Canada Pavilion brings Indigenous vision of peace to Gwangju Biennale

JEONNAM-GWANGJU SPECIAL METROPOLITAN CITY — The Canadian Pavilion at the Gwangju Biennale doesn’t pull any punches with its theme, “Do you carry great peace,” nor does the theme of the biennale itself, “You Must Change Your Life.” But rather than an abstract demand for change, the question the pavilion poses is quite specific, and one that few would be able to quickly answer.

Canadian Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lafortune gave an explanation in his opening address at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5.

“The title of this exhibition, Skennen'kó:wa ken? — Do You Carry Great Peace? — comes from a Kanien'kehá:ka daily greeting rooted in a philosophy of peace, mutual recognition and respect," Lafortune said. "It is more than a greeting. It is also a question, one that asks each of us what we carry forward into our communities and into our relationships with one another."

The national pavilion features the works of Hannah Claus, Shelley Niro and Melissa General, three artists of Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) heritage.

“Within Haudenosaunee society,” the exhibition guidebook explains, “women hold essential responsibilities as life-givers, caretakers of the land, and custodians of peace.” These roles and responsibilities are explored through the striking and deeply meaningful works of the three Indigenous artists. Descriptions of their incredible art fail to quantify or qualify their impact, and should be viewed them in person or online to be appreciated fully.

Ana Serrano, president of the Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD), offers further perspective on the question’s meaning, as well as OCAD’s role in asking it for this occasion.

“Rooted in the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace, this question understands peace not as something passive, but as something carried through relationship, responsibility and community. That feels especially resonant here in Gwangju, a city whose history reminds us that democracy depends on courage, imagination and participation," she said.

Ryan Rice, executive director and curator of Onsite Gallery, OCAD's flagship professional gallery, explained the process and perspective involved in putting together the pavilion. “Ana Serrano said, work around the ideas of democracy and the ideas of peace. I am working within a framework that I know, and the historical contributions of other Haudenosaunee people to this, how we build our foundations," Rice said.

"That led to, ‘Maybe it should just be Haudenosaunee artists. How about three Mohawk women artists to carry this message across?’ Most Haudenosaunee artists will deal with any of these elements within their work because it is such a strong philosophy, it is sort of imbedded in our knowledge.”

The venue for this pavilion, the Lee Kang Ha Museum, previously hosted Canada's national pavilion for the biennale in 2023 and 2024.

The museum’s chief curator, Sun Lee, explains how its values aligned with this year’s Canadian pavilion.

"Within Kanien'kehá:ka traditions, as I have come to understand them through this collaboration, peace is not simply an abstract ideal. It is deeply connected to an ongoing practice of recognizing and respecting one another and maintaining relationships within and between communities," Lee said.

“For me, one of the most meaningful aspects of the exhibition is how their perspectives on peace, memory and community can resonate with values that have particular significance in Gwangju."

Lafortune also brought up the significance of the host city, which was the site of the May 18 Democratic Movement in 1980.

“Gwangju's history, especially the May 18 Democratic Movement, has given this city a unique place in Korea's story of democracy, human rights and dignity. Gwangju reminds us that memory is not only about looking back. It is about helping shape a better future," he said.

"Bringing our artists to Gwangju creates an important opportunity for dialogue: about how societies remember difficult histories, how communities protect their culture and dignity and how we carry those experiences forward."

While the artists prefer to let their works speak for themselves, they shared their impressions of Gwangju.

When asked about working the Lee Kang Ha Museum, Niro replied, “It’s a great space. I’m glad to be here. Making art is so much fun.”

General’s impression of the local people was similarly positive. “Everyone’s been so supportive," she said. "I feel like we’ve been really well taken care of."

Hannah Claus expanded on their experience with the venue. “Knowing about the museum, the way that Lee Sun’s father was someone who was connected with the uprising, and now there is this museum and gallery, it feels very pertinent and plays well to be exhibiting here — with what Ryan has brought to it, and this idea of the great peace," Claus said. "I think there is a lovely connection that happens between them.”

In another exploration of connection, Serrano touches upon the current challenges facing both nations, and the importance of the exhibition’s theme during such troubling times.

"Canada and South Korea have similar concerns right now in terms of their sovereignty. The multilateral arrangements in the world are changing, so we’re being forced to think differently about how we move in the world, and with whom we partner," Serrano said.

"As our daily lives become more difficult, we need to keep reminding ourselves that we all have the burden of carrying great peace. We may want to choose to move through the world attentive to the different burdens that people carry, and attentive to the fact that what we are trying to do is the long game. We can’t just think of the difficult short-term period we are living in, but that we’re all carrying this burden for a much longer timeframe.”

Reflecting on Gwangju and its role in Korea’s democratization, she said, “What Gwangju citizens did in 1980 is a set of decisions to fight — not an easy to decision to make — to hold ground, to collectively work with each other and help each other out. Those are all difficult decisions, and yet they did it."

When asked his personal impressions of the exhibition, Lafortune remarked on the opening drum performance by the Yangrim Samulnori Team.

“The traditional drum ceremony at the beginning reminded me a lot of traditional drum ceremonies from our First Nations back home," he said.

He took a more serious tone as he discussed the connection with Gwangju, which he was visiting for the second time.

“Let’s be frank: in today’s world, where democracy is attacked by all sides, it is one thing for a diplomat to provide an intellectual or geopolitical message," he said. "But there is no more powerful message than when it comes from an artistic perspective, from the heart, and that is exactly what it says today; it’s about connection and a message of democratization."

The connection with democracy and the specific First Nation represented at this event was made clear by Rice.

“On behalf of the artists and their artworks in the exhibition of Skennen’kowa ken?, we come in peace and bring the spirit we carry as Kanaien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) citizens of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) Confederacy, the oldest living participatory democracy in North America, to the Gwangju Biennale,” he said.

Arlo Matisz is an economics professor at Chosun University in Gwangju.