Gwangju Biennale Opens September 4... ‘You Must Change Your Life’ Exhibition Preparations Underway

Exhibition Theme Inspired by Rilke's Poetry
Presenting 'Change' and 'Practice' as Key Contemporary Issues
Main Exhibition Finalized with Participation of 43 Artist Teams
A Multilayered Approach: Installation, Video, and Performance
Pavilion Projects Across 23 Locations in Gwangju with Participants from 30 Countries
Artistic Director Ho Tzu Nyen: "In Gwangju, Change is a Living History"

The 16th Gwangju Biennale, which opens in September, has completed the announcement of its exhibition theme and selection of participating artists, and has now entered the full-scale preparation stage.

On March 22, Gwangju City announced that it is proceeding step by step with preparations for the successful hosting of the 16th Gwangju Biennale, which will be held for 72 days from the opening ceremony on September 4 until November 15. These preparations include setting up the exhibition halls and supporting the production of artworks.

The theme of this Gwangju Biennale exhibition is 'You must change your life.' Inspired by the final line of poet Rainer Maria Rilke's poem 'Archaic Torso of Apollo,' the theme goes beyond personal transformation to focus on exploring the practical potential of art amid contemporary issues such as the climate crisis and social inequality.

The main exhibition at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall will feature approximately 43 artists (or teams), presenting works from diverse genres of contemporary art—including installation, video, and performance—to offer perspectives on change that extend from the individual to society, systems, and even a cosmic scale.

This exhibition is curated around the core keywords of 'Change' and 'Practice,' led by Artistic Director Ho Tzu Nyen, with curators Park Kahui, Brian Kuan Wood, and Choi Kyunghwa also participating. Artistic Director Ho Tzu Nyen stated, "Gwangju is a city with a history of struggle for democracy, and it vividly embodies the ideals and experiences of change," adding, "In Gwangju, change is not an abstract concept but a living history."

Alongside the main exhibition, a pavilion project involving around 30 countries and institutions—including France, Italy, Brazil, Spain, Indonesia, and Lithuania—will take place at about 23 locations throughout Gwangju. The pavilions will be held in a variety of spaces, including national and private exhibition halls as well as public facilities with historical significance, and will be accompanied by related programs such as artist residencies and Art Week.

This exhibition will feature both Korean and international artists, including James T. Hong, Nina Canell, Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork, Park Chan-kyung and Kwon Byungjun, Wang Tuo, CAMP, and Nam Hayeon. The exhibited works will consist of existing works on loan, newly commissioned pieces, and 'GB Commissions' reflecting Gwangju's history and sense of place.

In particular, the GB Commission—site-specific works that interact with the values of Gwangju's unique locations and its citizen communities—has been planned as an exhibition that highlights the Gwangju Biennale's experimental and original character.

Gwangju City and the Gwangju Biennale Foundation are finalizing the list of participating artists, preparing the exhibition spaces, and supporting the production of artworks, while also planning promotional programs to expand citizen participation. Advance ticket sales will begin on May 27, and a series of pre-events—including the announcement of participating artists, the launch of online supporters, and a D-Day event—are scheduled for June.

Hwang Inchae, Culture and Sports Policy Chief of Gwangju City, stated, "We are making every effort in the remaining period to ensure that the 16th Gwangju Biennale becomes an international forum for cultural discourse that illuminates the changes of our times through art."