OCAD University Brings Indigenous Art to Gwangju Biennale

The exhibition features the interdisciplinary work of Kanien'kehá:ka artists Shelley Niro, Melissa General, and Hannah Claus. Curated by Ryan Rice, the project aligns with the biennale’s broader theme, You Must Change Your Life, by examining how transformative change occurs through quiet, continuous acts within daily existence rather than solely through historical rupture. The pavilion centers on the political and cultural roles of Haudenosaunee women, specifically highlighting rematriation efforts to restore ancestral connections to land and cultural knowledge.

Hosted at the Lee KangHa Art Museum—a site linked to Gwangju’s own history of democratic resistance—the exhibition fosters a dialogue between Indigenous governance and global movements for justice. For OCAD University, the project serves as a cornerstone of its 150th-anniversary celebrations, reinforcing the institution's role in elevating Indigenous curatorial practices on an international stage. The presentation is supported by the Canadian Embassy in Seoul and signifies a deepening cultural exchange between Canada and South Korea.