The flags were inspired by political banners used during elections in Haiti and were made in Port-au-Prince by the graphic designer James Ford Auguste. The bricks reference those used as ballast by Northern European ships deployed in the triangular trade. In the center of the pool is a lingam stone, which holds healing properties and the ability to protect against bad energy.

Presentation with support from Institut Français de Suède
Curator: Lisa Rosendahl
Guest: James Ford Auguste

Conflictual borders, anti-migration walls, confinement, social distance, segregation policies—these seemingly dissimilar topics share a common point: space and its political organization. The main effect of climate change is the apparition of a new world map in which carbon dioxide and urban life, desertification and migration, deforestation and social struggles, destruction of animal ecosystems and vegetal invasions, have become brutally interconnected.

PANSORI: A Soundscape of the 21st Century is an operatic exhibition about the space we live in. But as any landscape is also a soundscape, this exhibition is built as a narrative connecting musical and visual forms. Having emerged in 17th century Korea, pansori is a musical genre deeply rooted in its native land. In Korean,pansori literally means « the noise from the public place, » which could also be understood as the voice of the subalterns. The 15th Gwangju Biennale intends to recreate the original spirit of pansori, with artists that try to re-think the space shared between humans, machines, animals, spirits, and organic life— our relational space.

Temple of Love – Tutti Sistemati is a commissioned sculptural video installation that introduces a new version of Temple of Love. Inspired by Roland Barthes’s book A Lover’s Discourse: Fragments (1977) and the chapter “Tutti sistemati”, this new work advocates for land preservation and promotes an ecological contemplation of our world: it addresses the complex relationship between Normandy and Haiti, revealing the history of Creole gardens, colonial pasts, and mythical tales. Through the perspective of créolité, the artist invites viewers to explore the crossroads of collective and personal histories while considering themes of genealogy, healing, resistance, empowerment, and gender in greater depth. Temple of Love stimulates reflections on the intricacies of this shared history and offers glimpses of hope for a more inclusive and sustainable future. Gaëlle’s guests for Temple of Love – Tutti Sistemati are Arvo Leo and Audrey Parisot. The images for the video are credited to Makoto C. Friedmann.

Gaëlle Choisne is a visual artist who engages with contemporary global issues through her multimedia practice. Her work reflects upon colonial history and the remnants of its political and cultural turmoil and exploitation of nature by incorporating Creole traditions, myths, and popular cultures. Her projects, especially Temple of Love (2022–24), operate as collaborative ecosystems that question societal norms and imagine new possibilities.

Fortune Cookies is an installation made of thousands of handmade clay objects. Some contain a seed or a hidden message inside. The ongoing production honors the unseen labor behind them and the shared experience of making food together.

Breaking a cookie reveals its secret; leaving it closed preserves the mystery. The work explores ideas of value, cultural identity, and hidden histories. Though often linked to Chinese culture, fortune cookies are actually an American invention. The artist uses them to question how cultural elements are misunderstood or altered when removed from context.