Art exhibitions in Chiang Mai this May

Five artists come together here under the theme ‘Northern Show’, with works that draw from landscape, daily life and connections to place. Painting and mixed media sit side by side, with each artist approaching the idea of regional identity from a slightly different angle. Featured artists include Ploeng Watsan and Kriengkrai Thamnamueang, alongside Uthai Harasarn, Ruangsak Padthawaro and Sarawut Dolrasri. The show is installed in exhibition hall three and sits within the museum’s ongoing programme highlighting artists from the north.

Chiang Mai Art Museum. Ban Sa Ha Khon, Mae On. 9am-5pm. May 2-31

Jin Li’s solo show centres on calligraphy, but not in a strictly traditional sense. The works move between controlled technique and more expressive gestures, pushing the format into something looser and more personal. Based between academic training and independent practice, Jin Li draws from both worlds here, with pieces that focus as much on movement and rhythm as they do on form. The space itself runs on an appointment basis, so it’s worth planning ahead before heading out.

Makok Art Space. 445 Moo 7, Namprae, Hang Dong. By appointment only. Until May 24

This one shifts the focus to artists who spend most of their time in the classroom. Class 2 Canvas brings together a group working across Thailand, with painting, mixed media and other contemporary formats in the mix. The idea is simple: show the work that happens alongside teaching, not just what’s taught. Artists include Aigul Ibatullina, Ben Guy, Catherine Head and Marlena Das, among others. There’s also a series of workshops running through the month, covering everything from performance to more hands-on formats like object exchange and knitting.

Fãr Studios. 7 Kow Klang Soi 3. Tue-Sun 11.30am-5.30pm. May 9-30

Chitti Kasemkitvatana’s latest exhibition lands as the final part of a three-year project looking at time. Titled ‘Epilogue: A Diffraction Grating’, the show pulls together references from science, religion and personal memory, using light as a starting point for how things overlap and shift. The idea of superposition runs through the work, where multiple states exist at once rather than settling into a single reading. There’s a walk with the artist on opening day if you want more context, but the exhibition holds its own if you prefer to move through it at your own pace.

Opening reception May 16, 6:30pm-8pm. Gallery Seescape. 22/1 Soi 17 Nimmanhaemin Road. Tuesday-Sunday 10am-5pm. May 16-July 30

Kailash Mani’s solo show leans into what they describe as ‘Outsider Art’, with work that sits outside formal structures and draws heavily from personal experience. Themes of migration, memory, loss and hope run through the exhibition, with a mix of raw imagery and more introspective pieces. Curated by Jirarat Chaiyarach and Reinhard Kressner, the show opens on May 16 from 6pm. Head High Second Floor operates as a non-profit space within a residential setting in the Old Town, so visits tend to feel more informal than a typical gallery.

Opening reception May 16, 6pm onwards. Head High Second Floor. 28/1 Singharat Road, Si Phum, Old Town. By appointment only. Closed Wednesdays and Sundays. May 16-June 26