Two Taiwan acts have been invited to participate in the inaugural Thailand Biennale — the foremost international exhibition of contemporary arts in Thailand — with their chosen works going on display at different outdoor sites at the southern region of Krabi from Nov. 2, 2018 through Sept. 28, 2019.
Tu Wei-cheng (涂維政) is an unconventional artist in Taiwan's contemporary art scene whose works span sculptures, visual arts, photographs, and large installations. Tu's works often contain elements of inception that question and explore relations between the old and the new; traditionalism and modernism; authenticity and duplicity; as well as art and commercialism.
In Thai culture, traditional and popular myths insinuate themselves in history. Through "Giant Ruins," Tu explores the boundaries between the realms of real and fictional to rethink history. His installation includes an information board relating the past and popular beliefs around the region of Krabi, which replaces the fake archaeological ruins previously displayed outside the cave.
Inside of the cave the artist further challenges common expectations of exhibiting spaces through fictitious replicas of bronze ware, clay statues, and tools traditionally belonging to Thai culture and legends. Archaeology, through the reproduction of accurate-looking fakes and their preservation in museum-like glass cases, testify to a past that is situated on the edge between reality and myth.
Luxury Logico (豪華朗機工) from Taiwan creates a wide range of works spanning films, dance, architecture, pop music, economic behavioral studies, and drama by integrating science with art. Embracing the concept of "hybrid," the group incorporates music, visual art, and installation to explore human society, and to find balance between technology and culture.
Thailand, known for its tropical beaches and golden temples, often evokes dreams of a peaceful and idyllic land. Luxury Logico explores the realms of imagination through their installation at Thara Park. Located on the seashore, "Voyage in Time" consists of a traditional wooden boat of approximately twenty meters, ornamented by various decorations. Its unexpected shape and motifs challenge public expectations and stimulate imagination.
Using digital technology and 3D printing, the artists have created a model in collaboration with local boat builders. The boat symbolizes the participation of local communities and traditional craftsmanship, tackling the relevance of the intersecting flows that shape one’s everyday realities. At a first glance, the boat's extreme and hybrid design appear to be an optical illusion, instilling doubts in the viewer's mind about his or her lucidity.
The two site-specific installations from Taiwan will be offered with curatorial statements in the Thai language, thanks to the help of volunteer translators at the National Immigration Agency's Taoyuan Service Center.
As a tribute to the growing cultural ties and friendship between Taiwan and Thailand, both works by Tu and Luxury Logico will be donated to Krabi Province and remain in Thailand upon the biennale's conclusion in February 2019.
Thailand Biennale Krabi 2018