At issue is the affiliation listed for participating artists. Taiwanese officials said the designation initially agreed was altered during preparations, and that the change was made without prior consultation.

Taiwan's designation at international cultural and sporting events is a long-standing question. The Olympics use a specific name under a 1981 Lausanne agreement; elsewhere, practice varies with organisers' policies and the mix of participating countries.

Art biennales generally invite individual artists rather than national teams, so nationality labels are not strictly necessary. But catalogue and wall-label conventions still record affiliations, which is why the format keeps becoming a flashpoint.

Organisers have not published how or why the designation was changed, and it is not confirmed how the individual artists' own preferences were taken into account.

Naming disputes at cultural events tend to land as a practical burden on the artists themselves: object to the label and an invitation may be withdrawn; accept it and face criticism at home.

Hwagyo Sibo reports that a protest was lodged and the background to it. We will follow up when organisers respond.