Key Points

The works that were removed were part of an exhibition titled Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity, which featured ten artists and was curated by the Myanmar Peace Museum.

The exhibition, which opened on July 24, addressed themes of state violence, authoritarian partnerships, and grassroots resistance, showcasing pieces by artists from Tibet, Hong Kong, Myanmar, and the Uyghur diaspora.

Among the pieces taken down was a 12-minute conversational film by trans Tibetan artist Tenzin Mingyur Paldron titled Listen to Indigenous People, which investigated the origins of a controversial viral 2023 video that showed the Dalai Lama instructing an Indian boy to "suck" his tongue, alongside footage of Tibetans waving Palestinian flags and calling for accountability regarding genocide. Other installations, including a Tibetan flag and pieces relating to China's policies in Tibet, were also removed, as reported by Phayul.

Curators mentioned that personnel from the Chinese embassy in Bangkok, along with officials from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), visited the exhibition shortly after its opening and demanded its closure.

Within the next week, the gallery was instructed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the BMA to eliminate any mentions of "Tibet," "Hong Kong," and "Uyghur" from labels and wall texts, as well as to remove the names of specific artists. By July 31, a number of works had been either removed or modified, according to the Phayul report.

"The term Tibet has become politicised, affecting Tibetan names as well," Mingyur stated. "Museums should serve the public, not cater to dictators of any ideology."

He continued, "When institutions like BACC face unwarranted pressure, the public must advocate for the safety of the arts and their creators. They need to communicate to authority figures that this behaviour is intolerable." He emphasised the importance of sending a message to oppressive governments that these artworks will be seen, heard, and discussed, as quoted by Phayul.

Censorship intensified in August when embassy representatives allegedly returned on August 6 to enforce adherence to China's "One China" policy and requested additional removals. On August 11, China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused the exhibition of fostering separatism and "misrepresenting" its policies regarding Tibet, East Turkestan, and Hong Kong, asserting that cultural exchanges should not be influenced by political agendas.

Co-curator Sai, a Myanmar artist behind the show, stated that the removed items included Tibetan and Uyghur flags, as well as postcards featuring Chinese President Xi Jinping. He described the situation as "profoundly ironic," highlighting that an exhibition focused on authoritarian repression faced censorship due to political influence. Sai has since evacuated Thailand due to safety concerns, according to Phayul.

In a statement, the BACC indicated it had "no choice but to make certain adjustments" in response to pressure from the Chinese embassy, which was communicated through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and its primary backer, the BMA. The centre acknowledged that it had obscured the names of Hong Kong, Tibetan, and Uyghur artists to prevent diplomatic friction between Thailand and China.

- ANI