Apinan Poshyananda
Sereechai Puttes/Time Out Bangkok

Time Out meets Apinan Poshyananda

The Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Bangkok Art Biennale talks everything about the citywide art festival

Written by
Time Out Bangkok editors
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How did the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) come about?

Artists and art-minded individuals in Bangkok have been discussing the possibility and chances of Bangkok hosting a massive contemporary art event. Bangkok has hosted so many grand events involving everything from movies to fashion, but none on contemporary art. And that’s strange for a modern metropolis. In other parts of the world, city governments back these kinds of events. We think differently. In Thailand, we tend to think that having partners and a strong network can provide for the sustainability and longevity of an art event, so we turned to private organizations before asking government organizations for support. Through the BAB we want to expose rarely seen locations in the city such as Wat Pho, Wat Arun, Wat Prayun and East Asiatic, the latter of which will be open to the public for the first time.

What should one expect from the BAB?

Visitors to Bangkok have this stereotype of Bangkok—everything should be exotic, spectacular. But we’re presenting the unexpected. They will get to see contemporary art in some of the city’s most historic locations— we want to bridge the old and the new—but at the same time, they’ll see so many things along the way, from pollution to traffic, and those are unique experiences Bangkok also provides.

How do you think the BAB will change the art landscape of Bangkok?

BAB will bring art closer to people—it will put art in the park, malls, temples. Art is with us; it’s part of our lifestyle. I do think the younger generation already understands art and design and how to utilize them to communicate—through social media, for instance. Everything is art. And art is design. BAB will also change the internal landscape of how people accept art. Economics-wise, art can create income. It can lead to what we call a creative economy, which explains how one art piece, if it sells, can have an economic value. This is what the government has always wanted to achieve but never could because of several reasons. They come up with many projects, but these never last long. We, however, aim for continuity. Hopefully the people will feel a longing for what’s going to happen in the next biennale two years from now. We will also have many activities in-between.

Many people feel that art is something inaccessible. What are your thoughts on this?

I’d like everyone to feel that we live with art—you actually wake up and find yourself living with all kinds of art. The lip color you put on in the morning, the minimalist dress you’re wearing—art is actually part of your everyday life, you just don’t realize it. Thais are inherently artistic, so art lives in our DNA— and this is reflected on how we dress, how we move and beyond. The BAB will try to make everyone feel that art isn’t inaccessible. Art isn’t always placed in a boring white-walled gallery. In a museum? That’s even worse. Now we’re putting art right before you. Japanese artist Yayoi Kusuma’s dotted pumpkins, 14 of them, will be exposed in a public space for the public to see. Both kids and adults can see and feel them, and that’s something that’s never happened in Bangkok before.

Read about 5 artists you need to check out at Bangkok Art Biennale's venues in Pathumwan-Wireless area, and the historic East Asiatic Building is now open to the public to showcase Bangkok Art Biennale art works.

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