The Master of Arts in Curatorial Practice at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, is the first international, English-language programme in curatorial practice in Thailand. This course offers an unprecedented opportunity to develop theoretical, practical, and professional skills in all aspects of curatorial practice.
The MA programme approaches curatorial practice v ia a cross-cultural transdisciplinary methodology and a decentred pedagogy. An international faculty of world-renowned curators, lecturers and cultural practitioners delivers the programme from local and global perspectives.
The experienced faculty includes advisers Professor Rirkrit Tiravanija, a member of the Faculty of Arts at Columbia University, Dr. Gridthiya Gaweewong, Artistic Director at The Jim Thompson Art Center and Sydney based curator and art advisor John Cruthers. The Programme Director is Professor Kamol Phaosavasdi, a pioneer in Thai conceptual, installation and video art. He leads a team of specialist lecturers and curators, including Visiting Curator Zoe Butt, from the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts.
Course participants will also get to work with guest lecturers from Thailand and experts from around the world, including, but not limited to, Professor Dr. Apinan Poshyananda, Professor Shin Dr. Nakagawa, Associate Professor Rachel Weiss, Professor Li-Hsin Kuo, Diana Campbell Betancourt and Dr. Simon Soon.
“Curating isn’t just about one form of art or one form of idea but [rather] a presentation or bringing together or narrating together very different and very disparate constructions of ideas”. —Professor Rirkrit Tiravanija, Course Adviser.
“Curating for me is to present alternative platforms for artists to revisit and re-narrate histories of the unheard, marginalised and oppressed voices”. —Associate Professor Shefong Chung, Guest Lecturer.
The curriculum is focused on blended learning. For the first year, classes are taught online during the first semester, then workshops and field trips on-site during the second semester. Thesis or independent study should be completed within the second year. The facilities from Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University offer access to the faculty’s fully equipped Digital Art Hub and Studio, located on the main campus. Students will collaborate on projects with the faculty’s custom-made gallery and learning space, ART4C, and will be connected internationally to gain professional curatorial experience in their internships, in order to complete the programme.
Students are encouraged to develop transnational curatorial relationships during their studies—a network of artists and collaborators - the programme enables them to access art and cultural communities in the region and globally. Not only does the programme facilitate the development of curatorial skills, but it also provides a unique opportunity to explore and experiment with contemporary art through a critical understanding of history, theory, context, and criticism.
Located in the heart of Bangkok’s bustling metropolis, the Faculty of Fine Arts is on the picturesque main campus of Chulalongkorn University, Thailand’s oldest and highest ranked university. It is within walking distance of galleries and art institutions.
The MA in Curatorial Studies offers two study options: Plan A: Thesis Programme; and Plan B: Non-Thesis (Independent Study) Programme.
Applicants must have a bachelor’s degree and meet required English proficiency. The deadline for call for applications 2022/2023 is May 20, 2022, 3pm. (GMT+7 Thailand time zone). The first day of the programme will start on Monday August 8, 2022. The first semester usually runs from August - early December and the semester from January–early May.
For information about the programme and how to apply, please go to our website here or send us an email at curatorialpractice [at] chula.ac.th.