Kader Attia: Urgency of Existence
Curated by Gridthiya Gaweewong
23 November 2024 – 16 March 2025
*Galleries’s Nights: 23 November 2024, 5:00-9:00 P.M.
*Opening Reception: Sunday 24th November 2024 at 6.00 p.m.
Jim Thompson Art Center, 2nd floor, Event Space

The Jim Thompson Art Center invites you to experience “Urgency of Existence,” the first solo exhibition in Asia by internationally acclaimed French-Algerian artist Kader Attia. This exhibition explores the themes of postcolonialism and decolonization, offering insights into the historical, cultural, and psychological impacts of colonialism from the perspective of those directly oppressed and affected by its repercussions over the past century.

The exhibition features a diverse range of media, including immersive installations, sculptures, paintings, and a newly commissioned film. It will be on view at the Jim Thompson Art Center from November 23, 2024, to March 16, 2025. Curated by Gridthiya Gaweewong, Artistic Director of the Jim Thompson Art Center and artistic director of the recent Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai 2023, the exhibition highlights Attia’s exploration of the concept of repair, addressing historical and contemporary issues of separation and gathering and their connection to decolonial narratives.

“Urgency of Existence” examines Attia’s concept of repair, investigating the urgency of global decolonization and crypto-colonization in Thailand and the surrounding region. The exhibition encourages critical reflection on the limitations of time and fosters a deeper understanding of the complexities of today’s uncertain era.

Building on his research and work presented at the Thailand Biennale Chiang Rai 2023, Attia incorporates the themes of gathering and separation, both in their literal and metaphorical senses. The artist communicates lingering pain and unresolved cultural wounds, likening them to shadows or “ghosts” of spiritual memory that continue to haunt everyday life.

This exhibition not only underscores the vital processes underpinning human existence and psychoanalytic thought but also sheds light on the historical impacts, cultural intricacies, political dynamics, and lived experiences shaped by colonialism.

This exhibition is supported by the James H.W. Thompson Foundation, Galleries’ Nights, the French Embassy in Thailand, Studio Kader Attia, Le Fresnoy – Studio national des arts contemporains, and Disaphol Chansiri – DC Collection.