Gwangju Biennale 2026 Opens with Taiwan-China Controversy and Italian Pavilion
The 16th Gwangju Biennale is set to commence on September 5 and will continue until November 15, 2026, in Gwangju, South Korea. Under the curation of Ho Tzu Nyen, alongside Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee, and Brian Kuan Wood, the event is themed 'You Must Change Your Life.' This edition features 43 artists, marking the lowest participation in its history, and delves into the theme of change. A diplomatic issue emerged when Chinese artists withdrew from the China Pavilion due to the name 'Taiwan Pavilion,' which was reinstated following protests. Additionally, the biennale showcases the Italian Pavilion, 'The Look is A Li(k)e,' and the Stateless Mind Pavilion, 'Neither Here nor There, but Everywhere.' Established in 1994, it commemorates the May 18, 1980, Democratic Movement.
Key facts
- The 16th Gwangju Biennale runs from September 5 to November 15, 2026, in Gwangju, South Korea.
- Curated by Ho Tzu Nyen with Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee, and Brian Kuan Wood.
- Title 'You Must Change Your Life' is from Rainer Maria Rilke's poem 'Archaic Torso of Apollo'.
- Main exhibition features 43 artists and collectives, the smallest number in the biennale's history.
- Chinese artists withdrew from the China Pavilion over the use of the name 'Taiwan Pavilion'.
- The Taiwan Pavilion was initially renamed 'NTMoFA Pavilion' but later restored to 'Taiwan Pavilion'.
- The Gwangju Biennale Foundation apologized on September 2, 2026.
- The Italian Pavilion, 'The Look is A Li(k)e,' curated by Irene Campolmi, is at the Donggok Museum until February 14, 2027.
- The Stateless Mind Pavilion, 'Neither Here nor There, but Everywhere,' is at Gallery SEEUM.
- The biennale was founded in 1994 and is linked to the May 18, 1980, Democratic Movement.
Entities
Artists
- Ho Tzu Nyen
- Che Kyongfa
- Park Gahee
- Brian Kuan Wood
- Rainer Maria Rilke
- Matthew Barney
- James Benning
- Nina Canell
- İnci Eviner
- Lu Yang
- Saodat Ismailova
- Sohrab Hura
- Park Chan-kyong
- Christian Nyampeta
- Rossella Biscotti
- Lygia Clark
- Tehching Hsieh
- Július Koller
- CAMP
- Goldin+Senneby
- Kiri Dalena
- Ben Brix
- Kwon Byungjun
- Jean Barth
- Mona Benyamin
- A K Dolven
- Angela Goh
- Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork
- Rafik Greiss
- Amanda Heng
- Heo Baekryeon
- James T. Hong
- Volcanoes of Jeju
- Jeong Geumhyung
- E Roon Kang
- Sunik Kim
- Daisuke Kosugi
- Melvin Moti
- Nam Hwayeon
- Bhenji Ra
- Rim Dong Sik
- Nature Artist Woo Pyongnam
- Ryu Hankil
- Sasaki Ken
- Suzuki Akio
- Ullimsanbang
- Wang Jiahao
- Wang Tuo
- Maya Watanabe
- SAGG Napoli
- Raffaela Naldi Rossano
- Davide Stucchi
- Ru Kim
- Dew Kim
- Irene Campolmi
- Birke Gorm
- Attilia Fattori Franchini
- Denise Bertschi
- Claire Hoffmann
- Tadeo Kohan
- Ruan Yuelai
- Amir Zainorin
- Dalida María Benfield
- Chris Bratton
- Fadly Sabran
- Anna Cuomo
- Camilla Boemio
- Bertolt Brecht
- Tamara Al-Mashouk
- Susana Pilar Delahante Matienzo
- Sibonelo Gumede
- Nombuso Mathibela
- Sheung Yiu
- Saiful Razman
- Yahya Torek
- Ronnie Bahari
- mónica teresa ortiz
- Miguel Keerveld
- Lilibeth Cuenca Rasmussen
- Grace Xu
- Ariel William Orah
- Cindy Sherman
- Roni Horn
- Thomas Hirschhorn
- Harun Farocki
- Mike Kelley
- Haegue Yang
- Gahee Park
Institutions
- Gwangju Biennale
- Gwangju Biennale Foundation
- National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
- Ministry of Culture of Taiwan
- Chinese Embassy in Seoul
- Istituto Italiano di Cultura di Seoul
- Donggok Museum
- Gallery SEEUM
- Center for Arts, Design, and Social Research
- Kapallorek Art Space
- Palais de Tokyo
- HIAP Helsinki
- May Mothers House
- Leeleenam Studio
- Gwangju Civic Center
- Dong-gu Inmunhakdang (House of Humanities)
- ChungJang 22
- Eunam Museum of Art
- Gwangju Agricultural Technical High School
- Jeju Stone Park
Locations
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Seoul
- Taiwan
- China
- Paris
- France
- Helsinki
- Finland
- Austria
- Switzerland
- Italy