This year the Bangkok Art Biennale launched what felt like a new era of art appreciation in Thailand. Featuring 75 artists from 30 countries and presented across 20 venues throughout the city, it truly did bring art to the people of Bangkok. The thought and care it took to negotiate the presence of contemporary art in three iconic temple campuses was truly admirable and as a viewer extremely moving.
Curated by Dr. Apinan Poshyananda, Chief Executive and Artistic Director, the Biennale featured some fantastic work by international artists, but I was pleased to discover some exceptional Thai artists for the first time. I was also really impressed with the BAB team that organized a beautiful VIP tour around the city and the temples. They also gave us direct access to the artists which was wonderful. The bulk of the show was presented at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center
My week ended with an engaging studio visit with one of my favorite artists Jakkai Siributr.
In addition to the extensive Biennale, an exceptional young Thai artist Korakrit Arunanondchai curated an exceptional international video platform showing at several locations around Bangkok called Ghost2561.
