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It is my great pleasure to host the first Jinju Traditional Craft Biennale in 2021. On behalf of the City of Jinju, I would like to thank all the participants and visitors who have shown a great love for traditional crafts and sincere concerns for the sustainable development of local cities through their unique cultural heritage.

The city of Jinju was known for wooden and metal crafts since ancient times. However, the beautiful craft skills we inherited have been buried under a rapid shift from the traditional handcraft to the mass production in modern days and have not had the proper opportunity to shine out until now. Thankfully, Dr. Byung Hoon Jeong, the Chairperson of Jinju Steering Committee for UNESCO Creative Cities Network, and other eminent scholars pour enormous efforts to promote our beloved heritage on the international stage of craft art. This biennale is one of the honorable achievements of those efforts.

Jinju, as one of the members of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network, aims to spread the message that a city’s creativity of citizens lies under its local cultural inheritance. The biennale will look deeper into our traditional crafts and find a new perspective on how traditional craft techniques can collaborate with natural materials to bring beauty and practicality into our daily lives. Furthermore, we invite nationally and internationally recognized craft artists to enrich our experience in craft arts.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, we had to cancel many art events for the sake of public health. Undoubtedly, public health must come first in any circumstances, but the past few years have been the hardest years for those interested in art. We decided not to wait for the pandemic to end, but to find a safer way to showcase our best quality exhibitions, such as On-tact exhibitions so that people can enjoy the event without worrying about the pandemic situation.

I would like to express my gratitude once again to those involved in this big event. Without your love and support, it would not have been possible to make the event meaningful. I hope all of you enjoy every bit of the 2021 Jinju Traditional Craft Biennale and have the most memorable experiences.