The 16th Gwangju Biennale, titled "You Must Change Your Life," will run from September 5 to November 15, 2026, and has announced 43 participating artists and groups. The lineup includes Matthew Barney, the Mumbai-based artist studio CAMP, and Turkish artist İnci Eviner, among others. The biennale is curated by Ho Tzu Nyen alongside Che Kyongfa, Park Gahee, and Brian Kuan Wood, and will focus on ritualistic artistic practices and the theme of change, drawing inspiration from a Rainer Maria Rilke poem.
This edition marks the smallest number of participants since the biennale's inception in 1995, with curators prioritizing density and interconnectedness of works over scale. The event is significant for its thematic exploration of change as lived history, particularly resonant in Gwangju, a city known for its democratic struggle. The biennale also highlights a shift in curatorial strategy, emphasizing sustained artistic practice over individual pieces.