Art and Activism: Youn Bum-mo’s Vision for Gwangju Biennale

Youn Bum-mo, former director of the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Korea, has been named president of the Gwangju Biennale Foundation. He’s set to lead the organization as it gears up for the Gwangju Design Biennale this August and the 2026 Gwangju Biennale.

The foundation’s board made the call during a Thursday meeting, citing Youn’s pivotal role in Minjung art and his stint as director of the state-run museum from 2019 to 2023. Youn’s research was instrumental in establishing Minjung art, a movement that emerged in the ’70s and ’80s when artists used their work to challenge dictatorship and military rule.

\”Being part of the Gwangju Biennale’s inception 30 years ago and now returning as its president is a huge responsibility,\” Youn shared. \”I’m committed to amplifying the biennale’s unique identity and nurturing it as a hotspot for artistic dialogue that’s deeply rooted in Gwangju’s civic spirit.\”

The foundation noted that Youn was on the executive committee for the first-ever Gwangju Biennale back in 1995.

Youn took the reins at MMCA in 2019. While his term was extended after three years, he stepped down amid controversy when the conservative Yoon Suk Yeol administration came into power in 2022. In an unprecedented move, they released findings from a special audit into alleged improprieties at the museum.

Taking over from former President Park Yang-woo, whose term just wrapped up, Youn will officially start his new gig on Monday.

Looking ahead, the 16th Gwangju Biennale in 2026 will be helmed by Singaporean artist Ho Tzu Nyen as artistic director. Meanwhile, the upcoming 2025 Gwangju Design Biennale, set for September, will be curated by Professor Choi Soo-shin from the Savannah College of Art and Design in Georgia. The event will explore how design can embrace and enhance our humanity.