Canada Pavilion brings Indigenous vision of peace to Gwangju Biennale

The Canadian Pavilion at the Gwangju Biennale in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City centers on Skennen’kó:wa ken?, a Kanien’kehá:ka greeting and question about carrying great peace. The exhibition features works by Hannah Claus, Shelley Niro and Melissa General, all Kanien’kehá:ka Mohawk artists. Speakers linked the theme to Haudenosaunee peace philosophy, Gwangju’s democracy history and the city’s May 18 Democratic Movement in 1980.

Canadian Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lafortune gave the opening address at the Lee Kang Ha Museum on Sept. 5.

The exhibition title, Skennen’kó:wa ken? — Do You Carry Great Peace? — comes from a Kanien’kehá:ka daily greeting rooted in peace, mutual recognition and respect.

Ana Serrano said the question is rooted in the Haudenosaunee Great Law of Peace and sees peace as something carried through relationship, responsibility and community.

Ryan Rice said the pavilion was shaped by a decision to feature three Mohawk women artists to carry the message across.

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

Published Sep 9, 2026 7:40 am KST

Updated Sep 9, 2026 9:59 am KST

Melissa General stands in front of her work, "Nitewakenon (the place where I come from)," at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Nicole In

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."

Canadian Ambassador to Korea Phillippe Lafortune gives an opening address for the Canadian Pavilion of the Gwangju Biennale at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Arlo Matisz

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.

Ontario College of Art and Design President and Vice-Chancellor Ana Serrano speaks at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5, as Lee Sun, head curator of Lee Kang Ha Museum, looks on. Courtesy of Nicole In

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.”

Ryan Rice introduces "Parallel Worlds of Women" by Shelly Niro, on display for the Canadian Pavilion at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Arlo Matisz

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."

Indigenous Canadian artists Hannah Claus, Shelley Niro and Melissa General pose together at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Arlo Matisz

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.”

Hannah Claus stands in front of her work, "dish," at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Nicole In

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."

Shelley Niro stands in front of her work, "From Brantford, 2022-2024," at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Nicole In

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.

Canadian Ambassador to Korea Philippe Lafortune, fifth from left, stands with artists, curators and embassy personnel at the Lee Kang Ha Museum in Jeonnam-Gwangju Special Metropolitan City, Sept. 5. Courtesy of Nicole In

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

在全罗南道光州特别广域市举办的光州双年展加拿大馆以“Skennen'kó:wa ken?”为主题，这是一个卡尼恩凯哈卡族（Kanien'kehá:ka）的问候语，也是一个关于承载伟大和平的问题。展览展出了汉娜·克劳斯（Hannah Claus）、雪莉·尼罗（Shelley Niro）和梅丽莎·杰内拉尔（Melissa General）的作品，她们都是卡尼恩凯哈卡莫霍克族艺术家。演讲者将这一主题与豪德诺索尼（Haudenosaunee）的和平哲学、光州的民主历史以及1980年5月18日光州民主运动联系​​起来。

加拿大驻韩国大使菲利普·拉福图纳于9月5日在李康河博物馆发表了开幕致辞。

展览标题 Skennen'kó:wa ken? — 你拥有伟大的和平吗？ — 源自 Kanien'kehá:ka 的一句日常问候语，其根源在于和平、相互认可和尊重。

安娜·塞拉诺表示，这个问题根植于豪德诺索尼大和平法，并将和平视为通过关系、责任和社区来实现的东西。

瑞安·赖斯表示，展馆的设计理念源于邀请三位莫霍克族女性艺术家来传递信息。

举办场地李康河美术馆也曾于 2023 年和 2024 年承办了加拿大参加威尼斯双年展的国家馆。

发布于2026年9月9日 上午7:40（韩国标准时间）

更新于2026年9月9日上午9:59（韩国标准时间）

9月5日，梅丽莎·杰内拉站在她位于全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆的作品《夜醒（我的故乡）》前。图片由妮可·因提供。

全南光州特区——光州双年展加拿大馆的主题“你是否拥有伟大的和平”直白有力，而双年展本身的主题“你必须改变你的人生”也同样如此。但与抽象的变革诉求不同，加拿大馆提出的问题非常具体，而且很少有人能够迅速回答。

9月5日，加拿大驻韩国大使菲利普·拉福图纳在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河博物馆的开幕致辞中对此作出了解释。

“本次展览的标题‘Skennen'kó:wa ken?——你承载着伟大的和平吗？’源自卡尼恩凯哈卡族（Kanien'kehá:ka）的一句日常问候语，其根基在于和平、相互认可和尊重的理念，”拉福图纳说道。“它不仅仅是一句问候语，更是一个问题，它扪心自问：我们每个人将什么带入到我们的社区以及我们彼此之间的关系中？”

9月5日，加拿大驻韩国大使菲利普·拉福图纳在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆为光州双年展加拿大馆致开幕词。图片由阿洛·马蒂斯提供。

国家馆展出了汉娜·克劳斯、雪莱·尼罗和梅丽莎·杰纳尔三位卡尼恩凯哈卡（莫霍克）裔艺术家的作品。

展览指南解释道：“在豪德诺索尼社会中，女性肩负着至关重要的责任，她们是生命的赋予者、土地的守护者和和平的守护者。”三位原住民艺术家的作品以其引人注目且意义深远的视角，探索了这些角色和责任。文字描述难以量化或概括其影响力，唯有亲身观赏或在线观看，方能充分领略其精髓。

安大略艺术设计学院 (OCAD) 院长 Ana Serrano 就此问题的含义以及 OCAD 在此场合提出此问题的角色提供了进一步的见解。

“这个问题根植于豪德诺索尼大和平法，它将和平理解为一种关系、责任和社群共同维系的纽带，而非被动的。这在光州这座城市尤其具有共鸣，因为这座城市的历史提醒我们，民主依赖于勇气、想象力和参与，”她说道。

9月5日，安大略艺术设计学院院长兼副校长安娜·塞拉诺在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆发表讲话，李康河美术馆首席策展人李善在旁聆听。图片由妮可·因提供

OCAD旗舰专业画廊Onsite Gallery的执行董事兼策展人瑞安·赖斯(Ryan Rice)解释了搭建展馆的过程和视角。“安娜·塞拉诺(Ana Serrano)说，要围绕民主与和平的理念进行创作。我是在我熟悉的框架内进行创作，同时也借鉴了其他豪德诺索尼联盟(Haudenosaunee)成员的历史贡献，以及我们如何奠定基础，”赖斯说道。

“这让我们想到，‘也许应该只由豪德诺索尼艺术家来创作。比如，让三位莫霍克族女艺术家来传递这个信息怎么样？’大多数豪德诺索尼艺术家都会在他们的作品中涉及这些元素，因为这是一种非常强大的哲学，它已经深深植根于我们的知识之中。”

瑞安·赖斯 (Ryan Rice) 于 9 月 5 日在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆加拿大馆，介绍了雪莉·尼罗 (Shelly Niro) 的作品“女性的平行世界”。图片由阿洛·马蒂斯 (Arlo Matisz) 提供。

该展馆所在的李康河美术馆曾于 2023 年和 2024 年举办过加拿大国家馆双年展。

博物馆首席策展人孙李解释了博物馆的价值观如何与今年的加拿大馆相契合。

李说：“通过这次合作，我对卡尼恩凯哈卡族的传统有了更深的理解，我认为和平不仅仅是一个抽象的理想。它与持续不断的相互认可和尊重，以及维护社区内部和社区之间关系的实践紧密相连。”

“对我而言，此次展览最有意义的方面之一是，他们对和平、记忆和社区的看法如何与光州具有特殊意义的价值观产生共鸣。”

拉福尔图纳还提到了主办城市的重要性，这里是 1980 年 5 月 18 日民主运动的发生地。

“光州的历史，特别是5·18民主运动，赋予了这座城市在韩国民主、人权和尊严发展史上独特的地位。光州提醒我们，记忆不仅仅是回顾过去，更是为了塑造更美好的未来。”他说道。

“将我们的艺术家带到光州，为对话创造了一个重​​要的机会：探讨社会如何铭记艰难的历史，社区如何保护他们的文化和尊严，以及我们如何将这些经验传承下去。”

9月5日，加拿大原住民艺术家汉娜·克劳斯、雪莉·尼罗和梅丽莎·杰纳尔在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆合影。照片由阿洛·马蒂斯提供。

虽然艺术家们更愿意让作品本身说话，但他们也分享了自己对光州的印象。

当被问及在李康河美术馆工作的感受时，尼罗回答说：“这里是个很棒的地方。我很高兴能来到这里。创作艺术真的很有趣。”

将军对当地人民的印象也同样积极。“大家都非常支持我们，”她说。“我觉得我们受到了很好的照顾。”

汉娜·克劳斯进一步阐述了他们与该场地的合作体验。“了解了这座博物馆，知道​​李舜臣的父亲曾参与起义，如今又有了这座博物馆和画廊，在这里举办展览感觉非常契合，也恰到好处——瑞恩的理念与‘伟大和平’的理念相得益彰，”克劳斯说道，“我认为他们之间有一种美好的联系。”

9月5日，汉娜·克劳斯站在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆内，她的作品“碟子”前。图片由妮可·因提供。

在对联系的另一次探索中，塞拉诺谈到了两国目前面临的挑战，以及在如此动荡的时期，展览主题的重要性。

塞拉诺说：“加拿大和韩国目前在主权问题上有着相似的担忧。世界上的多边安排正在发生变化，因此我们不得不重新思考我们在世界上的行动方式以及与谁合作。”

随着日常生活变得越来越艰难，我们需要不断提醒自己，我们都肩负着维护和平的重任。我们或许应该选择关注人们所承受的不同负担，并意识到我们所追求的是长远目标。我们不能只着眼于眼前的困境，而应该意识到，我们都将在更长的时间里背负这份重担。

回顾光州及其在韩国民主化进程中的作用，她说：“1980年光州市民所做的，是一系列为了捍卫阵地、团结协作、互相帮助而做出的决定——这些决定并不容易做出。这些都是艰难的决定，但他们做到了。”

9月5日，雪莉·尼罗站在她位于全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆的作品《来自布兰特福德，2022-2024》前。图片由妮可·因提供。

当被问及他对展览的个人印象时，拉福尔图纳评论了杨林四物剧团的开幕鼓乐表演。

他说：“开场的传统击鼓仪式让我想起了家乡原住民的传统击鼓仪式。”

在谈到与光州的联系时，他的语气变得严肃起来，这是他第二次访问光州。

“坦白地说，在当今世界，民主受到各方攻击，外交官提供理性或地缘政治信息是一回事，”他说。“但没有什么信息比来自艺术视角、发自内心的信息更有力量，而这正是今天所传达的；它关乎联结，关乎民主化的信息。”

赖斯明确阐述了民主与本次活动所代表的特定原住民之间的联系。

“我谨代表 Skennen'kowa ken? 展览中的艺术家及其作品，怀着和平的心情，将我们作为北美现存最古老的参与式民主国家——豪德诺索尼（易洛魁）联盟的卡纳伊恩凯哈卡（莫霍克）公民的精神带到光州双年展。”他说。

9月5日，加拿大驻韩国大使菲利普·拉福图纳（左五）与艺术家、策展人和使馆工作人员在全罗南道光州特别广域市李康河美术馆合影。图片由妮可·因提供。

阿洛·马蒂斯是光州朝鲜大学的经济学教授。