The Gwangju Biennale Foundation, led by President Youn Bummo, is launching an open call for privately held archival materials documenting more than three decades of the Gwangju Biennale's history since its establishment in 1995.
 
This initiative is part of the Foundation's ongoing "AI Larchiveum Project," which aims to build an archive that extends beyond the Gwangju Biennale's official records by incorporating privately owned materials preserved by individuals.
 
The Foundation is seeking all types of records related to the Gwangju Biennale, including audiovisual materials (photographs, videos, and audio recordings), documents (memoranda, letters, postcards, and faxes), and objects (artworks submitted to student art competitions organized by the Gwangju Biennale, commemorative items, and uniforms).

Since the opening of its inaugural exhibition in 1995, the Gwangju Biennale has been shaped by countless artists, curators, and visitors.
 
A wide range of participants—including government agencies and corporate sponsors, as well as designers, technicians, art handlers and transport workers, volunteers, docents, journalists, magazine editors, and owners of local hotels and restaurants—have all contributed to the making of the Gwangju Biennale.
 
The world connected to the Gwangju Biennale has continued to expand and accumulate in diverse ways. For a time, a now-defunct nightclub in Gwangcheon-dong served as the venue for the Biennale's opening-night after-party, becoming one of the many unexpected sites woven into its history.

As part of the ongoing archival research project conducted by the Gwangju Biennale's Private Archives Research Team (Chonnam National University Industry-Academic Cooperation Foundation, led by Professor Kyungwoon Chung), the Foundation has recently acquired a collection donated by Ha Jung-woong, Honorary Director of the Gwangju Museum of Art.
 
Ha Jung-woong served as an Honorary Committee Member of the Organizing Committee for the 1st Gwangju Biennale, an Overseas Honorary Committee Member for the 2nd edition, and an Honorary Ambassador and member of the Special Exhibition Committee for the 3rd Gwangju Biennale.
 
Comprising more than 800 archival items—including personal letters, faxes, photographs, videos, memorabilia, posters, and domestic and international newspaper materials—the collection has been recognized as an invaluable record documenting the informal collaborations and international exchanges that shaped the establishment and operation of the Gwangju Biennale.
 
In addition, Kim Young-heon, who was a public official at Buk-gu District Office during the inaugural Gwangju Biennale in 1995, has contributed rare archival materials that offer insight into the significance of the Biennale within the local community.

Youn Bummo, President of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation, stated, “Privately held archival materials carry even greater significance in today's rapidly evolving AI environment. In particular, records related to local culture risk being forgotten or lost if they are not systematically collected and studied. The preservation and digital transformation of these records will help support the future of the Gwangju–Jeonnam Integrated Special Metropolitan City and the Gwangju Biennale.”
 
The privately held archival materials collected through this initiative will serve as core resources for the Gwangju Biennale's AI Larchiveum Project. They are expected to provide a foundation for illuminating the history of the Gwangju Biennale, regional culture, and the broader cultural and artistic exchanges between Korea and the international community from multiple perspectives.
 
Archival materials may be submitted via email or post between July 15 and August 14, 2026. Further details are available on the official Gwangju Biennale website.
 
All submitted materials will undergo procedures related to copyright, portrait rights, personal data protection, and acquisition review in consultation with their donors. They will subsequently be utilized for a wide range of archival content, including exhibitions, educational programs, research, and public services.

References

• 광주비엔날레 보도자료 (Gwangju Biennale Press Release)