As part of this year’s Phuket Biennale, BISP students explored contemporary art across several locations around the island, including Phuket Old Town, Sukko Spa, and the Chao Fah Power Station. Across these sites, students encountered an exciting range of immersive artworks, from film and ceramics to mixed-media sculpture, painting, drawing, and installation, using both traditional and modern approaches.

The Biennale’s theme, Eternal [Kalpa], invites viewers to think about time as a cycle rather than a straight line. Inspired by the moment the sun meets the sea at Promthep Cape, the exhibition reflects on nature’s rhythms, human activity, and the way memory and experience shape how we understand the world.

Moving between locations allowed students to see how artists respond directly to Phuket’s landscapes, history, and communities. Calm, sensory installations encouraged slow looking and reflection, while works shown in industrial and urban spaces challenged students to consider how meaning can be created in unexpected places.

These visits were especially valuable for students’ coursework. Experiencing artworks first-hand gave them rich primary research: observing materials, scale, process, and installation up close, sketching on site, and recording personal responses. This kind of direct engagement helps students develop more confident ideas, stronger practical work, and more thoughtful written reflections.

The exhibition also connected to Phuket’s recent history, including the impact of the 2004 tsunami and the Covid-19 pandemic, highlighting themes of resilience, coexistence, and care for the environment. These ideas sparked meaningful discussions about how art can respond to real-world challenges.

Overall, the Phuket Biennale offered students more than an exhibition to view. It was an experience that encouraged curiosity, reflection, and creative thinking,  and one that will continue to influence their art-making long after the visits ended.