Bangkok Art Biennale 2024: Reflections After the Finale
Arriving in Bangkok for the final week of the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) 2024, titled Nurture Gaia, I knew my step counter was in for a serious workout across 11 diverse venues. Thankfully, Bangkok’s flat terrain made the journey manageable—though the city’s ever-present heat proved to be an endurance test in itself.
This year's biennale, marking its fourth edition, ran from October 24, 2024, to February 25, 2025, showcasing 76 artists from 39 countries. Over 240 artworks were spread across an array of venues, ranging from traditional heritage sites to cutting-edge contemporary spaces, each offering a unique engagement with the overarching theme: Nurture Gaia.
Theme and Concept
Nurture Gaia draws inspiration from the Greek goddess Gaia, symbolizing Mother Earth as a nurturer and life-giver. The theme urged reflection on humanity’s relationship with the planet, addressing pressing issues such as climate change, ecology, feminism, anthropology, and the politics of time and place. The selected works explored these concepts in visually and conceptually compelling ways, often incorporating mixed media, immersive installations, and site-specific pieces that engaged directly with their surroundings.
Venues: A Journey Through Art and Heritage
With time constraints and considerable distances between venues, I focused on seven key locations that provided a diverse yet cohesive experience of BAB 2024. Each space offered a distinct atmosphere, enhancing the impact of the exhibited works:
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC): The central hub of the biennale, housing a substantial portion of the exhibition over multiple floors.
Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC): A contemporary venue that showcased cutting-edge installations and digital media works.
One Bangkok: A sleek, modern space that provided a refined backdrop for contemporary pieces.
CentralWorld: Featured a striking singular installation, adding a thought-provoking contrast within a commercial space.
Museum Siam: A venue blending contemporary works with Thai cultural heritage, offering historical context to the biennale.
National Museum Bangkok: Displayed a mix of contemporary artworks and historical artifacts, creating a dialogue between past and present.
National Gallery: Hosted a significant number of paintings and sculptures, including a major installation by Agnes Arellano.
By focusing on these venues, I experienced a well-balanced cross-section of the biennale, merging contemporary experimentation with Bangkok’s rich cultural and historical fabric.
Artistic Highlights
The range of artistic expression at BAB 2024 was impressive, spanning sculpture, painting, performance art, and immersive installations. Among the most compelling works were:
"Still Life" by Elmgreen & Dragset (QSNCC): One of the most thought-provoking works of the biennale, Still Life featured the delicate hands emerging from a wall, cradling a small taxidermy bird. The bird, seemingly lifeless yet eerily still, created a powerful tension—was it alive, or had it succumbed to the fragility of existence? The contrast between the smooth, lacquered bronze hands—rendered in a ghostly white—and the frozen stillness of the bird evoked themes of care, mortality, and the delicate balance between preservation and decay.
Hung in a quiet, starkly lit space, the piece drew viewers into an intimate moment of contemplation. The soft, almost tender grip of the fingers on the bird made it impossible not to feel the weight of responsibility—was the hand offering protection, or had they arrived too late? The subtle automaton mechanism within the bird, causing faint movements, added an uncanny layer to the experience, making viewers question their own perception of life and stillness.
This was a personal favorite of mine, and I found myself unexpectedly compelled to comment on the work to the attendants, noting the eerie sensation of seeing a 'dead bird' that might not actually be dead. Even fully aware of the artificiality of the display, I still felt the need to alert someone, which speaks to the powerful psychological engagement the piece created. Elmgreen & Dragset, known for their ability to challenge reality through minimalist interventions, once again delivered a work that blurred the lines between art and human instinct.
"Project Pleiades" by Agnes Arellano (National Gallery of Thailand): This installation featured four nude, part-animal, part-human sculptures modeled on the artist’s own body, exploring themes of femininity and mythology. The statues, spot-lit in an otherwise darkened room, cast foreboding shadows that heightened the sense of mysticism and unease. Arranged around a brightly lit orange triangle, the installation evoked an esoteric ritual, with each sculpture cast in red, blue, green, and charcoal, further enhancing its enigmatic aura. The figures, positioned in dynamic yet meditative postures, appeared both vulnerable and empowered, referencing ancient fertility goddesses and shamanistic traditions.
The work draws on Arellano’s longstanding interest in spirituality, death, and rebirth, engaging with the cosmic and the corporeal. The title, Project Pleiades, alludes to the mythological Pleiades star cluster, often associated with femininity, transformation, and divine knowledge. The arrangement of the figures suggested a celestial alignment, emphasizing interconnectedness and the cyclical nature of existence. The stark contrasts of color and shadow amplified the work’s dreamlike, ritualistic atmosphere, leaving an indelible impression of otherworldly transcendence. The installation invited contemplation on the multiplicity of identities and the power of feminine archetypes across time and culture.
"Nature Study" by Louise Bourgeois (BACC):
A haunting, headless bronze sculpture of a six-breasted, sphinx-like figure, Nature Study (1984) delves deeply into mythological iconography, evoking themes of femininity, motherhood, and transformation. Louise Bourgeois, one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th and 21st centuries, consistently challenged conventional perceptions of the human condition through her deeply personal, often psychologically charged works. Throughout her career, she explored the complexities of memory, trauma, identity, and the subconscious, frequently returning to themes of maternity and protection in both nurturing and fearsome forms.
Nature Study presents a striking hybrid creature—a crouching, dog-like goddess figure with multiple breasts, simultaneously evoking the protective instincts of a mother and the raw, animalistic nature of survival. This enigmatic form, blending human and animal elements, recalls ancient mythological beings, particularly the sphinx, which in various cultures represents mystery, guardianship, and esoteric knowledge. The absence of a head adds an eerie quality to the work, forcing the viewer to focus on the body’s symbolism, its maternal associations amplified by the exaggerated anatomy. The sculpture embodies Bourgeois’ recurring engagement with the maternal body as both a site of power and vulnerability.
The work was displayed in a richly symbolic exhibition space, positioned alongside Janus in Leather Jacket (1968) and Femme (circa 1960), both of which explore transformation, sexuality, and the female form in various states of fragmentation and fluidity. The installation of these sculptures within a room painted a deep red—a color Bourgeois frequently associated with visceral emotion, passion, and psychological intensity—heightened the experience for viewers, reinforcing the themes of feminine strength and the dual nature of creation and destruction. The choice of red as an immersive backdrop also connected to Bourgeois' personal exploration of fear, anger, and desire, emotions that underpin much of her sculptural practice.
Adding further depth to the exhibition, Nature Study and its companion works were juxtaposed with sacred yoni stone carvings from the 15th-century Lopburi period. These ancient fertility symbols, rooted in Hindu and Buddhist traditions, underscored Bourgeois’ engagement with archetypal representations of femininity across cultures, positioning her contemporary work within a lineage of sacred and mythological iconography. This interplay between modern and historical objects encouraged a dialogue about the universality of certain themes—birth, protection, sexuality, and transformation—that have transcended time and geography.
For Australian audiences, Bourgeois’ work may be most vividly remembered through Maman (1999), her monumental spider sculpture that loomed outside the Art Gallery of New South Wales in late 2023. Towering and imposing, Maman served as both a symbol of maternal protection and an embodiment of the artist’s complex relationship with her own mother, reflecting themes of care, strength, and psychological tension. The presence of Nature Study within this exhibition offered a similarly powerful meditation on motherhood, presenting an alternative maternal figure—one that is part beast, part goddess, and wholly commanding in its presence.
Bourgeois’ ability to transform deeply personal experiences into universal, archetypal forms is a hallmark of her legacy. Nature Study, with its haunting, mythic resonance, continues to provoke contemplation on the intricate and often contradictory nature of femininity, power, and emotional memory—an enduring testament to the artist’s profound impact on contemporary sculpture.
"Breathing" by Choi Jeong Hwa (BACC and CentralWorld): A playful and interactive installation, Breathing transformed public spaces with vibrant, inflatable structures that oscillated between the organic and the surreal. A key feature, the Breathing Flower, a massive inflatable lotus outside BACC, pulsated rhythmically like a meditative breath, visually reinforcing the connection between nature and human existence. Positioned as part of the Breathing Forest, it reinforced themes of interconnectedness, mindfulness, and humanity’s delicate balance with nature.
The installation extended beyond the flower, incorporating a series of vividly colored inflatable fruits and vegetables, symbolising abundance and harmony with the natural world. At the heart of this immersive environment stood Golden Girl, a monumental, maternal figure that invited visitors to breathe together, evoking unity and shared human experience. Suspended in the vast void of the central atrium, this ethereal artwork came to life as its wings gracefully moved up and down, evoking the rhythmic motion of flight or a celestial being caught in perpetual hover. The gentle, undulating movement reinforced themes of transcendence, interconnectedness, and the delicate balance between the physical and the spiritual. As it hovered in this liminal space, Golden Girl seemed to breathe alongside the visitors, blurring the boundaries between art, environment, and the observer’s own presence within the installation. The space was designed as a contemplative retreat within the bustling city, transforming the urban landscape into a living, breathing entity.
Choi Jeong Hwa, a key figure in BAB since its inception, returned in 2024 with multiple installations that continued his dialogue between contemporary art and urban life. His work, with its accessible and joyful aesthetic, encouraged public engagement and introspection, reminding audiences that art can be both playful and profound, creating moments of stillness and connection in an otherwise chaotic world.
Critical Reception
The Bangkok Art Biennale 2024 received widespread acclaim for its ambitious scope and seamless integration of contemporary art within Bangkok’s diverse urban and historical settings. Attendees praised the curatorial vision, which successfully balanced international and local perspectives, offering a dynamic dialogue between tradition and innovation. The selection of artists reflected a commitment to diversity, ensuring a rich tapestry of artistic voices that resonated with a wide audience.
Many visitors were particularly drawn to the biennale’s ability to foster meaningful engagement, not only through thought-provoking installations but also through the immersive nature of the venues. The juxtaposition of contemporary works against historic backdrops added layers of interpretation, inviting deeper reflection on themes of environmentalism, identity, and cultural evolution. This thoughtful curation, combined with striking visual experiences, solidified BAB 2024 as a standout event in the global art calendar.
The fusion of tradition and innovation was a defining strength, as historic venues provided powerful backdrops for thought-provoking contemporary works. The biennale’s ability to inspire dialogue, evoke emotion, and challenge perspectives reaffirmed its significance. By incorporating both established and emerging voices, BAB 2024 continued to push artistic boundaries while making contemporary art more inclusive and engaging for all.
Final Thoughts
Beyond its grand scale and visual spectacle, the Bangkok Art Biennale 2024 left a lasting impression on me. The ability of certain works to provoke unexpected emotions—whether through eerie stillness, meditative movement, or symbolic interplay—reminded me of art’s power to transcend observation and demand participation. Some installations, like Still Life, challenged perception and instinct, while others, like Breathing, created an atmosphere of connection and reflection.
Walking through Bangkok, a city temporarily transformed by artistic intervention, I felt a renewed appreciation for how contemporary art can shape, challenge, and reimagine the spaces we inhabit. BAB 2024 was not just an exhibition but an experience—one that lingered long after leaving the venues, inviting deeper contemplation on the role of art in our lives.
As the biennale came to a close, it left behind a city transformed—where contemporary artistic expression momentarily altered the fabric of Bangkok’s landscape, inviting us all to consider what it truly means to nurture our world.
