This exhibition commemorates the 10th anniversary of Gwangju’s designation as a UNESCO Creative City. It reflects on the past decade of media art in Gwangju, capturing the multifaceted developments in local media art through various lenses. The exhibition, titled "Heterophony: A Decade of song," serves as a milestone, presenting a forward-looking perspective on the fusion of media art and local artistic expression.

The term "heterophony" in the exhibition's title is borrowed from a musical term that refers to the simultaneous performance of a single melody in various ways. This metaphorically represents the evolution and convergence within the genre of media art in Gwangju, where different forms of fusion ultimately express a unified artistic vision.

The exhibition is divided into three sections:

1. Movement I: The Performance Begins

2. Movement II: Here and Now, We are Connected

3. Movement III: A Decade of Performance, The Melody of History

Movement I explores the emerging landscape of media art in the region, highlighting works by new and young local artists who integrate diverse media and technologies. This section focuses on how media art is nurtured and flourishes locally, showcasing the vibrant artistic ecosystem of the area.

Movement II builds upon the Mondiacult Declaration (2022), which underpins the concept of UNESCO Creative Cities. This section aims to promote cultural identity, enhance cultural diversity, and foster sustainable development through strengthened city-to-city collaboration. It features collaborative exhibitions between cultural institutions to chart the future direction of media art within the creative city framework.

Movement III serves as an archive section, commemorating a decade of Gwangju’s media art through a retrospective of artists, exhibitions, research, and activities. This reflection aims to consolidate the history of local media art and reinforce the role of the media art platform as a research hub.

Gwangju Media Art Platform (G.MAP) aspires to be the control tower for media art in the region, highlighting various aspects of local media art and fostering the future development of its ecosystem. This exhibition shifts the focus from traditional institution-driven media art to the dynamic, self-sustaining media art scene. It poses questions and reflects aspirations for what Gwangju, as Korea’s only UNESCO Creative City of Media Arts, should represent.

The goal is for media art to be connected to the daily lives of citizens, allowing each individual to hold a personal definition and preference for media art. Rather than a city characterized by glitzy facades and neon lights, Gwangju aims to embody media art as an integral part of everyday life, much like smartphones—advancing yet familiar, and serving as both an escape and a comforting presence. The hope is for media art to be a subtle yet profound sensory experience, deeply embedded in our collective history, forming a core aspect of Gwangju’s identity.

Moreover, this exhibition aims to remind artists that media art is not an exclusive genre for a select few but a broad, inclusive art form. By expanding the definition of media art, it envisions a future where media art transcends singular genres to become a form of integrated art, embracing multiple media and genres. The ultimate aim is to establish a platform where diverse artists can freely explore and cross traditional boundaries, with G.MAP at its heart, fostering a region where cultural opportunities are universally accessible, in line with the UNESCO Constitution (1945). This exhibition embodies the earnest hope for Gwangju to become a land where the moments of all are harmonized together.