The 13th edition of the Gwangju Biennale, set to open in 2021, will investigate rising forms of intelligence

The 13th Gwangju Biennale prepares to open to the public in late February 2021. Running from February 26 – May 9, 2021, the international art fair will encompass a varied programme of activities under the directorship of Defne Ayas and Natasha Ginwala. An exhibition, a performance calendar, an online publishing platform and a series of public forums will bring together artists, scientists and professionals of the field to discuss the topic of the title “Minds Rising, Spirits Tuning”.

In contemporary society, is evident the rising of an intelligence explosion, almost a superintelligence. The participating artists will address the question of whether organic intelligence can still be pursued in human brain and heart; different artistic media and interventions will delve into the spectrum of the extended mind, exploring a wide range of cosmologies, life-systems, queer technologies, and modes of survival.

The Artistic Directors have selected a list of artists based on their inclusive practices overcoming binary framings of insider and outsider, legal and illegal, masculine and feminine. The selection includes names such as Sylbee Kim, Shen Xin, Candice Lin, Kira Nova, Pacita Abad, Outi Pieski, Angelo Plessas, Cecilia Bengolea, and more to be announced. Within the 13th Gwangju Biennale, they will confront future scenarios of cognitive capitalism and imperialism, along with current issues related to neural networks and techno-spiritual emergencies. 

An online journal further develops these researches, the groundwork for the future exhibition, published bimonthly at http://13thgwangjubiennale.org.