Arin Rungjang has been appointed to the position as the province continues its preparation in the lead up to the reverred international contemporary art festival next year.
Mr Arin’s appoitement was confirmed by Phuket Governor Sophon Suwannarat at a press conference at Provincial Hall on Thursday (June 27).
Also present were Phuket Vice Governor Norasak Suksomboon, Anchalee Vanich Thepbut, President of the Phuket Arts Association, Rewat Areerob, President of the Phuket Provincial Administrative Organization (PPAO) and additional representatives from various relevant committees.
Although no specific details were shared during the press conference, the Nova Contemporary site explains that 49-year-old Bangkok-based artist Mr Arin “is known for deftly revisiting historical material, overlapping major and minor narratives across multiple times, places, and languages. His interest lies in lesser-known aspects of Thai history and their intersection with the present in various local sites and contexts. Objects, which can draw together distant events across time and space, are central to his investigations. His practice spans different media and often involves video and site-specific installation. In his exploration of history and everyday life experiences, he artfully dissects material and revisits master-narratives through the agency of small events.”
It was also confirmed at Thursday’s press conference that as part of the ongoing planning there are 36 different locations across the three principal districts of Kathu, Mueang and Thaland that are being considered to host selected art shows and exhibitions from participating artists during the festival. Further details on this would be released in due course, officials stated.
The decision for Phuket to host the Thailand Biennale arts festival was confirmed on Jan 11 this year by Minister of Culture Sermsak Phongpanich.
Thailand Biennale is a biennial (taking place every two years) international contemporary art exhibition initiated by the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture, Ministry of Culture, Thailand.
Next year’s event will be the fourth edition following previous events staged in Krabi (2018), Nakhon Ratchsima (2021) and Chiang Rai (2023).
Destinations are specifically selected based on their ability to generate capital and host high profile events that can contribute positively to the objective of promoting Thailand’s art scene on the international stage. Last year’s event in Chiang Rai saw over 245,000 visitors attend, both in person and online.
Governor Sophon on Thursday reiterated his previous comments that it will be an honour for Phuket to host the month-long festival, which will have numerous soft power advantages such as boosting tourism and creating jobs locally.
Kongsak Koophongsakorn, President of the Phuket Chamber of Commerce, had previously stated estimates that the five-month-long event will create more than 15,000 jobs and attract more than 5 million tourists, with associated revenues expected to exceed B40mn.