We are thrilled to share that Ho Tzu Nyen has been appointed 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 Nyen was 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.”

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.

— Courtesy of International Biennial Association.