Nicolas Bourriaud, a prominent curator and art critic, has been appointed as the artistic director of the 2024 Gwangju Biennale, marking its 30th anniversary. The theme of the biennial is Pansori – a soundscape of the 21st century.

Nicolas Bourriaud, a prominent curator and art critic, has been appointed as the artistic director of the 2024 Gwangju Biennale, marking its 30th anniversary. The theme of the biennial is Pansori – a soundscape of the 21st century.

Bourriaud is an influential figure in the contemporary art world and has made significant contributions to the field. As a curator and art critic, he has been able to interpret the currents of contemporary art through various critical terms.

Among his notable contributions is the concept of “relational aesthetics,” which he introduced in 1998. This theory defined various artworks created since the 1990s and had a profound effect on the global contemporary art scene. Subsequently, he introduced terms such as “postproduction” in 2002, “radicant” in 2009, and “exform” in 2016.

Why did the Gwangju Biennale choose Nicolas Bourriaud, who was most prominent in the 1990s and 2000s, as its artistic director at this moment? Considering that the term “relational aesthetics” emerged over 20 years ago, is the selection of Bourriaud now a belated decision? Or is it an opportunity for the Gwangju Biennale to present a comprehensive view of contemporary global trends, even at this stage? And what significance does Bourriaud attach to “Pansori” in his exploration?

The decision to appoint Nicolas Bourriaud as the artistic director of the Gwangju Biennale at this moment could be attributed to several factors. Although the concept of “relational aesthetics” was introduced in the late 1990s, its influence and relevance have continued to resonate in the contemporary art world. Bourriaud has been consistently refining and expanding upon the theory of relational aesthetics, demonstrating his ongoing engagement with contemporary artistic practices.

Simply put, relational aesthetics considers relationships as the subject of aesthetic exploration. It refers to art that forms relationships between people or between individuals and the world, where viewers meet, interact, experience a sense of solidarity, and form a shared understanding through artworks.
Bourriaud has consistently expanded and modified the theory, allowing it to evolve and remain relevant. 

One of Bourriaud’s recent books is Inclusions: Aesthetics of the Capitalocene, published in 2020. In this book, he delves into the significance of artistic activities in the era of capitalism and argues that artists are the anthropologists of our contemporary world. He asserts that artists possess a unique understanding of the blurred boundaries between nature and humanity, which have persisted for thousands of years.

Bourriaud also acknowledges the rise of a new generation of artists who recognize the eroding divisions between nature and culture, which have long served as matrices of segregation. Contemporary art reconnects with archaic magic and the witches, sorcerers, and shamans of precapitalist societies. Against the devitalization of the world, art has managed to preserve certain aspects of the social function and spiritualist practices of these societies. Inclusions: Aesthetics of the Capitalocene seeks to explore the art history of the non-mainstream art world in that sense, aiming to reconnect severed connections.

The exhibition title, Pansori – a soundscape of the 21st century, pays tribute to pansori, a musical form that originated in southwest Korea in the 17th century to accompany shamanistic rituals. Its literal meaning is “the sound of the public place,” or, in other words, the voice of the common people.

Pansori encompasses a narrative structure, rhythmic beats performed by the gosu (the person playing the drum), and audience participation. Therefore, it can be associated with the interplay of space and sound, where resonance occurs within the relationship. The Biennale will be built as a narrative about the spaces we live in, reminiscent of how pansori singers practice storytelling in a lyrical or epic style, accompanied by drumming whose rhythms are associated with specific regions of Korea.

Bourriaud was especially inspired by a scene from director Im Kwon-taek’s 1993 film Seopyeonje – The Southerners’ Songs, where the song pours out toward the mountains. He found it fascinating how the singing was directed toward a specific space and, with its strong regional identity, could also evoke universal empathy.

Nicolas Bourriaud, the artistic director of the 15th Gwangju Biennale, stated, “As space relates to both the collective and the individual, it is worth noting why we are raising the question of space at this moment. From social distancing due to the pandemic to climate change, including flooding, desertification, and rising sea levels due to global warming, humanity’s relationship with space has changed dramatically over the past few years. It is time for a profound discussion about our changed senses and perceptions of space.”

Gwangju Biennale Foundation President Park Yang-woo said, “The 15th edition of the Gwangju Biennale, which will also be celebrating its 30th anniversary, will focus first and foremost on avant-garde discourse on the history of human civilization, and the artistic director was appointed with this direction in mind. The Biennale will raise collective intellectual questions on how we should organize space on Earth in the transitional period of the Anthropocene and how humans can live sustainably and preserve the ecosystem.”

References

• 광주비엔날레재단(Gwangju Biennale Foundation)