Ho Tzu Nyen Named Artistic Director of the 15th Gwangju Biennale

The Gwangju Biennale Foundation has appointed Ho Tzu Nyen as the Artistic Director for the 15th Gwangju Biennale, scheduled for September-November 2026 in Gwangju, South Korea.

Ho Tzu Nyen is a Singapore-based artist and filmmaker whose practice spans video, installation, and performance. He represented Singapore at the 54th Venice Biennale in 2011 and has exhibited at major institutions including the Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, Mori Art Museum, and Centre Pompidou.

His work is known for examining historical narratives in Southeast Asia through multimedia installations. Notable projects include “The Critical Dictionary of Southeast Asia” (2012-ongoing) and “The Mysterious Lai Teck” (2018), which investigate regional histories and myths through archival research.

The Gwangju Biennale, established in 1995, is Asia’s oldest contemporary art biennale. It was founded to commemorate the Gwangju Uprising of May 1980 and has a focus on democratic values and human rights. The biennale typically features approximately 100 artists from around the world and attracts over 300,000 visitors.

Ho Tzu Nyen succeeds previous Artistic Director [Previous Director’s Name] who led the 14th edition in 2023. The Foundation cited Ho’s research-based practice and engagement with Asian historical narratives as key factors in their selection.

The curatorial theme and participating artists for the 15th edition will be announced in later this year.

The appointment continues the Gwangju Biennale’s tradition of rotating artistic directors for each edition to bring diverse perspectives to the event.

Photo credit: Ho Tzu Nyen, 2024. Courtesy a+ Singapore. Photo: Stefan Khoo.