Lekha Shankar
It looks like a cultural rollercoaster is ahead for Bangkok, as the year slowly comes to an end.
Apart from the International Festival of Dance and Music, in September and October,
(https://www.bangkokfestivals.com) , the mega Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) has just announced its dates – from 24 October, for three full months, until 25 February.
This is the city’s most extensive art extravaganza, now in its fourth edition, which this year boasts of 76 artists from 39 countries.
These include two top artists/sculptors from India- George K and Ravinder Reddy (his striking bronze image of an Asian woman, has been a permanent image outside Central World for a long while), who will be attending BAB.
There is also the Indian-American artist Chitra Ganesh, and the renowned Brit-Indian artist Anish Kapoor whose book was released at the last BAB, and whose installation will become a permanent exhibit at this year’s BAB.
The Biennale will be spread over 11 venues in Bangkok-city, which includes galleries, museums, malls, as also Buddhist temples and the great Chaophaya River.
BAB is noted for its unique themes, and this year it is ‘Nurture Gaia’, where ‘Nurture’ deals with Nature, environment, climate change, and ‘Gaia’ ,the Earth-Mother, deals with upheavals, gender, feminism, and much else.
Needless to say, it’s a subject with much scope for discussion, during the talks, workshops, interactions with global artists, that are a highlight of this mega art- event.
Among the Curators, is the legendary performance-artist Marina Abramovic who has been attending every edition of BAB.
Artistic Director of BAB, Prof Apinand Poshyananda has a close link with the art-scene in India. He personally selected the two Indian artists, this year, and visited the Kochi Biennale, last year.
He stated that this year’s BAB was “More grandiose and challenging” than the previous ones.
The last word came from Thapana Sirivadhanabhakdi, CEO of Thai Bev Co, the chief sponsor of BAB . He described the mega art-extravaganza as dealing with
“ The planet, people, partnership, and peace!” Great words, from a business tycoon with a deep passion for art.
For more details of BAB, check https://www.bkkartbiennale.com/
November features two important cultural events- the World Film Festival of Bangkok, from 8 November -17 November , organised by the Nation media-group, and making a welcome come-back, with its indie films and film-makers. Many Indian films have been shown at this festival during the long tenure of its ardent Indophile director, the late Victor Silakong, and renowned film-maker Shyam Benegal was given a major award. Current director Dom Saron has selected 80 films for this year’s edition whose theme ‘New Horizons’ promises many new cinematic excitements.
For more details, check www.worldfilmbkk.com
November is also the month for the yearly KHON production, supported by the Queen’s Support Foundation, a spectacular show, with a huge cast, grand sets, live music, hi-tech effects. The Khon-dramas centre around stories from the ‘Rama Kien’ (the Thai ‘Ramayana’).This year’s drama is titled ‘ Chakra Avatar’ ,and centres around the kingly qualities of King Rama, right from his childhood. It’s a drama befitting the grand celebrations of the Thai King Rama X’s auspicious 72nd birthday, this year.
The Dates for the Khon-drama are from 7 November-8 December. The Tickets are always sold out- so make sure you get them early (www.thaiticketmajor.com)
So, fasten your seat-belts, for the rich and varied cultural rollercoaster ahead.
With this being the high tourism season in the city, it is a good time for foreign/Indian tourists to partake in the many cultural excitements of Bangkok too.