The 16th edition of the Gwangju Biennale, directed by Singaporean artist and filmmaker Ho Tzu Nyen, has revealed its theme: “You Must Change Your Life.” 

Borrowed from Austrian poet Rainer Maria Rilke’s 1908 poem Archaic Torso of Apollo, the title frames the biennale’s exploration of art’s transformative power amid contemporary crises and uncertainties. “Few cities embody the ideals and the experience of change more powerfully than Gwangju, whose history of democratic struggle continues to resonate globally,” Ho noted in a press release. “Here, change is not abstract—it is lived history.”

Featuring 45 artists from 20 countries—the smallest lineup in the biennale’s history—the forthcoming iteration adopts a “deliberately concentrated format” to foster deeper engagement with each artist’s practice and its evolution over time. Participants include the duo Kwon Byungjun and Park Chan-kyong, Seoul-based artist Nam Hwa-yeon, and American Japanese artist Jacqueline Kiyomi Gork, all of whom will present newly commissioned works. 

The 16th Gwangju Biennale will run from September 5 to November 15.

Ashley Cheung is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.