What will be the “new normal” for organizers and audiences of large-scale cultural festivals? The Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) might offer a preview for the rest of the world as it forges ahead with its second edition in October. Much has changed in the two years since the inaugural event, titled “Beyond Bliss,” which attracted more than two million visitors to 20 locations across the Thai capital, including art venues, famous temples, historical buildings, and even shopping malls. ArtAsiaPacific caught up with BAB’s chief executive and artistic director, Apinan Poshyananda, to discuss the unique challenges of organizing an international biennale with 82 artists and collectives in the middle of a pandemic, and contemplate what art can offer people today.
What will be the “new normal” for organizers and audiences of large-scale cultural festivals? The Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) might offer a preview for the rest of the world as it forges ahead with its second edition in October. Much has changed in the two years since the inaugural event, titled “Beyond Bliss,” which attracted more than two million visitors to 20 locations across the Thai capital, including art venues, famous temples, historical buildings, and even shopping malls. ArtAsiaPacific caught up with BAB’s chief executive and artistic director, Apinan Poshyananda, to discuss the unique challenges of organizing an international biennale with 82 artists and collectives in the middle of a pandemic, and contemplate what art can offer people today.
