'Collecting Memories in Fragrance' Arts Council Holds Open Call for 'Goo Jeong-ah: Odorama City'

2024 Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition Korea Pavilion Exhibition 'Goo Jeongah: Odorama City' Open Call

The Arts Council Korea (Chairman Jeong Byeong-guk) and Arko Art Center (Director Lim Geun-hye) announced on the 16th that they are currently conducting an open call for new works by artist Gu Jeong-a under the title "Odorama City" in relation to the Korean Pavilion (Art Directors Jakob Fabricius and Lee Seol-hee) exhibition at the 60th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition in 2024.

'Gujeongah: Odorama City' Open Call [Photo by Korea Arts & Culture Education Service]

Artist Gu Jeong-a plans to transform the entire Korean Pavilion building into an immersive environment by installing various city scents of Korea under the exhibition concept "Korean Scent Journey." In this open call, the artist intends to collect memories related to scents and smells associated with "cities or hometowns" from people around the world. This project is based on the idea that everyone remembers the unique scent of a place when they think of it.

The scent memories containing personal stories are expected to be interpreted and exhibited through Gu Jeong-a’s unique sensibility, which adds invisible elements to architectural space to create poetic transformations.

The open call was first announced through the Korean Pavilion’s official social media channels in early July. Notably, the names of all participants who share scent stories related to their hometowns and cities will be published in the Korean Pavilion exhibition catalog.

Gu Jeong-a said, "'Odorama City' is like a collective portrait of scents. The stories you share through the scent memory open call will become part of the work presented at the Korean Pavilion at next year’s Venice Biennale. I am very pleased to share this journey of preparing the exhibition with you," urging interest and participation in the open call.

Jakob Fabricius and Lee Seol-hee, art directors of the Korean Pavilion, explained, "The open calls received so far reveal an amazing landscape of Korean scents. Some scent memories describe nature, while others reflect history, economy, and industry."

Detailed information about the "Gu Jeong-a: Odorama City" scent memory open call can be found on the Korean Pavilion’s official SNS. This open call will continue until early September. The collected memories will be directly experienced at the Korean Pavilion of the 60th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition, which opens on April 20, 2024.

Meanwhile, in September, when Frieze Seoul and KIAF Seoul take place, artist Gu Jeong-a is scheduled to briefly visit Korea to attend her solo exhibition "Gongjungbuyang" at PKM Gallery.

The 60th Venice Biennale International Art Exhibition in 2024 will run for about seven months from April 20 to November 24.