The 17th edition of the Gwangju Biennale, a closely watched exhibition in South Korea with a broadly international legacy, will be led by an artistic director selected through an open call—“marking a significant shift in the Biennale’s curatorial selection process,” according to an announcement.
As published via e-flux, the announcement states: “Until now, the Artistic Director has been selected through a recommendation-based system, in which a small group of advisors nominated candidates for consideration and a final director was appointed from among them. While the existing system has often brought in internationally renowned figures, the Biennale is embracing a new approach to honor its landmark 30-year history.”
The application process for the next Gwangju Biennale, slated for 2028, opened on June 8 and remains open until August 3. The call is “open to exhibition professionals and curators from around the world, regardless of nationality, gender, or age. Applications may be submitted by individuals or by teams of two or more co-artistic directors. Collaborative proposals involving both domestic and international professionals are also encouraged.” After an initial review in August, short-listed candidates will be interviewed in September, to be followed by an announcement of the final pick in October.
The next Gwangju Biennale, scheduled to open in September, is being led by Ho Tzu Nyen, an artist who organized the Asian Art Biennale in 2019. The selection of an artist was an unusual move for an exhibition that had previously been organized by decorated curators including Okwui Enwezor, Nicolas Bourriaud, Harald Szeemann, and Massimiliano Gioni.
