Under the theme “Angels and Mara”, the fifth edition of the Bangkok biennale brings together 72 acclaimed Thai and global artists to explore conflict, resilience and light across the city’s iconic temples and modern landmarks.
This is perhaps one of the most relevant themes for a biennale in recent memory. Opening today in a capital famously nicknamed the “City of Angels” (Krung Thep), the Bangkok Art Biennale 2026 (BAB 2026) embraces “Angels and Mara”, handing curators and artists a rich, dualistic canvas to decode the vast spectrum between light, temptation, and modern crisis.
Running from today through February 28, 2027, this monumental exhibition transforms Bangkok’s centuries-old temples and sleek modern spaces into an active, citywide stage where ancient mythology and contemporary global struggles directly confront one another.
Navigating Light, Temptation, and Human Emotion
The theme symbolises temptation, desire and the invisible forces that test human awareness, inviting artists to examine how “angels” and “mara” coexist within modern society and our shared consciousness.
“An angel can be so gentle—the messenger and the protector,” explains Prof. Dr. Apinan Poshyananda, Chief Executive and Artistic Director of the Bangkok Art Biennale. “But sometimes fallen angels can be disastrous. Mara, on the other hand, can represent strength or something dark and threatening. In psychology and medicine, Mara is that state where you exist between the dream and awakeness.”
Through painting, sculpture, film, video, photography, and live performance art, participating artists extensively interpret the theme to create striking, site-specific installations. The resulting dialogue extends far beyond the canvas, sparking rich interactions between the artists, visitors, historic venues and the artworks themselves.
Spotlight: Striking Interpretations Across Heritage Venues
Inside the historic Issaravinitchai Throne Hall at the National Museum, visitors are immediately confronted with Angel by renowned Chinese dynamic duo Sun Yuan & Peng Yu. The installation features a fallen, ageing male angel lying motionless on the floor, prompting viewers to contemplate whether the celestial figure has been discarded or simply grew too old and had to retire. When first exhibited in London, this hyper-realistic work created a massive viral sensation, with onlookers momentarily convinced a real angel had fallen from the sky.
Just around the corner, The Bellow by emerging Thai artist Vayupad Ruttanapet offers a dramatic contrast: a sculpture depicting angels mid-shout. Vayupad leaves it entirely up to visitors to decide whether the figures are scolding or bestowing a fierce blessing upon them.
“I love to represent the angels as beings that have emotions—love, hate, and anger,” says Vayupad of his expressive work.
At the very center of the hall, Chinese artist Liu Jianhua commands attention with Square (Siamese Triangle), a brand-new, site-specific installation created exclusively for BAB 2026. Evolving from his original 2014 series Square, this reworked installation features liquid-like pool sculptures of gold-glazed porcelain resting on steel plates, arranged into a striking triangular formation. The shape thoughtfully leads the viewer's eye directly toward the focal point of the hall—the historic Busabok Kerin (a traditional Thai spired pavilion throne with side extensions) situated before the central double doors. As the polished, mirror-like porcelain surfaces catch and reflect the crimson ceiling murals and golden starlight motifs above, the work sparks a subtle yet captivating dialogue between contemporary art, royal heritage, and sacred cosmology inside the former palace of the Front Palace Prince (Wang Na).
Over at Silpakorn University’s Art Gallery—another standout historical venue on the biennale route—American artist Mel Chin offers a playful, fun-filled spin on the theme. Titled “Love Is in the Air”, Chin turns iconic Thai folklore ghosts like Krasue and Krahang on their heads. Transforming terrifying spirits into an immersive installation room filled with ghost-themed objects under a spinning disco ball set to the iconic track “Love Is in the Air”, Chin demonstrates a remarkably inventive way of playing with darkness, folklore and light-hearted temptation.
Don't Miss: Opening Weekend Live Performances at BACC
Mark your calendars for the opening weekend! The Bangkok Art Biennale is presenting a compelling program of live performances at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) on the 7th and 9th floors, running from October 29 to November 1, 2026.
Spanning durational acts and movement to live painting and interactive ritual, the opening performance lineup includes:
Forrest Wong – Stand by and Observe
Amrit Karki – A Fallen Petal Floating on the River of Time
Beyond Pressure – Fingers Poetic: Between Bend and Straight
Chomphunut Phutta – WOMARA
Arahmaiani – Flag Project Thailand
Amrita Hepi – Inheritance
Jason Lim – Alchemy-Breath
Mika Tamori – Liquid Skies (Psychotropism Series)
A Citywide Stage for Contemporary Art
The exhibition spans an extraordinary mix of venues across Bangkok:
Contemporary Hubs: The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) and the innovative urban development One Bangkok, Alliance Francaise Bangkok, Central World, Siam Paragon & Siam Discovery
Revered Heritage Sites: Iconic temples like Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), and Wat Prayoon (Temple of Iron Fences).
Cultural & Academic Institutions: Museum Siam, the Issaravitnitchai Throne Hall at the National Museum and Silpakorn University’s Art Gallery.
The BAB 2026 Artist Lineup: Key Global & Local Voices
Among the 72 international and local creators participating in this edition, below is a preview of the visionaries transforming the city over the next four months:
Sun Yuan & Peng Yu (China): Known for large-scale, thought-provoking installations that challenge perceptions of life, death, and morality.
Mel Chin (US): A conceptual artist merging social commentary, activism, and playful pop-culture re-interpretations to demand answers to global and local themes.
Yasumasa Morimura (Japan): A master of self-portraiture who transforms himself into iconic figures from art history and pop culture to critique identity and the Western gaze.
Piero Golia (Italy): Conceptual artist known for unpredictable performances and sculptures that blur reality and art.
Mandy El-Sayegh (UK): Creates densely layered paintings that explore how media, history and personal memory intersect.
Gerard & Kelly (France/USA): Performance duo crafting mesmerising, movement-based installations that interrogate architectural and social structures.
Htein Lin (Myanmar): A former political prisoner who utilises found objects to share powerful stories of resilience and resistance.
Sonia Hamza (France): Explores photography and installations centred around immigrant experiences and collective memory.
Shin Min (Korea): Pushes boundaries in digital media and conceptual art, examining contemporary urban life.
Mahtab Hussain & Guy Gunaratne (UK): A creative collaboration between a photographer and author exploring marginalised identities and the British Asian experience.
The lineup also highlights compelling regional talent, featuring Thai voices such as Vayupad Ruttanapet, Mary Pakinee, Kornkarn Rungsawang, Teerapon Sisung, Tawan Watuya and renowned photographer Manit Sriwanichpoom, alongside Myanmar artist Ri, delivering a deep and resonant Southeast Asian perspective.
By Veena Thoopkrajae
Photo by Warunee Maneekum
