Dr Vichaya Mukdamanee, Doctor of Philosophy (DPhil), is a leading Thai artist and academic leader who currently serves as Vice President for Art and Culture at Silpakorn University, Thailand. Following a successful tenure as Dean of the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts, he continues to contribute to the institution as an Assistant Professor. Dr Mukdamanee received his academic training at internationally recognised institutions. He holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts (First Class Honours) from Silpakorn University, Thailand, an Masters of Fine Arts from Pratt Institute in New York, United States as a Fulbright Scholar, and a DPhil in Fine Art (Practice-led Research) from the Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford, the United Kingdom.

As a multidisciplinary artist, Dr Mukdamanee explores the narratives of contemporary city life and the function of found objects through painting, sculpture, video and installation art. His practice documents experimental learning processes while reflecting on life within rapidly changing societies. He has held numerous solo exhibitions internationally and in Thailand, including Expected Unforeseen 2020, Strive to Fail 2017, Conditioned; Unconditioned in Oxford 2015 and Industrial Reflection in New York 2009. His work has also been featured in major group showcases such as the Asian International Art Exhibition in Seoul and Cut Thru at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore.

In addition to his creative and administrative roles, Dr Mukdamanee has contributed to the art community as a curator for significant national projects, including serving as an Assistant Curator for the Thailand Biennale, Krabi 2018. A prolific writer and guest lecturer, he frequently shares his insights in art magazines and academic venues. Through his integration of high-level university administration and active artistic practice, Dr Mukdamanee remains a pivotal figure in bridging Thai contemporary art with the international community.

Mr Low Eng Teong is a respected arts and education leader and currently serves as an independent arts and culture advisor, providing strategic consultancy on cultural policy, arts leadership, sector development, and creative education initiatives.

He previously served as Chief Executive of the National Arts Council (NAC), Singapore, where he led the development and implementation of Our SG Arts Plan (2023–2027) to strengthen Singapore’s arts and cultural landscape. During his tenure, he championed initiatives that expanded access to quality arts education, strengthened professional development and career pathways for arts practitioners, and supported the growth of arts and cultural leadership in Singapore.

Prior to NAC, Eng Teong held senior leadership appointments within Singapore’s education service, including roles in school leadership, curriculum planning, and arts education development. He also played a key role in establishing the Ministry of Education’s Arts Education Branch, responsible for arts curriculum and co-curricular arts education in schools.

Eng Teong received his tertiary education in visual arts in New Zealand and Australia, and pursued postgraduate studies in Art and Art Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, United States. He has also contributed extensively to the cultural sector through board and advisory roles of several leading arts and cultural institutions in Singapore.

Mr Richard Koh is one of the leading gallerists in Southeast Asia with extensive experience and knowledge in the contemporary art markets. In 2005, he founded Richard Koh Fine Art (RKFA), opening its first gallery space in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Today, RKFA operates multiple locations across Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand, and is recognised as a pioneer in introducing contemporary art to Malaysia and the broader region.

Richard's journey in the art world began as a collector in the 1980s. His collection, deeply personal and reflective of his interests and experiences, showcases his contemplations on life and art. Renowned for his keen eye and curatorial insight, he has shaped some of the region’s most significant private and public collections. Through his gallery, Richard continues to champion contemporary art, curating dynamic exhibitions that bring Southeast Asian and Asian artists to local, regional, and international audiences.

Ms Melati Suryodarmo is an Indonesian long-durational performance artist whose work centres on the use of her body as a container of memory and experience. She lived across the Eastern and Western regions for over twenty years and her work reflects elements of both regions.

She completed her postgraduate Meisterschüler programme in Performance Art at the Hochschule für Bildende Künste in Braunschweig, Germany, under the mentorship of Professor Marina Abramovic and has lectured at the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts (NAFA), Singapore for the past five years while serving as a guest professor at Tama Art University Tokyo, Japan.

She marked a significant milestone in the Indonesian art scene as Artistic Director of the Jakarta Biennale 2017, where the notion of jiwa was the spirit of the whole artistic direction. She also served as Artistic Director of Indonesia Bertutur, a large scale cultural festival under the Ministry of Education and Culture of the Republic Indonesia in 2022 and 2024.

Her works are held in major international collections, including Tate Modern in the United Kingdom, Centre Pompidou in France, Singapore Art Museum and National Gallery of Australia, among others.

Dr Agung Hujatnika, also known as Agung Hujatnikajennong, is a member of the Curatorial Board of Galeri Nasional Indonesia (National Gallery of Indonesia) and a lecturer at the Faculty of Art and Design, Institut Teknologi Bandung (Bandung Institute of Technology), Indonesia. His research focuses on curatorial practice, new media and contemporary Indonesian art.

He has curated numerous exhibitions, including Fluid Zones for Jakarta Biennale ARENA in 2009, Exquisite Corpse at the Shanghai Biennale in 2012, Not a Dead End for Jogja Biennale Equator #2 in 2013, 1001 Martian Homes for the Indonesian Pavilion at Venice Biennale in 2017 and Art Turns. World Turns at Museum MACAN, Indonesia in 2017. He also curated three editions of ARTJOG | arts-in-common from 2019 to 2022.

His published Kurasi dan Kuasa with Marjin Kiri and Dewan Kesenian Jakarta in 2015. He later served as Artistic Director of the Instrumenta International Media Art Festival from 2018 to 2019 and has led Open Arms since 2022, an initiative promoting disability inclusion in Indonesian visual arts.

Mr Heri Pemad is the founder of Heri Pemad Management (HPM), the organisation behind ARTJOG, Art Bali, Artina, Distrik Seni, and Chapter Jogja.

Since 2001, HPM has focused on identifying new talent and supporting the organisation of art exhibitions by galleries and communities across Yogyakarta, Semarang, Surabaya, Jakarta and Bali.

He is also a practising artist and has received several awards for his work, including the Adhikarya Award in 2014 from the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy of the Republic of Indonesia. In 2022, he was recognised as a Pioneer of Performing Arts at the Cultural Appreciation Night organised by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology of Indonesia.

He currently works as an art consultant and contributes to art projects across institutions.

Ms Intan Rafiza is a curator and art practitioner with over two decades of experience in the Malaysian contemporary art scene. She currently leads the Conservation Division at the National Art Gallery of Malaysia, where she has played a key role in curating major exhibitions such as Tukang 2.0: Reka Lestari (Craft Innovation for Circular Economy) organised by Tourism Selangor in 2024 and M50: Selamat Hari Malaysia, 2013 co-curated with Nani Kahar at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Power, Hope and Land: Malaysia 55 Years of Independence in 2012, at National Art Gallery of Malaysia.

Her work includes projects such as PUBLIKART 2016 co-curated with Yeoh Lian Heng, Nusajaya in Johor, Malaysia, Democracy in Action 2019 held at FORSEA: Forces of Renewal for Southeast Asia Conference, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Suara Belacu 2025 held at Riuh X ASEAN, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

She was also a speaker at the Creative Economy in Southeast Asia Webinar 2021, organised by the Ministry of Tourism and Creative Economy, Indonesia. Her professional engagement also includes serving as a facilitator for Tsunami Victims Art Workshop 2006 with UNICEF, Langkawi Island, Malaysia.

As a contemporary art practitioner, her works explore socio-political narratives and have been presented internationally in Milan, Vienna and Bangkok. Passionate about intellectual discourse in art, she has contributed to art writing and critical discussions, further cementing her role as a key figure in Malaysia’s contemporary art landscape.

Mr Kow Leong Kiang is a renowned Malaysian artist from Petaling Jaya. He is celebrated for his evocative portraiture and figurative works. A graduate of the Kuala Lumpur College of Art, Malaysia, Leong Kiang's career has been marked by significant achievements, including winning the Grand Prize at the Philip Morris ASEAN Art Awards in 1998.

He has participated in prestigious residencies worldwide, such as the Vermont Studio Residency in the United States and the Seoul and Jeju Island Residency Programme by Baik Art Gallery in Korea. His thought-provoking works have been showcased globally, including exhibitions in Taiwan, Indonesia, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. His art is featured in prominent collections like the Singapore Art Museum and Malaysia's National Art Gallery, establishing his position as a leading figure in Southeast Asian contemporary art.

Throughout his career, Leong Kiang has masterfully explored themes of identity, nostalgia and human connection, often reflecting Malaysia's social landscape. His distinctive ability to capture delicate emotions through soft brushstrokes has earned widespread critical acclaim. With over three decades of artistic contributions, he continues to be an influential presence in both the Malaysian and international art scenes, inspiring the next generation of artists.

Mr Heru Hikayat is a contemporary art curator based in Bandung, Indonesia, with over two decades of experience working across exhibitions, cultural programmes, and arts advocacy. He is a graduate of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB), Indonesia and currently serves as the in-house curator at Selasar Sunaryo Art Space.

He has previously served on the expert team for Platform Indonesiana, a strategic initiative under the Directorate General of Culture of the Indonesian Ministry of Education, Culture, Research and Technology, which aims to strengthen the management, sustainability and connectivity of cultural activities across Indonesia. He has also served as Vice Chairman of Koalisi Seni, an organisation leading art policy advocacy in Indonesia.

His curatorial work includes projects such as Seabad Sadali 2024; Mengalam, 2023; Rakitan, 2022; Leang Leang Spirit, 2021; and Bandung Art Now, 2009, presented at galleries and cultural institutions across Indonesia. His practice examines contemporary art in relation to cultural context and human experience.

Mr Amrit Chusuwan is one of the country’s most prominent artists, who has received many honourable mentions in Thailand. He is currently a consultant for the Songkhla Old Town Foundation and a member and secretary of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre Foundation Committee. In his early career, he received a scholarship and a diploma from the ASP Academy of Fine Arts in Krakow, Poland.

His artworks have received numerous prizes, such as being the 2^nd Prize recipient at the 30^th National Exhibition of Art in Bangkok, Thailand and receiving the Silpa Bhirasri Creativity Grants in 2002. He has organised many international exhibitions; and has served as a curator and artist consultant for the Venice Biennale in Italy. In 2020, he was honoured as the National Artist of Thailand in Visual Arts (Painting-Mixed Media).

Mr Panya Vijinthanasarn was honoured as a National Artist of Thailand in 2014. He graduated with a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Silpakorn University, Thailand and later earned a certificate in Printmaking with a British Council scholarship from the UCL Slade School of Fine Art, University College London, England.

His notable works include a mural at Buddhapadipa Temple in London, a large-scale artwork at the Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan, and designing murals and entrance gate for the Suvarnabhumi International Airport in Thailand. He also illustrated The Story of Mahajanaka, a book by His Majesty King Rama IX of Thailand.

Beyond his artistic practice, Panya has played an influential role in Thailand’s art scene. He served as Vice President for Art and Culture and as Dean of the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts at Silpakorn University, Thailand. He has also been an advisor for the Thailand Biennale and curated exhibitions such as Thailand Biennale Korat 2021 and recently represented Thailand at the 58^th Venice Biennale in Italy.

Ms Loredana Pazzini-Paracciani is an independent scholar and curator specialising in Southeast Asian contemporary art. Having lived and conducted research in the region for over 25 years, she brings a deeply informed perspective to both her curatorial and academic practice. Loredana was one of the curators of the third edition of the Bangkok Art Biennale. She is also a writer and editor whose work engages with critical sociopolitical themes. Her curatorial projects advocate counter-hegemonic and non-Western-centric approaches to art and knowledge production.

She has collaborated with institutions across Southeast Asia and internationally, including the Nanyang Technological University, Singapore, the Institute of Contemporary Arts, LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore, University of the Arts, Singapore, the Art Centre, Silpakorn University, Thailand, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang Mai, Thailand and the Queens Museum, New York, United States. In 2026, she serves as a curator for the Timor-Leste Pavilion at the 61^st La Biennale di Venezia contributing to the international visibility of Southeast Asian contemporary art.