Marina Abramović Features In 'The Spirits of Maritime Crossing' At Venice Biennale
One of the many collateral events capturing the art world's attention in Venice is the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) Foundation's The Spirits of Maritime Crossing: a group exhibition bringing together 15 artists from the global south as well as performance artist virtuoso Marina Abramović.
One of the many collateral events capturing the art world's attention in Venice is the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) Foundation's The Spirits of Maritime Crossing: a group exhibition bringing together 15 artists from the global south as well as performance artist virtuoso Marina Abramović.
Did you miss Marina Abramović's Royal Academy of Arts retrospective earlier this year? If the answer is yes then don't fret. Although the performance artist is 77 years old, she's showing no sign of slowing down, joining 14 other artists in presenting work for The Spirits of Maritime Crossing; a Collateral Event of the 60th International Venice Biennale presented by the Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) Foundation.
Responding to the Biennale's theme Foreigners Everywhere, the group exhibition examines themes of displacement, diaspora and colonialism, using the ocean as a starting point for many of these ideas by rooting them not only in the everyday but in real stories by real people. Addressing complex realities, diverse cultures and histories of Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Malaysia, The Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam and Thailand (the countries where the artists involved are from) artistic mediums spanning painting, sculpture, mixed media and video installations are used to survey a journey from Southeast Asia to Venice through cultural and diasporic experiences - viewed through the eyes of those away from their homeland, physically and spiritually.
When looking at the exhibition in relation to this year's overarching Foreigners Everywhere theme, you'd be right to think it couldn't be more timely. However, there's another aspect to this show - curated by artistic director of Bangkok Art Biennale Prof. Dr. Apinan Poshyananda - that fits in with this year's 60th International exhibit - film. As it turns out, The Spirits of Maritime Crossing is one of many works using the art of cinema to interpret this year's theme more broadly meaning there are more art films on display in Venice than ever before.
From film artist John Akomfrah representing the British pavilion with his installation Listening All Night to the Rain to Yuan Goang-Ming participating in Taiwan's debut pavilion with his cinematic installation Everyday War (and that's before we count Nebula, a series of eight incredible art films taking place at Complesso dell'Ospedaletto by Fondazione In Between Art Film), there's something in the Venetian waters and we can only offer our full support of it. Film highlights in this specific event include Poshyananda's own directed short featuring Abramović and Thai dance artist and choreographer Pichet Klunchun; films such as Calling for Rain by Khvay Samnang; Hunting & Dancing: 15 years by Moe Satt; There’s no Place by Jakkai Siributr and The Sea is a Blue Memory by Priyageetha Dia.
Other artists in the show include Thavorn Ko-Udomvit, Natee Utarit, Bounpaul Phothyzan, Chitti Kasemkitvatana, Nakrob Moonmanas, Jompet Kuswidananto, Alwin Reamillo, Yee I-Lann, Kawita Vatanajyankur and Truong Cong Tung. The exhibition is co-hosted by One Bangkok and is on view from 20 April to 24 November 2024 at Palazzo Smith Mangilli Valmarana in Venice.