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This year's Gwangju Biennale draws its inspiration from the final line of Rainer Maria Rilke's famous poem "Archaic Torso of Apollo," its artistic director said Friday. The 1908 poem, which depicts a viewer standing before a fragmentary ancient sculpture, closes with a commanding line: "You must change your life."
According to Yonhap News Agency, the artistic director, Ho Tzu Nyen, elaborated at a press conference in Seoul on the festival's direction. "Rather than specifying and dictating how one should change, it leaves transformation open in its possibility," he explained. The Biennale aims to explore change as an artistic method, inviting art thinkers, dreamers, and lovers to experiment with new forms of life, creativity, power, and relationships.
Ho emphasized Gwangju's historical significance as a fitting backdrop for the biennale's exploration of change and practice. "There is no better place to ask this question of change than in Gwangju , the city of change, whose history of democratic struggle continues to resonate globally," he remarked. He further noted that in Gwangju, change is not merely an abstract concept but a lived history.
This year's event intentionally features the smallest number of artists in its history, focusing on "intensity" rather than "accumulation" in its presentation. "Our aim is to deepen engagement by presenting multiple works by each artist," Ho stated, emphasizing a sustained artistic practice over a lifetime.
Ho Tzu Nyen, a Singaporean media artist and filmmaker known for his explorations in Asian history and mythology, has a long-standing connection to the Gwangju Biennale, having participated in 2018 and 2021. He also represented Singapore at the Venice Biennale in 2011, with his films being screened at major international festivals.
Reflecting on his ties to Gwangju, Ho expressed that he had "little hesitation" when invited to direct this edition. "For me, t he city and its history resonate very deeply," he said, recalling his previous work on a commissioned project for the biennale and his emotional connection to the city's 1980 pro-democracy uprising.
Ho collaborates with a select team of curators, including Che Kyongfa, Park Ga-hee, and Brian Kuan Wood, for the 16th edition, which runs from Sept. 5 to Nov. 15. The featured artists include Daisuke Kosugi, Mona Benyamin, Melvin Moti, Christian Nyampeta, Kwon Byungjun, and Park Chang-kyong.
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