The Facts
On August 28, 2026, Galerie Max Hetzler announced that Matthew Barney's 1988 video work 'SCABACTION' is included in the 16th Gwangju Biennale, titled 'You Must Change Your Life,' inspired by Rainer Maria Rilke's poem. The work, Barney's first video made as an art student, is rarely screened publicly and introduces themes of the body as a site of transformation. Additionally, Barney's installation 'ZONE DEFENSE: Old Snowmass Parallax' is presented in the Rocky Mountains near Aspen, viewable by appointment. Works by Barney, Katharina Grosse, and Thomas Struth are featured in 'A Thousand Times Berlin' at Hamburger Bahnhof, Berlin, marking the museum's 30th anniversary with over 70 works by more than 50 artists. Barney's works are also included in the inaugural exhibition 'Don’t have hope, be hope!' at Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo's new location on Isola di San Giacomo in Venice, and in 'In the Studio: Space, Work, Legend' at Bündner Kunstmuseum, Chur. Barney's five-channel video installation 'SECONDARY,' performed in 2023-2024, explores a 1978 football accident, and his work with Raymond Hains will feature in 'Exposition générale' at Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, Paris, from October 25. Barney has been elected an Honorary member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters, inducted in May 2024.
The Signal
This flurry of institutional presentations underscores Barney's sustained relevance across generations and geographies, from the Gwangju Biennale's thematic focus on transformation to the Fondation Cartier's historical survey. For collectors, the rare screening of 'SCABACTION' signals a deepening interest in Barney's early, formative work, which may influence market demand for his video pieces. The inclusion in multiple major group shows—spanning Berlin, Venice, Chur, and Paris—reinforces his standing as a pivotal figure in contemporary art, while the Honorary Academy membership adds institutional prestige. The 'SECONDARY' installation, with its accompanying publication, offers a deeper dive into his process, appealing to scholars and serious collectors alike.
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- Artists: Matthew Barney, Katharina Grosse, Thomas Struth, Glenn Brown, Victor Man, Danielle Mckinney, Albert Oehlen, Paul McCarthy, Raymond Hains
- People: Matthew Barney, Rainer Maria Rilke, Jack Tatum, Darryl Stingley, Eric Banks, Jonathan Bepler, Raven Chacon, Mark Godfrey, Juliette Lecorne, Helen Marten, Maggie Nelson, David Thomson, Louise Neri
- Galleries: Galerie Max Hetzler
- Museums: Gwangju Biennale, Hamburger Bahnhof, Fondazione Sandretto Re Rebaudengo, Bündner Kunstmuseum, Fondation Cartier pour l’art contemporain, American Academy of Arts and Letters
- Locations: Gwangju, Berlin, Venice, Chur, Paris, Aspen, Old Snowmass
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