Gwangju Biennale 2006
Sept. 8 – Nov. 11, 2006
San 149-2, Yongbong-dong, Buk-gu
Gwangju 500-070
Republic of Korea
T 82 62 608 4264
F 82 62 608 4269,
biennale [at] gb.or.kr
The Gwangju Biennale Foundation is delighted to present the general artistic director for the Gwangju Biennale 2006, Kim Hong-hee, an art critic and director of the Ssamzie Space. The sixth in its series, Biennale is scheduled to be held for 65 days from September 8 to November 11, 2006. The board of directors of Gwangju Biennale Foundation cited the reason for selecting Kim as her prominent presence at home and abroad in supporting and planning many experimental art exhibitions; based on the Biennales 10-year history, the board sees the significance of 2006 Biennale as the initial step into the unexplored arena of new artistic culture.
Kim says; The city of Gwangju is known as the Mecca of Korean democracy, human rights and culture – Gwangju Biennale 2006 will emphasize the power and the dynamism of Asia, based on the competence and networks it has built in the past. The city will be the new hub of the international contemporary culture, communicating the universal issues encompassing Korea, Asia and the world with the awareness and attitude of the global community.
With a diachronic approach, the First Chapter surveys the spiritual history of the world art, beginning with the classic Asian art to the contemporary art. By reinventing the Asian art, which has been overlooked in the Western centered art history, it will investigate the heritage, tradition and future of the Asian art. The Last Chapter, a synchronic approach, will blur the boundaries between different regions, exploring the simultaneity and concurrence of global cities. Visualizing the Asian dynamism, the exhibition will focus on the culture, human, and community, rather than the development or structure of the cities.
As the counterpart to the Biennale exhibition, a participatory citizens program is planned to literally link the Gwangju community. The citizens program will initiate in Gwangju, expanding on/off-line to other parts of Korea, Asia and to the World, realizing an epicenter narrative.
The general artistic director, Kim Hong-hee has been active as an art historian, curator, and art critic. She is also a dedicated professor at Hongik University as well as the director of the Ssamzie Space Gallery where she supports experimental young artists. She has served as the curator of the special exhibition, InfoArt, for the Gwangju Biennale 1995, the main exhibition commissioner for the Gwangju Biennale 2000, and the commissioner for the Korean Pavilion in the 50th Venice Biennale (2003). In addition, she joined CIMAM Seoul 2004 as an organizing committee member, 2001 Yokohama Triennale as an international committee member, Hightech Art in Korea of SeOUL-NYmAX Medial Group Exhibition as a curator, and Anthology Film Archive (New York, 1994) as an exhibition planner. She has published several books including Discourse and Sites of Modern Art I, (2003), Nam June Paik, Happening, Video(1999), and Feminism, Video, Art(1998).
Press enquiries:
Inhee Jung, TEL 82 62 608 4260 FAX 82 62 608 4269, press@gb.or.kr
General enquiries:
Taeyoung Cho, TEL 82 62 608 4264 FAX 82 62 608 4269, biennale@gb.or.kr
