Korea Sculptors Association signs MOU with Mars Sanctuary for Paris cultural project

The Korea Sculptors Association announced Friday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding and a partnership agreement with Mars Sanctuary to jointly advance "Project Tongsinsa K 2026 Paris," a global cultural exchange platform marking the 140th anniversary of diplomatic relations between South Korea and France.

"Project Tongsinsa K 2026 Paris" is a civilian public diplomacy platform for culture and industry, uniting the two countries under the values of creativity, opportunity and solidarity to mark the 140th anniversary of Korea-France ties.

Under the agreement, the two organizations pledged to introduce contemporary Korean sculpture and public art to Paris — the heart of European culture — and to lay the groundwork for Korean sculptors to enter the global stage through exchanges with local cultural networks and international stakeholders.

The platform will combine the specialized infrastructure and planning capabilities of both institutions, aiming to serve as a civilian-led, two-way diplomacy model. Detailed programming is currently being discussed with cultural venues and partner organizations in Paris, with plans encompassing exhibitions, showcases, artist talks, global branding initiatives and collector networking events.

The Korea Sculptors Association said it plans to review a broad range of works — spanning sculpture, installation, media and object art — from artists representing the Korean sculpture community. The association aims to communicate the originality of contemporary Korean art and the vitality of Korean sculptural practice to French audiences, deepening civilian cultural exchange through art.

The project is designed to extend beyond a one-time event, linking closely with the Seoul International Sculpture Festa 2027, scheduled at COEX Hall C in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, from Jan. 28 to 31 next year, to build a sustainable international exchange structure.

The association is actively working to bring French companies, galleries, artists and cultural figures to the Seoul International Sculpture Festa 2027. The goal is to move beyond introducing Korean sculpture in Paris and create a two-way international exchange structure in which French cultural figures are connected back to the Seoul International Sculpture Festa.

Kwon Chi-gyu, chairman of the Korea Sculptors Association, said he has high expectations for the civilian public diplomacy platform, which embodies the values of creativity, opportunity and solidarity on the historically significant occasion of the 140th anniversary of Korea-France diplomatic ties. "Through this project, we will not only propel Korean sculptural art onto the global stage but also build a sustainable cultural exchange arena in which global partners are closely connected to the Seoul International Sculpture Festa 2027," he said.

A representative of Mars Sanctuary described "Project Tongsinsa K 2026 Paris" as a civilian cultural exchange platform introducing Korean art, cultural industries and lifestyle to France. "Through our collaboration with the Korea Sculptors Association, we will bring the expertise and public dimension of Korean sculptural art into the project and work to build real networks and future cooperation opportunities on the ground in Paris," the representative said.

The two organizations plan to announce further details in sequence, covering an open call for artists, selection of participating artists, a domestic showcase in September, the Paris schedule, exhibition venues, follow-up exchange programs and the method of linking the project to the Seoul International Sculpture Festa 2027.