Image: Courtesy of Lolay/BAB2020
The protestors’ gathering at BACC, like at the other venues, was a peaceful gathering, which was why the BAB artists, in their letter, expressed their reservation about the use of force by the police. “We condemn and call for the immediate stop to the use of violence against the protesters and express our support for their struggle for democracy. We further urge the Biennale and the BACC to join us in taking a stand against such violence and affirming the right to peaceful protest,” they said.
“As a foundation, we take a neutral stand,” responded Prof Apinan Poshyanada, but he admitted that the theme of the Biennale, Escape Routes, could be connected to the aim of the protestors. The letter by the Biennale artists, too, mentioned this. “The theme of this year’s Biennale is Escape Routes, which explores how art can help us understand and search for ways out of the many predicaments that we are living through in the world today. We believe that any attempt at imagining the possible futures that lie ahead of us, must begin by confronting our present realities.”