The Bangkok Art Biennale has announced the full line up of artists who will take part in its second edition, which opens 29 October and runs until 31 January 2021. 82 artists and collectives will exhibit across nine venues, including the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, the Museum Siam and, as in 2018, various historic temples, including Wat Pho Temple (commonly known at Temple of the Reclining Buddha); Wat Arun Temple and Wat Prayoon Temple.
The exhibitors are Marina Abramović, Irwan Ahmett and Tita Salina, Ai Weiwei, John Akomfrah, Ruangsak Anuwatwimon, Rushdi Anwar, Martha Atienza, Thanet Awsinsiri, Massimo Bartolini, Baatarzorig Batjargal, Nomin Bold, Elina Brotherus, Carlos Casas, Choy Ka Fai, Venzha Christ and Indonesia Space Science Society, Maisie Cousins, Frank Hallam Day, Nezaket Ekici, Leandro Erlich, Julia Fullerton-Batten, Miles Greenberg, Tada Hengsapkul, Maria Stamenković Herranz, Ho Rui An, Christian Jankowski, Reena Saini Kallat, Lampu Kansanoh, Anish Kapoor, Kaung Swan Thar, Yuree Kensaku, Kubra Khademi, Naiza Khan, Khvay Samnang, Ga Ram Kim, Elena Knox, Tan Kositpipat, Note Kritsada, Dinh Q. Lê, Haevan Lee, Lolay, Lu Yang, Rachel Maclean, Taus Makhacheva, Rania Matar, Dane Mitchell, Sarah Naqvi, New-Territories, with…, Uttaporn Nimmalaikeaw, Yoko Ono, Nipan Oranniwesna, P7, Jureeporn Pedking, Samer Peerachai, Buchachon Petthanya, Souliya Phoumivong, na Phuyuthanon, Ana Prvački, Thaiwijit Puengkasemsomboon, Charit Pusiri, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Pen-Ek Ratanaruang, Marinella Senatore, Andres Serrano, Michael Shaowanasai, Yanakorn Sinvatcharaporn, Rungruang Sittirerk, Minah Son, Dansoung Sungvoraveshapan, Wasinburee Supanichvoraparch, Melati Suryodarmo, Prateep Suthatongthai, Farhana Islam Tani, Yuken Teruya, Bussaraporn Thongchai, Narongyot Thongyu, Chantana Tiprachart, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Ubatsat, Bill Viola, Tawan Wattuya, Zhang Kechun, Zhou Xia Hu
The biennial, titled Escape Routes, is directed by Apinan Poshyananda, whose previous credits include the 9th Sydney Biennale (1992), the 4th Istanbul Biennale (1994) and the inaugural Johannesburg (1995) and Liverpool (1999) biennials. In a statement he said ‘In the grave, fragile “new normal” world we live in, cracks are appearing everywhere. In recent months, we have been immersed in fear and despair of the COVID-19 pandemic that has caused unprecedented calamity and disruption worldwide. The pandemic is a component in the desire for escapism.’
‘The challenge now, however, is how to represent artworks physically as well as online. Escaping from despair and unhappiness are our common goals but ways and means may differ. By experiencing art in the new era of pandemic and protests, art is a form of sympathy, release and hope. We remain resilient during uncertainty and will fight for our industry to continue presenting work. The biennale world was once crowded, now heavily retrenched, we present this show within a different context and will be one of the few this year.’
This article was updated with the full list of exhibitors
