Introductory Statement

Media art and digital art are becoming more important as the new convergence era comes into light, owing to technological change led by the 4th industrial revolution. It is very meaningful for Gwangju, Korea to hold the 25th International Symposium on Electronic Art, the most prestigious international event in the field of media art.
I would like to sincerely welcome all the professors, artists and experts in the fields of visual arts, electronic music, design and engineering, who visited Gwangju from home and abroad for this event.

I would like to thank all the staff members of the Asia Culture Center, KAIST Graduate School of Culture Technology, Art Center Nabi, and the Asia Culture Institute for their hard work to make preparations for this event.

The City ‘Gwangju’ means the ‘City of Light’. From ancient times, Gwangju has been a city of justice, arts, and great cuisine, and is a city full of light with righteousness, traditional culture and art, and delicious food. Now this light is heading for the future.
I hope that our efforts and achievements will lead to the success of the 25th International Symposium on Electronic Art. We will establish a sustainable network through deep communication and solidarity between culture, art, science and technology from all over the world. We hope to open a new path leading to fusion and convergence. We also expect that media art would enhance the quality of citizens’ lives, lead industrial development, and strengthen the competitiveness of the city at the end. I hope all participants will be successful in winning lots of accomplishments through this event.

Congratulations again to the 25th International Symposium on Electronic Art.

• Yongsup Lee, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, Republic of Korea