Apichatpong Weerasethakul Lives, Works in Hybridity

Apichatpong Weerasethakul (MFA 1998, HON 2011) was highlighted in a recent article in ARTnews for his ability as a Thai artist to reach audiences internationally and work within "third spaces—between Thailand, America, and beyond." Laura Raicovich, who was an appointed juror of this year's Artes Mundi prize (which Weerasethakul won) says, "He has to veil the content of the work because of the political conditions in Thailand." His film Invisibility addressed the malaise caused by Thailand's political corruption in the past and present. Artists from Thailand like Weerasethakul who work within this third space have to look beyond their country to be able to display socio-political issues that would otherwise be considered problematic. Rirkrit Tiravanija (MFA 1986) was also mentioned for his work as an artist "who cooked his way into the heart of the art world by serving meals in galleries."