The 15th Gwangju Biennale titled, Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century, will conclude its 86-day journey with a closing ceremony on December 1.
Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century has expanded the exhibition space to include Yangnim-dong area in addition to the Gwangju Biennale Exhibition Hall in Yongbong-dong, featuring 31 pavilions, where visitors could experience contemporary art from different countries and institutions, transforming the entire Gwangju region into a hub of artistic and cultural scene.
“The Gwangju Biennale, more meaningful on this 30th anniversary, has successfully ended without any major incidents for 86 days,” said Park Yang-woo, President of Gwangju Biennale. “We would like to explore our sincere gratitude to all those who visited the exhibition.”
■ Generating discourse on a sustainable contemporary space-the event continued to attract visitors and enthusiasts from both Korea and abroad.
Curated by Nicolas Bourriaud, the 15th Gwangju Biennale, Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century, featured 72 artists from 30 countries who explored contemporary space through sound under the narrative of “pansori,” a traditional Korean music form.
The exhibition, in which individual sounds fill each exhibition hall in harmony, not only suggests the original meaning of "pansori" which implies "space" and "sound," but the sounds that run through the exhibition are presented as a narrative that moves between the material and immaterial, migration and anti-migration policies, freedom and suppression. Under the universal theme of "space," the exhibition visualized the invisible issues that trigger change, such as climate change, conflict, economic crisis, and migration, through contemporary art, and to provide an opportunity for those who encounter them to deepen their understanding of reality.
The 15th Gwangju Biennale, whose participants consisted of all living artists, also aimed to reflect the contemporary discourse in a timely manner, with more than 40 women artists. In particular, the Gwangju Biennale did not lose sight of its connection to Gwangju, by selecting Gwangju-based artists to participate and actively utilize local bases. In addition to the Gwangju Biennale Pavilion, Yangnim-dong, which has a long history and community spirit in the city of Gwangju, was utilized as an exhibition space, setting the stage to allow visitors to experience a diverse spectrum of sounds. The Yangnim Cultural Centre, Podonamu Art Space, Han Boo Chul Gallery, Yangnim Salon, Yangnim Old Police Station, Han Hee Won Museum of Art, Empty house, and Horanggasinamu Art Polygon were used as unique exhibition venues to connect with the main exhibition. Many visitors walked around the Yangnim-dong neighborhood and experienced the various soundscapes as woven by the director.
Also during the exhibition period, Korean author Han Kang received the Nobel Prize for Literature. Han, participated in the opening ceremony of the 15th Gwangju Biennale's “Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century” exhibition, and also paraphrased the subtitles of the three sections of the exhibition, “Feedback,” “Polyphony,” and “Primordial sound” so that the intention of artistic director, Nicolas Bourriaud, could be better conveyed in Korean.
The exhibition was attended by many distinguished guests, international dignitaries, cultural figures and celebrities. Notable visitors include, Dagmar Schmidt Tartagli, Ambassador of Switzerland to the Republic of Korea, Hyunsoo Woo, Deputy Director of Philadelphia Museum of Art, Issa Al Shirawi, Head of International Exhibitions at Qatar Museums, Hans Ulrich Obrist, Artistic Director of the Serpentine Gallery, Connie Butler, Director of MoMA PS1, Massimiliano Gioni, Artistic Director of the New Museum, Aaron Cezar, the founding Director of Delfina Foundation, Kataoka Mami, Director of Mori Art Museum and other foreign ambassadors and cultural figures.
■ Participatory exhibits that encourage new ways to interact and experience art
The 15th Gwangju Biennale attracted approximately 700,000 visitors from September 7 to December 1.
In particular, the appointment of Nicolas Bourriaud, renowned art critic and curator known for his “relational aesthetics”, as artistic director and the exploration of contemporary sustainable spaces using the metaphor of pansori, Korean traditional music, aroused the curiosity of visitors.
The main exhibition of this edition of Gwangju Biennale, Pansori, a soundscape of the 21st century, focused on exploring the spatial issues we live in through the narrative of 'pan' (space) and 'sound'. The five exhibition halls were connected by the theme of 'sound', to invite visitors who experienced the exhibition as if viewing a movie, and reflect on sustainable space and the future. The exhibition was also attended by university students majoring in cultural studies and arts, who sought to absorb the current and experimental discourse in the contemporary art scene, and served as a place for cultural education.
The site of the 15th Gwangju Biennale was full with students from universities across the country, including Seoul National University Department of Aesthetics, Incheon National University Division of Fine Arts, and Jeonju University Department of Film and TV, Seoul National University Art Management Program, Hongik University Graduate School, Department of Aesthetics and Pusan National University Department of Fine Arts. The students sought to explore and contemplate the experimental discourse on contemporary art as presented in the exhibition by artistic director Nicolas Bourriaud.
Visitor satisfaction for this edition of the Gwangju Biennale was very high, with an overall satisfaction rate of 81.7%, the highest ever recorded for the Biennale since 2000, and a 5.8% point increase over the 14th edition.
■ Largest ever pavilion…Boosting Gwangju’s brand power and tourism
The Pavilion, organically linked to the main exhibition of the 15th Gwangju Biennale explores multifaceted flow of contemporary art through the participation of diverse entities. The pavilion, largest ever, featured 22 national pavilions and nine institutions, transforming the entire city of Gwangju into a cultural hub. With 22 countries, including Argentina, Austria, Canada, China, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Peru, The Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Singapore, Sweden, Thailand, and Vietnam, as well as city and institutions participating including, Spanish Art, ASEAN (ASEAN-Korea Centre), American, African, UNION, CDA Holon, Korea Foundation-Gwangju Biennale Foundation, British Council-Korea Foundation for International Exchange, and Gwangju, the exhibition explores the multifaceted flow of contemporary art.
With venues throughout Gwangju, the exhibition was designed to be as accessible and convenient for visitors. The Gwangju Biennale operated a shuttle bus service between the main venue and the U-Square Bus Terminal, Yangnim-dong and Dongmyeong-dong bus stops, making it easy for visitors to travel among approximately 30 exhibition venues. In addition, Kakao Mobility QR code information guides were installed at each venue, and a walking map was provided to help visitors find their way around on foot.
With 31 pavilions participating in this year’s Biennale, the largest number ever in history, it allowed for a greater diversity of participating countries and institutions, resulting in an enhanced experience for visitors.
■ Educating the next generation…Educational programs that contribute to cultural expansion
The participatory programs and educational programs offered during the 15th Gwangju Biennale played a crucial role in nurturing the next generation of culture and art lovers. More than 30,000 people participated in the various programs, enhancing their sense of cultural and artistic enjoyment.
GB Talks, which took place during the exhibition period, from September to November, featured lectures by artists including Kandis Williams, Na Mira, Noel W. Anderson, Amol K Patil, and YoungEun Kim as well as curators Pawel Janicki and Professor Beomjun Kim, and engaged audiences with interdisciplinary dialogue and open exchange.
A symposium titled, Echoes of Tomorrow: Soundscapes in the Age of Advanced Computing was held on September 6 at The Asian Culture Center. Approximately 200 people attended the symposium, showing interest in the future of art and technology.
The Gwangju Biennale Academy 2024 International Curator Course, an educational program to train international contemporary art curators, theorists and art administrators, was also held for two weeks in September.
The Biennale offered a series of children’s programs on weekends during the exhibition period of the Gwangju Biennale. Approximately 200 children participated in programs such as “My Pan, Sori,” which teaches on the exhibition’s theme of “sound”, while “GB Little Forest” aims to raise awareness about the ecosystem and the environment, and a “Docent Program for children” where they can experience being a docent first-hand. Other programs, such as the Gwangju Biennale Academy Citizen Docent Program, have been made available to citizens.
