Kanien'kehá:ka-led exhibition opens at 2026 Gwangju Biennale

TORONTO, The Kanien'kehá:ka-led exhibition, "Skennen'kó:wa ken?" (Do You Carry Great Peace?), is set to open tomorrow at the 2026 Gwangju Biennale in South Korea. Curated by Ryan Rice, executive director and curator of Indigenous Art at Onsite Gallery, OCAD University, the exhibition will feature works by renowned Kanien'kehá:ka artists Shelley Niro, Melissa General, and Hannah Claus.

The biennale, one of Asia's most significant art events, is a platform for global artists to explore important themes related to cultural identity, human rights, and social justice. "Skennen'kó:wa ken?" will be presented at the Lee KangHa Art Museum in Gwangju, South Korea, and is generously sponsored by former OCAD University Board member David Binet.

Rice explains, "The curatorial premise of carrying philosophical and generational duties of peace aligns with Biennale Artistic Director Ho Tzu Nyen's proposition, 'You Must Change Your Life,' which considers how transformation unfolds not only through dramatic large-scale events and historical ruptures, but also quietly and continuously within our everyday lives."

The exhibition will showcase interdisciplinary and lens-based works, including photography, video, sculpture, and installation, by Niro, General, and Claus. These artists, whose practices are grounded in Kanien'kehá:ka teachings of peace, reflect the daily greeting from which the exhibition takes its name. This greeting, an affirmation of mutual recognition and respect, represents a foundational value of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, recognized as the oldest continuous democracy in the Americas, predating Western colonization.

Claus, a member of Kenhtè:ke | Tyendinaga Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, explores memory, identity, and histories through material and cultural expressions. General, Mohawk/Oneida from Six Nations of the Grand River Territory, focuses on her home territory and the concepts of memory, language, and land. Niro, a Turtle Clan member of the Bay of Quinte Mohawk, Six Nations of the Grand River Reserve, challenges colonial narratives while celebrating the resilience, strength, and beauty of Indigenous women and Mohawk culture.

The exhibition, which coincides with OCAD University's 150th anniversary celebrations, aims to affirm the university's commitment to advancing Indigenous artistic and curatorial leadership. OCAD University President and Vice-Chancellor Ana Serrano states, "OCAD University is honoured to help amplify Indigenous voices on one of the world's most important contemporary art stages."

Lee Sun, chief curator at the Lee KangHa Art Museum and partner curator for the Canada Pavilion, adds, "This exhibition contributes to redefining the international standing of arts and culture between Korea and Canada, while highlighting the participation of Kanien'kehá:ka artists. We hope that artists, cultural administrators, and a wide range of art professionals in both countries will foster closer and deeper connections, while illuminating and honouring a shared history of cultural creativity and exchange."

The Lee KangHa Art Museum, located in Yangnimdong, Gwangju, is a first-class public art museum that opened in 2018 after remodelling the Yangnim-dong community office building. It aims to be a hub for creative activities that foster cultural communication, empathy, and knowledge.

OCAD University, founded in 1876, is Canada's largest and oldest art, design, and media university. The university's 150th anniversary celebrations will mark a significant milestone in its history, further cementing its role in shaping the future of art and design education.