Explore Giving Life at Dib Bangkok, bringing Alexander Calder and Thai and international artists together from 26 September 2026 to 3 May 2027.

Dib Bangkok is opening its second major exhibition, Giving Life ชีวิต ชีวา, on 26 September, bringing more than 160 works by 33 Thai and international artists together to explore how art can move, change and take on a life of its own.

Art That Comes Alive

Running until 3 May 2027, Giving Life brings together sculpture, painting, installation, performance, moving image, interactive media and archival materials. At the centre of the exhibition is the work of Alexander Calder, whose experiments with movement and transformation set the stage for a wider conversation between Thai and international artists.

The exhibition features artists including Paul Chan, Izumi Kato, Caitlin Keogh, Tuan Andrew Nguyen, Tobias Rehberger, Yukinori Yanagi, Rachel Youn, Rirkrit Tiravanija, Sutee Kunavichayanont, Surasi Kusolwong, Vasan Sitthiket, Ryan Gander, Cecilia Vicuña and Kei Imazu.

Calder and a Chapter of Thai Art History

The exhibition also looks back at a lesser-known connection between Calder and Thailand. In 1975, Calder’s Circus was presented at the Bhirasri Institute of Modern Art, marking the first presentation of Calder’s work in Thailand.

The exhibition arrived during a period of change in Thai art, as artists returning from abroad began exploring new approaches to abstraction, installation, performance and socially engaged practice. Giving Life revisits this moment through more than 60 archival materials, placing Calder’s presence in Thailand within a wider story of experimental art across generations.

When Art Moves

Movement is at the heart of many of the works. Paul Chan’s animated Breather works appear to take on lives of their own, while Rachel Youn creates sculptures from repurposed machines. Izumi Kato’s hanging painting occupies the gallery like a physical presence, and Caitlin Keogh’s monumental multi-panel Procession explores repetition, form and movement.

Tuan Andrew Nguyen’s Tremor transforms materials associated with unexploded ordnance into a kinetic sculpture that considers conflict, memory and regeneration. Works by Rirkrit Tiravanija, Ryan Gander, Cecilia Vicuña and Kei Imazu further explore interaction, participation and the life of materials.

Step Inside the Artwork

Visitors also become part of the exhibition. Sutee Kunavichayanont’s Elephant (Breath Donation) (1998–2001) is a white elephant sculpture that appears to breathe, with visitors invited to give life to the work through their own breath.

Moving images, interactive installations, archival materials and live performances also extend the exhibition beyond the traditional gallery experience, giving visitors different ways to engage with the works.

A New Commission for Dib Bangkok

Giving Life also launches the CHANEL Gateway Commission at Dib Bangkok, supported by the CHANEL Culture Fund. The annual commission invites Thai artists to create ambitious new works at scale, beginning with Bangkok-based artist Nawin Nuthong.

His Project 147 (๑๔๗) combines sculpture, screen-based imagery and an interactive video game environment across six player consoles. Taking its title from the Thai folk story Khun Chang Khun Phaen, the work explores mythology, cosmology and systems of knowledge that have shaped historical consciousness across the region.

Opening Day at Dib Bangkok

The public opening on 26 September comes with a full programme of artist talks, workshops, performance and live music. Rachel Youn, Bassim Al Shaker, Paul Chan, Izumi Kato and Nawin Nuthong will take part in talks and activities throughout the day, followed by a live set from Thai band Three Man Down.

Giving Art a Life of Its Own

Through more than 160 works, Giving Life brings Thai art history into conversation with international practices while looking at contemporary art as something active rather than fixed. Materials, ideas and histories move, respond and change as visitors encounter them, making the exhibition as much about experience as it is about the objects on display.

Giving Life ชีวิต ชีวา runs from 26 September 2026 to 3 May 2027 at Dib Bangkok, 111 Soi Sukhumvit 40, Bangkok. The museum is open Thursday to Tuesday from 10am to 7pm and closed on Wednesdays. Tickets are THB 700 for general admission and THB 550 for Thai residents, with student tickets also available.

Want to see more from Giving Life? Discover the exhibition on Koktail Magazine’s Instagram.