Korea, including 25 contemporary art students from Dong-A University, creating a seamless flow from memory to the present.
A highlight of the exhibition is the interactive experience space, where visitors and artists choose materials symbolizing ASEAN, Busan, and Latin America to create their own prints, continuing the collective printing tradition that was the soul of past solidarity posters.
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| The exhibition is where visitors and artists choose materials symbolizing ASEAN, Busan, and Latin America. |
At the opening ceremony, delegates toured the exhibition with introductions from the artists and watched a printmaking demonstration.
Long-standing ties between ASEAN and Latin America
Speaking at the ceremony, Consul General Doan Phuong Lan borrowed a Korean proverb, “Even just brushing past someone’s sleeve is destiny,” to describe the long-standing connection between ASEAN and Latin America – from the Galeon ships linking Acapulco with Manila over four centuries ago, to the Tricontinental Conference in La Habana in January 1966, which sparked a new “visual language” of solidarity spreading worldwide.
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| Exhibition space. |
“We Vietnamese will never forget the footage that director Santiago Álvarez filmed in Hanoi amidst the war, allowing the world to witness the images of our people,” Consul General Doan Phuong Lan shared.
She also emphasised the symbolic significance of the exhibition opening exactly 60 years after that historic event, as the spirit of past solidarity is being continued through increasingly extensive South-South cooperation, exemplified by the Forum for East Asia-Latin America Cooperation (FEALAC).
The Consul General praised the role of the Republic of Korea and the port city of Busan in bringing this artistic dialogue to the public, where ASEAN and Latin American artists meet with young Korean artists and art students, transforming past documents into new meanings for the era.
The Consul General congratulated the exhibition, acknowledged the bridging role of ACH since 2017, and affirmed that Vietnam is ready to continue accompanying KF and ACH in future cultural diplomacy initiatives.
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| The “Dialogues of the South” exhibition is open to the public until February 28, 2027. |
Towards 10 years of the ASEAN Culture House
KF Chairman Song Guido stressed that in 2027, the ASEAN Culture House will celebrate its 10th anniversary. Over the past decade, the center has become a solid bridge expanding exchanges and multi-field cooperation between the Republic of Korea and ASEAN, with Busan as the starting point for contemporary dialogues.
KF is committed to continuing to leverage existing networks and achievements, strengthening ACH's position as a two-way public diplomacy center through exhibition programs, performances, expert forums, and education.
The “Dialogues of the South” exhibition is open to the public until February 28, 2027, at the Special Exhibition Room, 1st floor, ASEAN Culture House, Busan.
