We are happy to share that the work of our fellow Atta Kwami, who had passed away in 2021, is shown in Thailand Biennale 2023.

This year, the Thailand Biennale will be held in Chiang Rai, a province situated at the northernmost part of the country, under the theme “The Open World”. Artistic directors Rirkrit Tiravanija and Gridthiya Gaweewong, with curators Angkrit Ajchariyasophon and Manuporn Luengaram, will collaborate in exhibiting works from Thai and international artists from the Mekong region to the Amazon and beyond. The works address topical issues such as history, cultural diversity, and nature and ecology, and will be displayed across key venues in Chiang Rai such as art galleries, exhibition halls, museums, temples, and historic sites.

The biennale emphasizes learning from the past to guide us into the future, focusing on the historical context of Chiang Saen to the vibrant present of Chiang Rai. The exhibition explores micro-histories to capture the narratives of ordinary individuals within the context of Chiang Rai and serves as a launchpad to initiate dialogues through translocalism.

Additionally, it challenges the belief systems resulting from the pre-historical state era to the present day. These narratives range from the worship of local spirits, legends and folk tales to the region’s geopolitical landscape defined by the Anthropocene.

Atta Kwami was a prolific artist: painter, printmaker and art historian deeply rooted in his cultural heritage. He pursued his studies at the College of Art, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. In 1992, he married painter and printmaker Pamela Clarkson, and the following year, he undertook a printmaking course at the Royal College of Art, London, through a Commonwealth Scholarship.

His artwork 'DzidzƆ kple amenuveve (Joy and Grace)' can be found at Tobacco Warehouse of Tobacco Authority of Thailand, Chiang Rai Office.

The exhibition is on view from December 9, 2023 to April 30, 2024.

More information here

Read full Contemporaryand article here

Photo: Atta Kwami, Dzidzc kple amenuveve (Joy and Grace), 2021-2022 / 2023. Photo: C&