An exhibition exploring the ‘in-between’ as an undefined space where perspectives, voices and places coexist, meet and evolve
Venue: Horanggasy, 22, Jejung-ro 47beon-gil, Nam-gu, Gwangju
Opening Times: 10am – 6pm
Opening Dates: 5 September – 15 November 2026
The inaugural Malta Pavilion at the 16th Gwangju Biennale presents BEJN / IN-BETWEEN, a
collaborative exhibition from Norbert Francis Attard, PONKS (Sam Alekksandra & Julien Vinet)
and Michael Quinton, curated by Moon Hyun Jeoung. The exhibition transforms Horanggasy, one
of the Biennale’s main exhibition venues, into a space where installation, sound and poetry
converge to explore the ‘in-between’ as a state of tension, dialogue and transformation. The
exhibition is commissioned by Arts Council Malta, under the auspices of the Ministry for Arts,
Culture and National Heritage.
Working together as the BEJN Kollettiva, the artists developed their site-specific installations
during a three-month residency in Gwangju, rooting the works in their local context. The exhibition
draws unexpected connections between Malta and Korea: two cultures separated by continents
yet united by a shared preoccupation with community, ritual and resilience. At a time of growing polarisation and global instability, BEJN / IN-BETWEEN invites audiences to enter a space of
exchange and transition, where new encounters and possibilities emerge.
The exhibition unfolds as three related spaces: the Art, Glass and Base Polygons. Norbert Francis
Attard, one of Malta’s pioneers of contemporary art, presents new three-dimensional works that
bridge seemingly distant worlds: Malta’s iconic festas (annual religious street celebrations), Korean
Obangsaek colour principles, and the ongoing humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Among the works in
the Art Polygon, Obangsaek is a large-scale suspended installation where taut elastic bands
balance colour, light and structure, embodying a tension between uncontrolled joy and
philosophical minimalism. PERISTYLE is a towering sculpture constructed from hollow metal
columns and silver-painted forms reminiscent of festa decorations. Spelling ‘GAZA’, Attard places
ritual celebration directly against contemporary devastation, drawing uneasy parallels with Malta’s
historical culture of siege, collective commemoration and the realities of ongoing conflict.
Enclosing visitors within the sculpture’s architecture, the work invites reflection on our role as both
spectator and participant, the histories we inherit and the realities we confront.
Meanwhile, in the Glass Polygon, PONKS presents ROPE TEMPLE, an installation conceived as a
physical in-between of Malta and Korea, integrating rope, poetry, colour and light. Hundreds of
suspended ropes form a room within a room, where a dense, tree-like structure rises through its
centre. The work weaves together the ritual significance of Geumjul – traditional Korean sacred
ropes used to ward off evil spirits – with Malta’s deep-rooted rope traditions, from maritime
vessels to religious processions, where rope becomes both functional necessity and sacred symbol.
Scripts of Maltese and Korean poetry cover the glass walls, bringing together one of the largest
gatherings of contemporary Maltese and Korean poetry ever presented within a single artwork.
Featuring more than 140 poets from both countries, the installation reveals poems from both
emerging voices and renowned figures, including prominent feminist poet Kim Hyesoon,
celebrated Gwangju poet Kwak Jaegu and former Maltese Poet Laureate Maria Grech Ganado.
Each poem is individually designed and displayed with its own visual identity, representing a world
of its own and immersing visitors in a constellation of distinct poetic voices.
Beneath ROPE TEMPLE, the Base Polygon reveals three interconnected rooms which explore the
roots from which poetry emerges: word, sound and environment. In the first room, Michael
Quinton’s soundscape draws on field recordings and archival audio gathered across Malta and
Korea. Absorbing environments, atmospheres, fragments of speech and the everyday, the
composition explores what the in-between sounds like before it is articulated, oscillating between
silence and speech, one place and the next, one country and another.
Transportation, the project’s public programme, acts as a portal between Malta and Korea in a
series of performance works. The project brings together immersive 360-degree videos by Malta
based artists Charlene Galea, Keit Bonnici, Martina Georgina, Romeo Roxman Gatt, and Tara Dalli
& Felix Deepen, alongside Korean artists Kim On – an established movement director and
contemporary dancer – and More, one of South Korea’s most recognised drag and queer
performance artists. Artists were invited to respond to a site of personal, historical or symbolic
significance within their own country, from the Għasri Lighthouse in Gozo to the historic Gwangju
Theatre. Displayed on VR headsets, the performances create an intimate relationship between
artist and viewer, transforming each venue into the artist’s own stage.
The final room is dedicated to an anthology: an experimental publication that documents the
creative process, poetic contributions, and artistic exchanges between Malta and Korea, becoming
a record of encounter between two poetic cultures.
Dr. Malcolm Paul Agius Galea, Minister for Arts, Culture and National Heritage, said: “Malta’s debut
at the Gwangju Biennale is a historical milestone for Malta and a testimony to the potential and
quality of our local artists and creatives. Our participation further strengthens Malta’s cultural
presence on an international scale and creates new opportunities for collaboration, exchange and
dialogue with other countries and with international communities. The BEJN / IN-BETWEEN project
strongly reflects just how art can create bridges between different cultures and creates
opportunities for shared understanding. Our government remains committed to investing in
culture and supporting our local artists so that they may keep expressing their creativity and
represent Malta in the best way possible on a global level.”
Dr. Luke Dalli, Executive Chairman of Arts Council Malta, said: “Malta’s first participation at the
Gwangju Biennale marks an important milestone for the local cultural sector and reflects the
growing international recognition of Maltese artistic practice. As one of Asia’s leading
contemporary art platforms, the Biennale offers Maltese artists and creatives valuable international
exposure and opportunities for cultural exchange. Through the theme of BEJN / IN BETWEEN, the
project explores identity, coexistence, transition, and human connection through an
interdisciplinary artistic approach combining installation, poetry, sound, performance, and
emerging technologies. Arts Council Malta remains committed to supporting artists and creatives
while strengthening Malta’s presence within international cultural platforms such as the Gwangju
Biennale.”
Led by the International Cultural Relations Directorate under Annabelle Stivala, the Malta Pavilion
positions cultural diplomacy as an active process of encounter, collaboration and shared
imagination between Malta and South Korea.
BEJN / IN-BETWEEN is commissioned by Arts Council Malta and supported by Visit Malta and the
Cultural Diplomacy Fund managed by the Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs.
About Moon Hyun Jeoung
Moon Hyun Jeoung is a curator and researcher specializing in the intersection of contemporary
technology, media, and socio-cultural discourse. Her practice investigates how art mediates the
juncture between humanity and technological systems, with a specific focus on cybernetics and
bio-art. With extensive experience across institutions such as Art Center Nabi and Barakat
Contemporary, she produces research-driven exhibitions and critical writings that examine
institutional ideologies and experimental artistic practices. She is currently an independent curator
dedicated to exploring the evolving structures of the contemporary art landscape.
For BEJN / IN-BETWEEN, Malta’s first Pavilion at the Gwangju Biennale, she serves as Associate
Curator, supporting the pavilion’s curatorial development and its dialogue between Maltese and
Korean artistic practices.
About Norbert Francis Attard
Norbert Francis Attard is a pioneering Maltese contemporary artist whose multidisciplinary
practice, evolving from architecture and early work in light design with Johannes Dinnebier in
Germany, explores sites and memory through installation, sculpture, and site-specific intervention.
A defining figure in Malta’s art scene, he represented the country at the 48th Venice Biennale
(1999) and has exhibited widely in major international exhibitions including the first Malta Biennale
(2024), Beijing Biennale (2015), Havana Biennale (2003), Liverpool Biennial (2002), and Manifesta
9 (2012). Beyond his artistic work, he is the founder and artistic director of Valletta Contemporary
and GOZO Contemporary.
www.norbertattard.com
About PONKS
PONKS is an art collective created by Julien Vinet (visual art, installation, b. France) and Sam
Alekksandra (poetry, visual art, b. Malta). This collective lies at a morphing intersection of poetry,
visual arts, installation, performance, video and sound, that is born and based in Malta. The duo
engages in public spaces to inspire critical discourse and self-constructive practices, while using
conceptually-driven initiatives that subvert a sense of order. Following their debut international
show in Shanghai the collective embarked on the trans-Mediterranean project RITUAL, with the
first edition held at JAOU, Tunis Biennale in November 2024. PONKS has worked in China,
Germany, France, Malta and Tunisia.
www.ponks.org
About Michael Quinton
Michael Quinton is a sound designer and musical composer who has a PhD in designing
sonification interfaces that represent astronomical data related to Exosolar planetary research.
He has worked on numerous sound design and music projects over the past 18 years for short
films, documentaries, theatre, video art installations and animations internationally.
About Arts Council Malta
ARTS COUNCIL MALTA, under the auspices of the Ministry for Arts, Culture and National Heritage,
has been entrusted to act as the Commissioner and the Contracting Authority of the Pavilion of
Malta at the 16th edition of the Gwangju Biennale. Arts Council Malta is the national agency for
development and investment in the cultural and creative sectors. Its central task is that of
effectively funding, supporting and promoting the cultural and creative sectors in Malta.
www.artscouncil.mt | @artscouncilmalta
About Horanggasy
Horanggasy Creative Studio is a multidisciplinary artist residency and contemporary art space
located in the historic cultural neighbourhood of Yangnim-dong, Gwangju, South Korea. Housed
within the former Underwood Missionary Residence, a site whose history dates back to 1904,
the studio transforms a place of historical significance into a platform for artistic research,
production and international exchange.
Since launching its residency programme in 2013, Horanggasy has welcomed artists from
diverse disciplines and countries, fostering experimentation through residencies, exhibitions,
workshops and public programmes. The studio comprises Art Polygon, Glass Polygon and Base
Polygon—flexible exhibition spaces that encourage dialogue between artists, local communities
and international audiences.
Situated at the foot of Yangnim Mountain and within walking distance of the Asia Culture
Center, Horanggasy occupies a unique position within Gwangju’s cultural landscape. Since 2021,
its exhibition spaces have also served as official venues of the Gwangju Biennale, reinforcing its
role as an important hub for contemporary artistic practice and cross-cultural collaboration.
