Gwangju Biennale 2026: Ho Tzu Nyen on Self-Help, Change, and Midlife Crises
Ho Tzu Nyen, artistic director of the 2026 Gwangju Biennale, discusses the theme 'You Must Change Your Life' in an interview with ArtReview's Mark Rappolt. The title derives from Rainer Maria Rilke's 1908 poem 'Archaic Torso of Apollo'. Ho, joined by curators Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee, and Brian Kuan Wood, explores self-help as a genre and its relevance to personal and political transformation. The biennale, commemorating the May 18 Democratization Movement, will be held from 5 September to 15 November 2026, primarily at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall. Ho emphasizes structural changes such as increased artist fees, loan fees, and contract rewording. He also notes the inclusion of artists from previous editions, including Nina Canell's 2008 work. The team jokes about the 'midlife biennale' concept, reflecting on ageing parents and personal concerns. Ho's recent work 'T for Time' (2024) informs his curatorial approach. The interview appears in the ArtReview Korea Supplement, supported by Korea Arts Management Service.
Key facts
- The 2026 Gwangju Biennale is titled 'You Must Change Your Life'.
- Ho Tzu Nyen is the artistic director, with curators Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee, and Brian Kuan Wood.
- The biennale runs from 5 September to 15 November 2026.
- It will be held primarily at the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall.
- The title comes from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem 'Archaic Torso of Apollo' (1908).
- The biennale commemorates the May 18 Democratization Movement (Gwangju Uprising) of 1980.
- Structural changes include increased artist fees, loan fees, and contract rewording.
- Nina Canell's 2008 work will be shown again.
- The team refers to it as a 'midlife biennale'.
- Ho Tzu Nyen's work 'T for Time' (2024) is mentioned.
- The interview is part of the ArtReview Korea Supplement, supported by Korea Arts Management Service.
Entities
Artists
- Ho Tzu Nyen
- Park Gahee
- Brian Kuan Wood
- Che Kyongfa
- Nina Canell
- Rainer Maria Rilke
- Samuel Smiles
- Aristotle
- Chun Doo-hwan
- Mark Rappolt
Institutions
- Gwangju Biennale
- Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall
- ArtReview
- Seoul Museum of Art
- Busan Biennale
- e-flux journal
- Taipei Biennial
- Asian Art Biennial
- Singapore Art Museum
- Art Sonje Centre
- M+
- Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo
- Sharjah Art Foundation
- Korea Arts Management Service
Locations
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Seoul
- New York
- Taiwan
- Singapore
- Japan