The 6th Gwangju Biennale 2006
Fever Variations
Sept. 8-Nov. 11 2006
Sept. 7 Press Preview
Sept. 8 Public Opening
Open Forum
Biennale Hall, Jungoei Park, Gwangju City, Korea
The 6th Gwangju Biennale 2006 is dedicated to illuminating and re-interpreting international contemporary art from the standpoint of Asia. Entitled ‘Fever Variations’, this years Biennale reflects Asias cultural abundance and shows how its vibrant energy and enthusiasm for change are impacting the world at large.
Under Artistic Director Kim Hong-hee, the 6th Gwangju Biennale is structured around two comprehensive contemporary art exhibitions, ‘The First Chapter_Trace Root: Unfolding Asian Stories’ and ‘The Last Chapter_Trace Route: Remapping Global Cities’, with an additional Citizen Program and a Special Exhibition, ‘Color of East Asia.’
The First Chapter_Trace Root: Unfolding Asian Stories
In The First Chapter, Chief Curator Wu Hung, together with Curators Shaheen Merali and Binghui Huangfu plus Collaborating Curator Jacquelynn Baas, diachronically trace the roots of the Asian spirit infusing contemporary art culture, presenting their findings in four sub-sections:
Myth and Fantasy invites artists inspired by the idea of a pre-historical time/space and traditional rituals with an intense effort to develop a dynamic dialogue with their cultural roots.
Works in Nature and Body demonstrate multiple directions in artistic experimentation, through which artists imbue images of Nature with a strong sense of contemporaneity and also focusing on the body and interiority in contemporary life.
Trace of Mind shows how Asian philosophy and Zen Buddhism have also been a major influence in many contemporary works that seek to spontaneously reflect mental processes, starting from a retrospective of the Fluxus Movement to the most recent new media installations.
Past in Present places history in the midst of new urban spaces, constructing memories via media, photography, and objects and explores the intricate relationship between past and present, history and memory.
The Last Chapter_Trace Route: Remapping Global Cities
In contrast to The First Chapter, this exhibition adopts a synchronic approach to the theme of the city, tracing the changes and mapping global simultaneity not only on routes through Asia, Europe, Latin America but also trans-continentally. Three Co-Curators create connections between cities in Asia, Europe and the Americas by collaborating with various cultural institutions and residency programs in relevant cities.
Suggesting inter-local facing and the concept of town-ness as a key strategy to struggle against the overruling system of globalization, Beck Jee-sook creates eight routes of cities and themes involving artists based in Central Balkan, the Middle East, Asia and North America.
Cristina Ricupero takes European cities of Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen and Vilnius to explore how Europeans cope with the inescapable need of immigration as a cure for demographic (and economic) anaemia without losing cultural identity, not in a static but in a dynamic manner by becoming increasingly capable of dealing with cultural diversity.
Chris Gilbert & Cira Pascual Marquina organize a set of conferences with activists, organizers, and militant media collectives in Buenos Aires, El Alto/La Paz and Caracas to discuss militarization, imperial power, and the criminalization of protest, while simultaneously forging a provisional counter-power network.
ARTISTS: The First Chapter_Trace Root: Unfolding Asian Stories
Lida Abdul, Lise Autogena & Joshua Portway, Thomas Bayrle, Dove Bradshaw, Chen Chieh-jen, Choi Jung Hwa, Choi Min Hwa, David Hammons, Hong Lei, Michael Joo, Jitish Kallat, Akio Kamisato/Satoshi Shibata/Takehisa Mashimo, Kim Jong-ku, Kim Sang Yoen, Sun K. Kwak, Dinh Q. Le, Lee Jong Sang, Lee Soo Kyung, Lee Ufan, Shu-min Lin, Armin Linke, Susan Meiselas, Rei Naito, Jun Nguyen-Hatsushiba, Vong Phaophanit, Jean-Marc Pelletier, Qiu Zhijie, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Michal Rovner, Hiroshi Senju, Raqib Shaw, Chiharu Shiota, Shon Bong Chae, Song Dong, Manit Sriwanichpoon, Sissel Tolaas, Vasan Sitthiket, Suzann Victor, Chris Welsby, Whang In-kie, Miwa Yanagi, Zhang Dali, Zhang Huan, Zheng Liu, Xu Bing
The Last Chapter_Trace Route: Remapping Global Cities
Asia Middle East North America
16 Beavers, Flying City, Ham Kyung-ah, Thomas Allen Harris, Jeong Ki-heoun, JNP, Mixrice, Paola Yacoub Michel Lasserre, Shin Ji-cheol, _kart, Akram Zaatari
Europe: Berlin Paris Amsterdam Copenhagen Vilnius
Michael Beutler, Monica Bonvicini, Copenhagen Free University, Dias & Riedweg, Michael Elmgreen & Ingar Dragset, Gim Hong-sok, Jens Haaning, Laura Horelli, Lim Min-ouk, Melik Ohanian, Julika Rudelius, Bruno Serralongue, Shen Yuan, Sean Snyder, Song Sang-hee, Superflex, Jennifer Tee, Nomeda & Gediminas Urbonas
Latin America: Buenos Aires El Alto/La Paz Caracas
Aporrea.org (Venezuela), Aru (Militant video collective, Bolivia), Dario Azzellini (Venezuela), Etcétera (Artists collective, Argentina), Grupo Alavío (Militant media collective, Argentina), Indymedia Bolivia (Bolivia), Kim Myoung Joon (Media activist, Korea), Vive (Television channel, Venezuela)
** For further enquires on the Gwangju Biennale 2006, please contact:
Gwangju Biennale Foundation
211 Biennale 2-gil, Buk-gu, Gwangju 500-070, Republic of Korea
biennale@gb.or.kr