INTERNATIONAL
April 11-14 MASTERS TOURNAMENT
The prestigious Masters Tournament, held annually at the Augusta National Golf Club in Georgia, USA, is one of the four major golf tournaments taking place this year. Over 100 of the best amateur and pro golfers have been invited to play, with just 85 expected to compete for a shot at winning US$18 million and the coveted ‘Green Jacket’. Past Masters winners participating include Fred Couples (pictured), Sergio Garcia, Dustin Johnson, and Hideki Matsuyama. masters.com
April 12-14, 19-21 COACHELLA
The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival at the Empire Polo Club in Indio, California, is one of the most famous music festivals in the world. Over 150 established and up-andcoming musical acts are expected to perform across six stages over two weekends. Headliners this year include Lana Del Rey, Tyler the Creator, Doja Cat, and rock group No Doubt (pictured), led by singer Gwen Stefani, who are reuniting for the first time since 2015. coachella.com
April 20–November 24 VENICE BIENNALE
The Venice Biennale, one of the world’s largest and most important contemporary art exhibitions, is now entering its 60th edition. The theme for this year’s biennale is ‘Stranieri Ovunque’, or ‘Foreigners Everywhere’, and will feature 332 participants as well as 87 ‘National Participations’ from various countries in the historic Pavilions at the Giardini, Arsenale, and in the city centre of Venice. Adriano Pedrosa, the Director of the São Paulo Museum of Art, will serve as the curator for this prestigious event. labiennale.org
April 22 EARTH DAY
Earth Day is just around the corner, so remember to take this day to give back to our beautiful planet. Each year this global celebration raises awareness about environmental issues, and promotes sustainability. This year’s theme, ‘Planet vs. Plastics’, is a call to action to reduce single-use plastics and educate people about its negative impact, and possibly create a global treaty to regulate plastic pollution in the process. earthday.org
TIMELESS MUSE Until April 28
A solo exhibition of paintings by MRKREME (aka: Thai-hong Kong artist Varagun “Andy” Chongthanapipat) will be on display until the end of the month at the Trendy Gallery art space at River City Bangkok. The show, entitled ‘Timeless Muse’, invites viewers to embark on an eye-popping journey into a whimsical realm called ‘Kooky World’, where a gaggle of six mischievous furry monsters thrive. This series of works also explores ideas of “time”, asking why it slips away so swiftly for some, while others grow weary awaiting its passage. The now 31-year-old artist first established himself as a prominent figure in the street art scene, but during the Covid crisis he found himself unable to venture out and create art in public spaces. Undeterred, he redirected his focus towards the discipline of art on canvas, embracing the versatility of this alternative medium while still letting his street art sensibilities shine through.
THE VISITORS Until May 4
Bangkok’s SAC Gallery is currently presenting a solo exhibition by the renowned French painter and sculptor Giacomo de Pass in their newly refurbished 3rd floor space. The now 85-year-old Giacomo, who originally rose to fame in 60s and 70s Paris, discovered a renewed artistic vigour in Thailand after having spent much of the pandemic lockdown period living on Koh Samui. His newly created body of work, entitled ‘The Visitors’, consists of 31 vibrant gouache and mixed media works of various sizes, all of which display his boundless energy, creativity, and mastery of colour and light. Many of the larger works feature whimsical half-human and half-beast creatures, with lots of recognisable references to beloved cartoon and comic book characters existing alongside those from Thai myths and legends. Equally captivating, however, are the more abstracted pieces, which take their initial inspiration from the coiling smoke trails created by sticks of burning incense.