Asia’s Oldest Biennial of Contemporary Art
Founded in 1995 in the city of Gwangju, part of the wider Jeonnam-Gwangju region, the Gwangju Biennale was established in memory of the 1980 Gwangju Democratization Movement and has since grown into Asia’s oldest and most influential biennial of contemporary art, drawing artists and visitors from around the world every two years.
You Must Change Your Life
The 16th edition, titled “You Must Change Your Life” after a line from Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem Archaic Torso of Apollo, is led by artistic director Ho Tzu Nyen together with curators Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee and Brian Kuan Wood. The exhibition explores the transformative power of art in responding to today’s crises, featuring around 45 artists from 20 countries in a deliberately concentrated format that favors depth and lasting artistic practice over scale.
Date: September 5 to November 15, 2026
Venue: Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall, Buk-gu, Gwangju
