Ho Tzu Nyen Appointed Artistic Director of the 16th Gwangju Biennale

Artistic Directior of the Ho Tzu Nyen_Portrait 2024_Image courtesy of Singapore Art Museum

The Gwangju Biennale Foundation has officially announced the appointment of Singaporean artist and curator Ho Tzu Nyen as the Artistic Director of the 16th Gwangju Biennale, scheduled to open in September 2026.

Known for his practice exploring the entangled histories and mythologies of Southeast Asia, Ho Tzu Nyenwas recognized for his proposal centered on the transformative power of art. His curatorial approach, designed to ignite a much-needed driving force in a time of global uncertainty, is expected to chart a new direction for the Gwangju Biennale.

“It’s a dream come true to return to Gwangju, not as an artist but as Artistic Director, and to embark on such a unique journey in this remarkable city,” Ho Tzu Nyen remarked. “This edition will bring together the energies, propositions, practices, and ideas that have inspired and propelled me over the past two decades. It will be an opportunity to explore how the practice of artistic transformation resonates with Gwangju’s legacy of democratic change.”

“Just as much as the Gwangju Biennale holds global significance, its local context has long been a meaningful point of engagement for participating artists,” said Lee Sang-Gap, Acting President of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation. He added, “Under the direction of Ho Tzu Nyen, who is deeply attuned to the cultural diversity of Asia, this edition will offer a renewed perspective on the Biennale, both globally and within its regional context.”

Ho’s relationship with the Gwangju Biennale is long-standing. He participated in Imagined Borders (2018), the Biennale’s 12th edition, and contributed a major commissioned work to Minds Rising, Spirits Tuning (2021). His broader exhibition history includes solo presentations at Mudam Luxembourg, Hessel Museum of Art, Art Sonje Center, Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo, and the Singapore Art Museum, as well as appearances in numerous international biennials and film festivals—from Venice, Cannes, and Berlin, to Sharjah, Aichi, and Shanghai.

In his curatorial practice, Ho has demonstrated a deep interest in transformation across geopolitical, historical, and aesthetic milieux. His co-curation of the 7th Asian Art Biennale in 2019, The Strangers from Beyond the Mountain and the Sea, examined marginality and permeability in the construction of Asian identity. This thematic interest is expected to inform his curatorial vision for the Gwangju Biennale, which he describes as “a platform for shared propositions for change.”

The 16th edition aims to place in the foreground collective artistic practices and solidarities in response to the current global crises—from ecological collapse and political instability to the persistent erosion of democratic values. Ho’s curatorial approach will reshape singular narratives in favor of a more generative, shared inquiry into the transformative capacities of art.

About Ho Tzu Nyen

He is a media artist and filmmaker whose multidisciplinary work spans diverse forms and contexts. He has previously collaborated with the Gwangju Biennale, participating in the 12th edition, Imagined Borders (2018), and contributing a commissioned work to the 13th edition, Minds Rising, Spirits Tuning (2021). He has held solo exhibitions at a number of prominent institutions, including Mudam – The Contemporary Art Museum of Luexembourg (2025), the
Hessel Museum of Art, Art Sonje Center, and the Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (all in 2024), the Singapore Art Museum (2023). He has also participated in major international exhibitions such as the Singapore Pavilion at the 54th Venice Biennale (2011), the 10th Shanghai Biennale (2014), Aichi Triennale (2019), and Sharjah Biennial 14 (2019). His films have been screened at some of the world’s leading festivals, including the Venice International Film Festival
(2009), the Cannes Film Festival (2009), and the Berlin International Film Festival (2015).

About the Gwangju Biennale

Founded in 1994 in commemoration of the May 18 Gwangju Democratization Movement, the Gwangju Biennale has become a leading force in the international art landscape. Held every two years in the heart of Gwangju’s Jungoe Park, the Biennale promotes critical engagement with issues of democracy, resistance, and social change. It remains one of Asia’s most influential cultural events, embodying the “Gwangju Spirit” through its commitment to community, revolution, and international dialogue.

For more information, visit www.gwangjubiennale.org.