Beyond the White Cube: How Thailand's Nomadic Biennale is Redefining Exhibition Models in Southeast Asia

In a quiet bay in Krabi, a massive installation of inverted banyan trees hovers over the water's edge, their exposed root systems reaching toward the sky. Further north in the mountains of Chiang Rai, visitors gather beneath a sprawling crocheted installation filled with local spices and herbs, their senses engaged as they move through the space. Welcome to the Thailand Biennale, an ambitious experiment that's challenging conventional models of how and where contemporary art should be experienced.

When the Thailand Biennale launched in 2018, it arrived in a region already crowded with biennials. Singapore, Jakarta, Yogyakarta, Kuala Lumpur, and Taipei all hosted established events, most following a familiar pattern: white cube galleries in major urban centers, primarily serving metropolitan audiences. Thailand, with its vibrant art scene centered in Bangkok, might have been expected to follow suit. Instead, the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC) took a radical approach—a nomadic biennial that would travel to a different province with each edition, focusing exclusively on site-specific installations in natural, historical, and community contexts.

"The traditional model of the biennial is not the only model," explains Vimolluck Chuchat, Director of the OCAC. "We wanted to create something that reflected Thailand's diverse geographic and cultural landscape, something that would bring contemporary art to places where it rarely reaches, and bring new audiences to places they might never otherwise visit."

This peripatetic approach represents more than a novel curatorial framework—it's a deliberate strategy addressing several challenges facing contemporary art in Thailand. First, it confronts the extreme centralization of cultural resources in Bangkok, where over 90% of the country's galleries, museums, and art institutions are located. Second, it seeks to integrate contemporary art with tourism, one of Thailand's largest economic sectors, creating a model of cultural tourism that goes beyond beaches and temples. Finally, it positions Thailand distinctively within the competitive landscape of Asian biennials, establishing a unique identity rather than competing directly with more established events.

The inaugural edition in Krabi (2018) established the template. Curator Jiang Jiehong selected coastal beaches, limestone cliffs, mangrove forests, and small islands as venues, challenging 57 artists from 25 countries to respond to these dramatic natural settings. The results were spectacular: Yang Zhenzhong's ten inverted banyan trees along Kong Ka Pier created a surreal horizon line; Aurèle Ricard's bright yellow "Lost Dog" sculptures appeared unexpectedly in caves and forests; and Alicja Kwade's "Out of Ousia" placed polished marble spheres on a remote beach, playing with perceptions of natural and artificial.

The Krabi edition attracted international attention precisely because it offered something different from the usual biennial experience. Rather than viewers moving from gallery to gallery in climate-controlled environments, visitors found themselves on boats between islands, hiking forest trails, and negotiating tides to view works—physical journeys that became part of the artistic experience. Critics noted how this approach fostered different viewer relationships with the works, more embodied and contemplative than the often rushed gallery experience.

For the second edition in 2021, the biennale moved inland to Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat), expanding its scope from natural landscapes to include historical sites like the Phimai Historical Park with its Khmer-era temples. Curator Yuko Hasegawa developed the theme "Butterflies Frolicking on the Mud: Engendering Sensible Capital," exploring how art might generate forms of value beyond the economic.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced significant adaptations, with international artists creating works remotely or shipping detailed instructions for local teams to implement. This challenge inadvertently strengthened connections between visiting artists and local communities, as extended collaborations became necessary. Thai artist Krit Ngamsom's "Queen Cat"—a metallic sculpture of the region's famous Korat cat wearing a crown—emerged as a public favorite, drawing on local folklore and attracting visitors who rarely engage with contemporary art.

The current edition in Chiang Rai (2023-2024) represents the biennale's most ambitious iteration yet. Artistic directors Rirkrit Tiravanija and Gridthiya Gaweewong, both internationally acclaimed figures with deep connections to the region, developed "The Open World" as a framework examining cross-border connections in the Golden Triangle area where Thailand meets Myanmar and Laos. The exhibition spans 17 venues, from contemporary art spaces to ancient temples, with 60 artists from 21 countries creating works that explore histories of migration, trade, conflict, and cultural exchange.

This edition also introduced a significant innovation—13 "pavilions" curated by international partners, adapting the Venice Biennale model to the Thai context. These pavilions, representing countries including Japan, Korea, and Switzerland, as well as organizations like documenta, create micro-exhibitions throughout the city and surrounding areas, expanding the event's international network while maintaining site-specificity.

The Thailand Biennale's nomadic model presents significant logistical challenges. New infrastructure must be developed with each edition, local teams trained, and relationships with communities established from scratch. Weather poses particular difficulties for outdoor installations—Krabi's coastal works contended with sea spray and monsoon rains, while Chiang Rai's mountain venues experience dramatic temperature variations.

Yet these challenges have yielded unexpected benefits. Each edition builds capacity in its host region, training local arts administrators, technicians, and educators who continue working in their communities after the biennale departs. The event has catalyzed long-term arts infrastructure development, with several temporary venues from previous editions now established as permanent cultural spaces.

As Thailand prepares for the fourth edition in Phuket in 2025, the biennale's influence is expanding beyond national borders. Similar models are being considered in Vietnam and the Philippines, while established biennials in Korea and Taiwan have expanded into natural settings outside their traditional urban centers.

"What Thailand has accomplished is creating a biennial that genuinely reflects its context," observes Chinese curator Hou Hanru, who has followed the event since its inception. "Rather than importing a generic international art world structure, they've developed an exhibition model rooted in Thai realities—geographic diversity, cultural heritage, and tourism flows—while engaging meaningfully with global contemporary art discourse."

In a region where art biennials often struggle to distinguish themselves, the Thailand Biennale has found strength in embracing the country's unique characteristics rather than attempting to replicate models from elsewhere. By venturing beyond the white cube, it has created not just an exhibition but an entirely different way of experiencing art—one where landscape, heritage, and community become as integral to the encounter as the artworks themselves.