The 61st Venice Biennale, which takes place from May to November 2023, will feature three artists of Korean descent in its main exhibition: one South Korean artist, Yoi, and two Korean American artists, Michael Joo and Gala Porras-Kim. Yoi, a 39-year-old artist who has focused on themes of the sea and women through her work in Jeju, has been creating art and conducting cultural education activities since moving there in 2021. Meanwhile, Michael Joo, known for his interdisciplinary works fusing science and art, has been exploring perceptions and cultural-geographical boundaries in his art since gaining international attention in 2001 when he participated in the Korean Pavilion at the Venice Biennale.

Gala Porras-Kim, a Colombian artist of Korean descent, has been awarded as a finalist for the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art’s Artist of the Year award in 2023. Her works examine how historical artifacts mutate within contemporary institutional frameworks and she will also participate in a special project co-curated by the Victoria and Albert Museum and the Venice Biennale this year. Notably, this year marks the first time the Venice Biennale will operate without a chief curator following the passing of the renowned African curator Okwui Enwezor, who had been appointed as the first African female director; various curators have come together to realize the vision left behind by Enwezor, with the main exhibition theme focusing on the minor key in music, aiming to highlight minority cultures.