Gwangju Mayor Kang Gi-jung: "30th Biennale Will Leap Forward to the World"

Meeting with Artistic Director Nicola Burio

On the 8th, Kang Gi-jung, Mayor of Gwangju Metropolitan City, met with Nicola Burio, the artistic director of the 15th Gwangju Biennale, at the city hall reception room to discuss ways to successfully host the Biennale.

At the meeting, Mayor Kang stated, "This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Biennale’s founding, and through its successful hosting, we aim to relaunch the Gwangju Biennale as a global event." He added, "I hope the Gwangju Biennale becomes something that belongs to the citizens of Gwangju through exhibitions that prove the 'aesthetics of relationships' where audiences, artists, and planners envisioned by the director coincide. To this end, Gwangju City and the Biennale Foundation will provide the best support."

Mayor Kang and Director Burio continued their discussion on the theme of the 15th Gwangju Biennale exhibition, which is closely connected to the Gwangju Spirit, as well as the fundamental role of the Biennale exhibition.

Mayor Kang said, "Since the theme utilizes Pansori, a material full of regional characteristics, communication with the world is even more anticipated. The Honam region possesses rich cultural assets such as sound, art, and story writers, making this a valuable opportunity to showcase the strength and cultural charm of Gwangju and Honam." He added, "After this Biennale ends, Gwangju will become a moment of re-recognition for many people, making them say, 'Was Gwangju really like this?'"

Nicola Burio, the artistic director, said, "I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to this tremendous historical moment of the 30th anniversary of the Gwangju Biennale." He continued, "The Gwangju Spirit is a spirit of resistance, and the continuous questioning of the theme and sharing of the theme itself is the Gwangju Spirit. I will create a Biennale that can communicate with the world through the regional concept of Pansori."

This visit marks Director Burio’s third trip to Korea. Together with the curatorial team, he came to Gwangju to concretize and actively promote the 15th Gwangju Biennale exhibition by researching exhibition spaces, artists, and checking preparation status.

Meanwhile, the 15th Gwangju Biennale, titled "Pansori - Resonance of All," will explore contemporary spaces and humanity through Pansori over 86 days from September 7 to December 1. In addition to the main exhibition led by Director Nicola Burio, the pavilion national halls featuring participation from over 20 countries are expected to transform the entire city of Gwangju into a world-class art festival site through various exhibitions and projects from each country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.