For the first time in its history, Phuket becomes the stage for the Thailand Biennale of Contemporary Art – the country’s most significant public art event. Preparations for this five-month celebration have spanned a full two years of curatorial dialogue and organizational work. On the following pages, we will present a visual journey through Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025, but first, let us begin with its concept and essential foundations.

The Theme

The Biennale’s theme appears in two languages: Eternal [Kalpa] in English and Niran [Kalp] in Thai. Participating artists explore the relationship between humanity and nature, the infinite and the fleeting, the human and the divine.

The first word – Eternal / Niran – is an everyday expression of “forever,” grounded in human experience. The second – Kalpa / Kalp – belongs to Buddhist cosmology: the “Day of Brahma,” believed to span 4.32 billion years. What we perceive as eternity is, in divine time, a single day.

The Curators

Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025 is shaped by four curators: two Thai and two international, two men and two women, representing both East and West.

Arin Rungjang – Thai artist and founder of the collective As Yet Unnamed, who represented Thailand at the Venice Biennale 2013.

David Teh – scholar of contemporary Thai art, author, and co-curator of the Istanbul Biennial 2022.

Marisa Phandharakrajadet – a France-based curator and lecturer, whose research bridges Thai and European artistic practices.

Hera Chan – Hong Kong–born curator and art writer based in Amsterdam, known for her work on postcolonial aesthetics.

The Venues

Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025 spans five months and unfolds across 19 main venues and 13 art pavilions. Additional installations are open at hotels, restaurants and private galleries.

The opening took place on the Saphan Hin waterfront, which serves as the Biennale’s central site during its first month with large-scale sculptures such as Richest Roller and Dhewina, and the popular mangrove walkway transformed into an illuminated art trail. This is the ideal starting point for discovering the Biennale.

In December, new exhibitions are set to open in the Queen Sirikit 72nd-Anniversary Park and in several historic buildings in Phuket Town. Outside of Town, exhibition sites include the old distillery in Kathu, Promthep Cape in Rawai and Nai Harn Beach (the full list is available at www.thailandbiennale.org).

 

Suuko Pavilion

From the very first days of the Biennale, the Suuko Wellness & Spa Resort in Chalong has opened its doors as a major venue – in fact, hosting four pavilions, each dedicated to contemporary art from a different region of Thailand:

• Andaman Pavilion
• Lanna Pavilion
• Isan Pavilion
• Gulf of Siam Pavilion

At present, the Suuko Pavilion hosts the largest exhibition of the Biennale, making it the second must-visit location on your Thailand Biennale Phuket 2025 journey.

The festival continues through the end of April, carrying visitors through Chinese New Year, Thai Songkran, and several seasons of the island’s cultural life – echoing the idea of Niran [Kalpa].

65 artists from 25 countries are taking part in the Biennale, presenting their works across 19 sites throughout Phuket until the end of April

For more information, visit www.thailandbiennale.org