After pressure from the Chinese Embassy, an art exhibition in Thailand removed exhibition works related to Uighurs, Tibetan minorities, and Hong Kong. The cross-border crackdown by the Chinese Communist Party has once again sparked attention. Some interviewed artists pointed out that this exhibition touched a nerve of the CCP because it fears overseas resistance groups against authoritarianism uniting together.
The exhibition, titled “Conspiracy Constellation: Visualizing the Global Authoritarian Unity Mechanism,” opened at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre on July 24. It focused on authoritarian governments and showcased works by exiled artists from Hong Kong, Tibet, Iran, Myanmar, and other regions.
According to a report by “Light Media” on August 12, three days after the exhibition opened, officials from the Chinese Embassy in Thailand entered the exhibition and demanded its closure. Under pressure from Beijing, the center eventually removed some works, including those by artists from Hong Kong, Tibet, and Uighur regions, with the artists’ names and regions being blacked out.
Reuters reported last week that the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre complied with the Chinese Embassy’s request by taking down some previously advertised and filmed works. This included a multimedia installation created by a Tibetan artist; other works were altered, with words like “Hong Kong,” “Tibet,” “Uighur,” and artists’ names being concealed.
As per Deutsche Welle’s report, curator and Burmese artist Sai revealed on August 7 that the removed content included Tibetan and Uighur flags, postcards featuring Chinese leader Xi Jinping, and postcards depicting China’s relationship with Israel. Sai highlighted this as a direct intervention of authoritarian power in art and the chilling effect it has on exiled artists.
On August 11, the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded to Reuters, stating that the organizers of the exhibition were promoting so-called “fallacies” related to Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong policies. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not confirm or deny whether the Chinese Embassy asked for the removal or alteration of relevant works at the exhibition.
Both the Thai Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre did not respond to Reuters’ inquiries. Curator Sai believed that Beijing’s reaction indicates that its “systematic political manipulation extends far beyond China’s borders.”
One of the exhibiting artists, Clara, quoted by “Light Media,” pointed out that this exhibition had touched a nerve of the CCP because when overseas groups opposing authoritarianism unite, it makes the CCP fearful. However, she believed that such grassroots unity is not easily dismantled.
Tibetan artist Tenzin Mingyur Paldron expressed that his works, name, and the Tibetan flag themselves wouldn’t cause diplomatic tensions. He mentioned that true tension arises when a nation is being eradicated through killings, language obliteration, or lifestyle destruction.
Reportedly, the C&G Artpartment art team from Hong Kong exhibited a 15-meter-long painting titled “Anti-Spy Spy Club,” with Clara and Agin’s names and “Hong Kong” being blacked out in the artists’ introduction. The concept of the artwork was about the “Anti-Spy Spy Club,” using humor to portray recent espionage events in the UK.
Clara highlighted that among all exhibited works, there were no direct political declarations or government slogans. Even the removed video work by a Uighur artist was simply a film about exile, emphasizing how exiles preserve their culture abroad, making it a “very poetic” piece.
Previously, the gallery hosting the painting exhibition responded to the media on July 30, stating that the Chinese Embassy pressured the local government, warning that the exhibition might lead to diplomatic tensions between China and Thailand. Consequently, adjustments had to be made, including hiding the names of artists from Hong Kong, Tibet, and Uighur regions.
In recent years, China’s influence in Southeast Asia has been expanding continuously, with the actions of related countries cooperating with China’s cross-border crackdown frequently being criticized. On February 27 this year, a group of Uighurs who had been detained in Thailand for over ten years were deported back to China. This action by Thai authorities was questioned as being influenced by economic coercion from China, leading to condemnation from the US and Western countries.