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By Ian Werther in News —

Gwangju Biennale 16th, Led by Ho Chunien, Emphasizes Art as Catalyst for Change

The 16th Gwangju Biennale has announced its theme: You Must Change Your Life, inspired by the final line of Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem Archaic Torso of Apollo. The festival is set to run from September 5 for 72 days, with Singapore-born media artist Ho Chunien serving as general director.

The organizers say the theme foregrounds art’s transformative power in addressing today’s wide-ranging crises and urgent issues. By adopting a line from a classic German poem, the biennale signals an emphasis on art as a catalyst for personal and societal change in a fast-evolving global landscape.

Yoonjai Choi, Glen Cummings, and Neil Donnelly Response by Michael Rock and Susan Sellers Presented as part of the Graphics Project, organized by Forrest Jessee Hear three different designers present three different book projects. The conversation will focus on current trends in graphic design as well as the process of designing and editing books for different audiences and purposes. The presentations will be followed by a discussion between the designers led by Michael Rock and Susan Sellers. Yoonjai Choi is a graphic designer and partner at Common Name. Prior to co-founding the studio, Yoonjai held an art director position at New York design studio 2×4 for 5 years, where she worked with a variety of clients including LACMA, Prada, OMA, Bernard Tschumi, MoMA PS1, Rafael Moneo, and Barneys New York. Glen Cummings is a designer and partner at MTWTF. MTWTF is a graphic design studio specializing in publications, environmental graphics and identity systems. Neil Donnelly is a graphic designer who often works with clients in architecture and art, including the Guggenheim, Yale University, Domus, Columbia University, The New York Times, Princeton Architectural Press, Storefront for Art and Architecture, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. His work was included in the 2012 Brno Biennial of Graphic Design and has been featured at the Gwangju Design Biennale, the New Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Michael Rock and Susan Sellers are founders of studio 2x4. 2x4 is a global design consultancy headquartered in New York City with satellite studios in Beijing and Madrid. 2x4 focuses on brand strategy for cultural and commercial clients who value the power of design. Michael Rock is the Director of Graphical Architecture Studies at GSAPP. http://www.arch.columbia.edu
Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Ho Chunien, a Singapore-born media artist, will oversee the biennale’s artistic direction. The 16th edition continues Gwangju’s tradition of presenting international contemporary art in a city long associated with dynamic cultural exchange in southwest South Korea.

Gwangju Biennale is one of Korea’s most prominent international art events. Held in the city of Gwangju, the festival attracts artists, curators, and audiences from around the world and often engages with social, political, and cultural themes that reverberate beyond Korea’s borders.

For readers in the United States, the Biennale matters because it reflects ongoing global circuits of contemporary art, collaboration, and dialogue. US galleries, universities, and cultural institutions may look to Gwangju for opportunities to partner with artists and programs, and to access new perspectives on how art engages with current crises and technological change.

Yoonjai Choi, Glen Cummings, and Neil Donnelly Response by Michael Rock and Susan Sellers Presented as part of the Graphics Project, organized by Forrest Jessee Hear three different designers present three different book projects. The conversation will focus on current trends in graphic design as well as the process of designing and editing books for different audiences and purposes. The presentations will be followed by a discussion between the designers led by Michael Rock and Susan Sellers. Yoonjai Choi is a graphic designer and partner at Common Name. Prior to co-founding the studio, Yoonjai held an art director position at New York design studio 2×4 for 5 years, where she worked with a variety of clients including LACMA, Prada, OMA, Bernard Tschumi, MoMA PS1, Rafael Moneo, and Barneys New York. Glen Cummings is a designer and partner at MTWTF. MTWTF is a graphic design studio specializing in publications, environmental graphics and identity systems. Neil Donnelly is a graphic designer who often works with clients in architecture and art, including the Guggenheim, Yale University, Domus, Columbia University, The New York Times, Princeton Architectural Press, Storefront for Art and Architecture, and the Center for Urban Pedagogy. His work was included in the 2012 Brno Biennial of Graphic Design and has been featured at the Gwangju Design Biennale, the New Museum, the Museum of Arts and Design, and the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art. Michael Rock and Susan Sellers are founders of studio 2x4. 2x4 is a global design consultancy headquartered in New York City with satellite studios in Beijing and Madrid. 2x4 focuses on brand strategy for cultural and commercial clients who value the power of design. Michael Rock is the Director of Graphical Architecture Studies at GSAPP. http://www.arch.columbia.edu
Representative image for context; not directly related to the specific event in this article. License: CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

The choice of a Rilke poem as a conceptual touchstone also highlights cross-cultural exchange in the arts. It illustrates how Western literary heritage continues to influence Asian contemporary art, informing exhibitions, curatorial strategies, and audience engagement across national boundaries.

The festival’s broader significance lies in its potential to shape transnational conversations about art, technology, and society. As the 16th edition unfolds in Gwangju, the international art community—including American audiences and institutions—will be watching for works that test new forms, address urgent issues, and connect audiences across continents during the 72-day run starting in September.

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