Customize Consent Preferences

We use cookies to help you navigate efficiently and perform certain functions. You will find detailed information about all cookies under each consent category below.

The cookies that are categorized as "Necessary" are stored on your browser as they are essential for enabling the basic functionalities of the site. ... 

Always Active

Necessary cookies are required to enable the basic features of this site, such as providing secure log-in or adjusting your consent preferences. These cookies do not store any personally identifiable data.

No cookies to display.

Functional cookies help perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collecting feedback, and other third-party features.

No cookies to display.

Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics such as the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.

No cookies to display.

Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.

No cookies to display.

Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with customized advertisements based on the pages you visited previously and to analyze the effectiveness of the ad campaigns.

No cookies to display.

Bangkok’s getting their very first art biennale next year

Art lovers in Singapore will be thrilled to know that Bangkok will be getting its first art bienalle set to happen from Nov-Feb next year. The fifth edition of the Singapore Biennale, titled “Atlas of Mirrors” ended last February and showcased 58 pieces and installations from 60 artists (10 of which are Singaporean) and three art collectives.

We’re even sending an artist for the 57th Venice Biennale which is currently on-going. It looks like Thai contemporary art is about to get catapulted onto the global stage just like Singapore’s did. After the initial announcement back in May, the organizers held their first official press conference this week (Jul 4), announcing just how big they expect this thing to be.

The answer: over 3 million people big. The chairman of the administrative committee, Thanpana Sirivadhanabhakdi, announced that he expects to attract 3.3 million visitors over the four-month period, mostly through tourism.

Alongside the exhibition’s chief executive and artistic director, Prof. Dr. Apinan Posyananda, he also announced plans to host three biennales in total: in 2018, 2020 and 2022. The biennale itself can be seen as a spin-off to the success of the 2015 group exhibition of contemporary Thai artists, Thailand Eye, at Saatchi gallery in London.

With artists like Rirkrit Tiravanija, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook and Somboon Hormtientong (who’s currently representing Thailand in this year’s Venice Biennale) establishing strong global acclaim, the idea to host Bangkok’s first biennale now makes a lot of sense. 

“We will be following the Venice Biennale model, respecting the heritage sites and to show that contemporary work has cultural value,” said Prof. Dr. Apinan, who stressed that, while expanding state pockets, the event also plans to encourage aspiring artists through work placements, workshops and guided tour.

The list of exhibiting artists is yet to be announced, as the organizer is currently running an open call for international and local artists until Sep 30, 2017. The shortlist is expected to be confirmed by the end of Jan 2018

Popularized by Venice’s famous biennial art show, which first took place in 1895, the term “biennale” is nowadays commonly used to describe large-scale recurring international contemporary art exhibitions.

Here’s a sneak look at some of the host venues, in case you’re planning ahead: