CHOI JEONG HWA, Dandelion, 2018, variable objects and steel, 800 × 800 × 800 cm. Courtesy the artist and Bangkok Art Biennale.
On
July 4, the Bangkok Art Biennale announced the 45
local and international artists set to participate in its fourth
edition, themed “Nurture Gaia,” which is slated to run from October 24, 2024 to
February 25, 2025.
With
a curatorial team led by chief executive and artistic director Apinan
Poshyananda, the Biennale will showcase a diverse array of paintings, drawings,
video works, sculptures, and installations by both established and emerging
artists, a quarter of whom will be exhibited for the first time. Hailing from
28 countries, the roster of participating artists includes Algerian-French
installation artist Adel Abdessemed, Singaporean new media artist Priyageetha
Dia, Scandinavian sculptural artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, Brooklyn-based
artist Chitra Ganesh, Thai ceramicist Dusadee Huntrakul, Japanese sculptor AKI
INOMATA, and Māori artist Lisa Reihana, among others.
The
Biennale has also unveiled its program for Vernissage week, encompassing a
series of performances and symposiums. Highlights include a performance piece
by Irish-born, Helsinki-based artist Kira O’Reilly, who reimagines menopause as
a utopian experience; a theatrical piece by Dublin-based performer Amanda
Coogan, celebrating the dynamism of the deaf community through sign language; a
video installation by Berlin- and Hong Kong-based conceptual artist Isaac Chong
Wai, investigating the dynamics of collective body interactions; and vibrant,
technicolor sculptures by Seoul-based designer Choi Jeong Hwa will be
displayed at various venues across the Biennale.
The Biennale’s theme, which was announced in October 2023, draws inspiration from the ancient
personification of Mother Earth, symbolizing growth and new life within various
cultures. Rooted in the Gaia Hypothesis, which posits that the Earth operates
as a living organism sustaining both organic and inorganic life, the exhibition
will delve into scientific theories and philosophies such as ecology, anthropology, collectivism, and eco-social politics. To complement
these themes the Biennale will be hosted across nine historic landmarks
and public spaces, including ancient heritage sites such as the Temple of the
Reclining Buddha and the Temple of Dawn, Museum Siam in Bangkok’s
historic Phra Nakhon District, as well as various art galleries located throughout
the city.
Founded
in 2017, the Bangkok Art Biennale is one of Thailand’s largest contemporary art
events, transforming the capital city into a center of art, creativity, and
culture over a period of four months.
Mioie Kwok is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.
