14th Gwangju Biennale Emphasizes Solidarity and Diversity
The 14th Gwangju Biennale, under the theme 'soft and weak like water,' runs until July 9, 2023. It includes four main exhibition spaces, four offsite venues, and nine national pavilions. Sook-Kyung Lee, who serves as the Senior Curator for International Art at Tate Modern, is in charge of the curation, focusing on the essence and unifying force of water. The event features artists from around the globe, with an emphasis on Asian and indigenous creators. Noteworthy works include Hera Büyüktaşcıyan's 'The Earthbound Whisperers' (2023), Latifa Echakhch's 'Night Time' series, Abbas Akhavan's 'Loop' (2023), Taus Makhacheva's film 'At The Eagles (Tsumikh)' (2023), Farah Al Qasimi's 'Letters for Occasions,' and Zineb Sedira's interpretation for the French Pavilion. This biennale also pays tribute to the 1980 Gwangju Uprising, highlighting themes of collective memory and solidarity. K-Pop star Siwon Choi attended the opening performance by Tarek Atoui.
Key facts
- 14th Gwangju Biennale runs until 9 July 2023
- Curatorial title: 'soft and weak like water'
- Artistic Director: Sook-Kyung Lee, Senior Curator at Tate Modern
- Includes nine national pavilions across the city
- Hera Büyüktaşcıyan's work co-commissioned with Tate St Ives
- Abbas Akhavan's 'Loop' uses stones sourced from Gwangju
- Taus Makhacheva's film explores memories of her grandfather Rasul Gamzatov
- Zineb Sedira reimagines her French Pavilion from Venice Biennale
Entities
Artists
- Tarek Atoui
- Siwon Choi
- Sook-Kyung Lee
- Hera Büyüktaşcıyan
- Latifa Echakhch
- Sim Ouch
- Abbas Akhavan
- Taus Makhacheva
- Rasul Gamzatov
- Farah Al Qasimi
- Zineb Sedira
- Larry Achiampong
- Bakhyt Bubikanova
- María Magdalena Campos-Pons
- Chang Jia
- James T. Hong
- Sky Hopinka
- Huong Dodinh
- Tess Jaray
- Kang Yeon-gyun
- Naiza Khan
- Yuki Kihara
- Christine Sun Kim
- Kira Kim
- Kim Kulim
- Minjung Kim
- Soungui Kim
- Emily Kame Kngwarreye
- Meiro Koizumi
- Abdoulaye Konaté
- Chila Kumari Singh Burman
- Lee Kun-Yong
- Lee Seung-taek
- Kim Lim
- Candice Lin
- Tanya Lukin Linklater
- Liu Jianhua
- Guadalupe Maravilla
- Noé Martínez
- Mata Aho Collective
- Mayunkiki
- Alan Michelson
- Malgorzata Mirga-Tas
- Naeem Mohaiemen
- Yuko Mohri
- Betty Muffler
- Aliza Nisenbaum
- Lucia Nogueira
- Oh Suk Kuhn
- Oh Yoon
- Oum Jeong Soon
- Pangrok Sulap
- Sopheap Pich
- Taiki Sakpisit
- Thasnai Sethaseree
- Dayanita Singh
- Buhlebezwe Siwani
- Vivian Suter
- Yu Jiwon
- Yuma Taru
- Charwei Tsai
- Judy Watson
- Alberta Whittle
- Robert Zhao Renhui
- David Zink Yi
Institutions
- Gwangju Biennale
- Tate Modern
- Tate St Ives
- French Pavilion
- Venice Biennale
- Super Junior
- ArtReview
Locations
- Gwangju
- South Korea
- Istanbul
- Turkey
- England
- Dubai
- Russia
- Dagestan
- Venice
- Italy
- London
- UK