On October 3, the Bangkok Art Biennale announced its first roster of participating artists, along with the theme, curators, and venues for its fifth edition, scheduled to take place from October 29, 2026 to February 28, 2027.

Titled “Angels and Mara,” the Biennale takes part of its name from the literal meaning of Bangkok—“City of Angels.” The chosen theme juxtaposes the concept of “divine messengers” from various cultures with the Buddhist demon Mara, who embodies death, desire, and darkness in human nature. According to the press release, the Biennale aims to provide a stage “for artists from Thailand and around the world to reflect on the struggles, contradictions, and resilience of our time.” 

The curatorial team will be led by Apinan Poshyananda, chief executive and artistic director, alongside Adulaya Hoontrakul, director of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, and other curators and scholars. 

To foster a dialogue between contemporary art and the city’s rich traditions, the Biennale will take place in sacred heritage sites and urban spaces in addition to traditional cultural venues such as the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, the Bangkok National Museum, and the National Gallery. Noteworthy venues include Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn), Wat Pho (Temple of the Reclining Buddha), and Wat Prayoon (Temple of Iron Fences), as well as One Bangkok. 

The Biennale’s first 15 participating artists and collectives include:

Mel Chin (US)
Mandy El-Sayegh (UK)
Brennan Gerard and Ryan Kelly (US)
Piero Golia (Italy)
Sonia Hamza (France)
Mahtab Hussain and Guy Gunaratne (UK)
Htein Lin (Myanmar)
Shin Min (Korea)
Yasumasa Morimura (Japan)
Mary Pakinee (Thailand)
Ri (Myanmar)
Kornkarn Rungsawang (Thailand)
Teerapon Sisung (Thailand)
Manit Sriwanichpoom (Thailand)
Sun Yuan and Peng Yu (China)

Arphy Li is an editorial assistant at ArtAsiaPacific.