Thai film-maker wins UK contemporary art prize Artes Mundi

by Mark Brown

 

Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s work often explores the contrast between Thailand’s military regime and its modern capitalist economy. Photograph: Midas PR

 

The Palme d’Or winning film director and artist Apichatpong Weerasethakulhas won one of the UK’s most important and lucrative contemporary art prizes.

 

On Thursday evening, Weerasethakul was named winner of the eighth edition of the Artes Mundi prize, a biennial competition rewarding political art from across the world.

 

It comes with a prize of £40,000, the largest visual art prize in Britain.

 

The Thai artist is best known as a feature film maker, winning the top prize at the Cannes film festival in 2010 for his mysterious, contemplative film Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives.

 

Full Story: https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2019/jan/24/thai-film-maker-wins-uk-contemporary-art-prize-artes-mundi

 

Well done!

This will upset the usual suspects.