Independent Art Festivals in Chiang Mai 1992–98

Founded on an ethos of friendship, and emerging amidst a regional constellation of artists’ initiatives and independent spaces, the series of festivals known as Chiang Mai Social Installation staged contemporary art within everyday city life. From temples and cemeteries to libraries, the town square, and even a dental clinic, these artist-led interventions present a self-funded, anarchic alternative to Southeast Asia’s subsequently expanding biennial culture while also marking the emergence of a wider contemporary moment.