THAILAND BIENNALE SITE VISIT

With Krabi being the designated venue, all the works are inevitably site-specific installations. Jiang Jiehong, the curator, hosted a trip that took the 70 artists to study the actual sites, including their cultural and historical contexts, that they will have to work with before the artists will eventually chose the sites where their works will be installed. Following, the artists will submit proposals before starting to develop their works together with the curator. The sites for the Biennale are scattered across both land and sea and span from Noppharat Thara Beach, Railay Beach, the Poda Islands and the Splitting Sea to Than Bok Khorani National Park. Such variation led to quite a unique site visit experience since the artists and curators had to jump on a boat, hopping from one island to another, climb rocks, walk into the sea to explore the open ground hidden in a cave as well as brainstorm with local artists about the different possibilities of using local materials.

The results of the site visit aren’t really tangible yet, as a travel destination such as Krabi being chosen for the Biennale’s venue is a rather difficult task for artists to work with. The question that every artist needs to really think about is the way to install their works in the natural setting (that is already beautiful). But this is what makes Thailand Biennale interesting. It’s not about choosing famous works and placing them in famous spots for people to see. What Jiang Jiehong is about to show us nine months from now is a connection between art and nature (and tourism). And what’s even more exciting is the experience that viewers are going to have from visiting Thailand Biennale because we’re about to witness an art viewing experience where people will have to put on their bathing suits, jump in a car, and on a boat to see the hidden artworks with the beautiful southern archipelago serving as their setting.