Contemporary Thai art is about to make groundbreaking moves into the world arena with the arrival of the first-ever Thai arts festival in Paris featuring visual art, experimental cinema and music.

More than 40 leading and emerging contemporary Thai artists, film-makers and musicians will share innovative ideas about the contemporary arts scene at "Tout a fait Thai 2006", to be held between September 15 and October 30 at various venues around Paris, including the Pompidou Centre and the Palais de Tokyo.

The Thai Ministry of Culture has spent more than Bt15 million on bringing to-gether dozens of works of installation art, multimedia art, paintings, sculptures, live music and short, experimental and feature films that will be shown in art galleries, theatres and public spaces across Paris.

"As with the recent cultural phenomenon in Thailand, where Korean artists like the singer Rain, and television series such as 'Dae Jangeum' and 'Hojun' were used to promote contemporary Korean culture, we want to present our own contemporary artists as cultural ambassadors of the arts world," Professor Apinand Poshyananda, director of the Office of Contemporary Arts and Culture (OCAC) at the Ministry of Culture, said at a press conference yesterday.

Artists whose work will be on display include the late Montien Boonma along with Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook, Pinaree Sanpitak, Surasi Kusolwong, Navin Rawanchaikul, Sutee Kunavichayanont, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Wit Pimkanchapong, Thaweesak Srithongdee, Kata Saengkhae, Porntaweesak Rimsakul and Thai bands Futon, Penguin Villa and Stylish Nonsense.

"Like a soi in Thailand which has many offshoots, the festival will feature various kinds of contemporary Thai art in a variety of disciplines," explained Apinand, adding that the collaboration between the two countries would contribute to the dynamics of the festival.

"I would like to congratulate the OCAC for the very rich visual arts programme which will enable the French audience to gain a better knowledge of Thai contemporary art," said Aruna Adideam, cultural attaché to the French Embassy in Thailand.

"French audiences often know only one or two names from the contemporary art scene in Thailand and Thai culture is frequently limited to simple images and clichés. With this festival, we aim to overcome these clichés and hope that more Thai artists will be invited to exhibit their works in France, and that more Franco-Thai projects can be realised in the near future," Adideam added.

Co-hosted by the Thai ministries of Culture and Foreign Affairs and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication, the festival will also mark His Majesty King Bhumibol's 60th anniversary on the throne with an associated exhibition about His Majesty. The event will also feature Khon (masked dance), puppet theatre, music from a traditional Thai orchestra and a food festival. Nearly 200 artists, both contemporary and classical, and their crews are expected to participate in the Bt46-million project.

The French-Thai Festival is part of the OCAC's mission to promote contemporary Thai art throughout the world and is the fruit of an initial collaboration between the two countries at the La Fete French cultural festival in Bangkok in 2004.

The OCAC first exhibited works by Thai artists overseas in 2003 at the 50th International Venice Biennale. Since then, the office has continued to support local artists in the international arena, but the French-Thai Festival represents the biggest and most costly event of its kind to date.

Phatarawadee Phataranawik

The Nation