Dream and reality, memory and the present, the visible and the unseen: Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s practice unfolds within these shifting thresholds. Moving fluidly between film, light, moving image, sound, installation, and VR, he creates immersive worlds in which time and space seem to loosen, overlap, and transform. His works draw together personal memories and dreams with the deep histories of place and the lingering presence of what cannot be seen. Rather than leading viewers toward a singular narrative, they open onto a more elusive, deeply personal terrain—one shaped by memory, sensation, and imagination. With an ongoing engagement with Japan, including his Ring of Fire project in Naoshima, Apichatpong speaks with us about his attentive observation of change, the ephemeral nature of light and dreams, and the world he will unfold at Tokyo Gendai.
《Rueangrith Suntisuk, Pornpan Arayaveerasid, Akritchalerm Kalayanamitr, and Koichi Shimizu A Flower of Forgetfulness》（2026）
Image courtesy of the Artist, ©︎Rueangrith Suntisuk
How would you describe your artistic practice—which seamlessly traverses the realms of cinema, light, video installations, and photography—to someone encountering your work for the first time?
I’m curious about the changes that happen around me, especially in technology, biology, and the transformations across generations. Most of all, I’m curious about the shifts within myself, memory, aging, and the changing perspectives. And I have a big desire to observe.
In your work, unseen presences—such as personal memories, dreams, ghosts, and the deep histories of land—manifest as beautiful layers of light and shadow. What draws you so deeply to these liminal spaces: the threshold between waking life and sleep, or the blurry boundary between reality and the surreal?
Dreams and memories are personal movies. They are transient like vapors. The fact that they are impossible to capture motivates me to flow with them, without questioning the solidity of living.
Image courtesy of the Artist and Bangkok CityCity Gallery
In recent projects like A Conversation with the Sun and your 2026 performance A Flower of Forgetfulness, your exploration of capturing the ephemeral nature of light—such as projecting imagery onto massive fabrics swaying in the wind—is truly striking. Within this creative process, what are the moments or surroundings that inspire you most and cause these visions to spark in your mind?
I prefer quiet places because I’m sensitive to noise. So I live in Chiang Mai with all these trees. But the sound in these performances that you mentioned is quite loud! They are probably a chaos of dreams, yearning to quiet down in the end. In any case, the ideas mostly emerge when I’m not thinking about them. I think it’s true for many people.
Through initiatives like the Ring of Fire project that launched in Naoshima in 2024, as well as your workshops at Tama Art University, you have engaged closely with Japan’s distinct regions, nature, and the younger generation. From your perspective, what kind of creative stimulation or dialogue do Japan’s unique natural atmosphere and sense of time bring to your expression?
As an outsider, Japan feels to me like a very cushioned place, where physically you are protected, and mentally you are cared for. So most things make sense. But that protection and curation can also be overwhelming. I’m drawn to expansive nature, where things and time are not so curated. Japan is abundant with this open beauty. I also love the beliefs and rituals that remain within the logic of everyday life. They offer different layers of existence for our imagination.
Image courtesy of the Artist and Bangkok CityCity Gallery
Tokyo Gendai is a space where a diverse global audience and collectors intersect. What kind of message or alternative perspective do you hope to offer to the people interacting with your work at the fair, and what are your thoughts on the future of the Japanese art scene?
I’m simply offering pieces of my memory, the things I treasure: historical artefacts, dreams, and brushstrokes. I’ve enjoyed my workshops at Tama Art University. Through the participants, I’ve come to appreciate the creative energy of young artists here. I hope that more institutions will offer freer platforms for them to share their work. They have a lot to share. I look forward to witnessing these bold new voices emerge from a place with such rich traditions.
Thank you very much! We look forward to seeing your work in September.
Enter the unseen with Apichatpong Weerasethakul.
Dates:
11-13 September 2026 (Fri-Sun) *Vernissage: 10 September (Thu)
Venue:
Pacifico Yokohama
Booth:
BANGKOK CITYCITY GALLERY
Ticket Purchase:
APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL
Born in 1970, Bangkok, TH
Lives and works in Chiang Mai
Apichatpong Weerasethakul grew up in Khon Kaen in north-eastern Thailand. He began making films and video shorts in 1994 and completed his first feature in 2000. He has also mounted exhibitions and installations in many countries
since 1998. Apichatpong is recognized as a major international filmmaker and visual artist. His works are characterized by their use of non-linear storytelling, often dealing with themes of memory, loss, identity, desire, and history.
His works have won him widespread international recognition and numerous awards, including the Cannes Jury Prize in 2021 for Memoria (2021), his first film shot outside of Thailand featuring Tilda Swinton. He also won the Cannes Palme d’Or in 2010 with Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives (2010). His Tropical Malady (2004) won the Cannes Competition Jury Prize in 2004 and Blissfully Yours (2022) won the Cannes Un Certain Regard Award in 2002.
His installations have been shown at the Haus der Kunst in Munich, The New Museum in New York, Documenta in Kassel, the Taipei Fine Arts Museum in Taipei, Eye Film Museum in Amsterdam, among others. His recent installations include SleepCinemaHotel (2018), A Minor History (2021, 2022), A Conversation with the Sun (VR) (2022), Solarium (2023), Ring of Fire with Haegue Yang (2024-2027) and Flower of Forgetfulness (2026).
Apichatpong is currently developing his next feature film, Jenjira’s Magnificent Dream, scheduled for completion in 2027.
