Born in 1957 in Thailand, Araya Rasdjarmrearnsook graduated from Silpakorn University in Bangkok with an Master of Fine Art in graphic arts, followed by a Diploma in Visual Arts from Braunschweig, Germany. A printmaker, installation artist and performance artist, her works are lyrical and often bear sentiment on human condition rooted in Thai culture. She lives and works in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, and has exhibited widely, including in international exhibitions such as the 1st Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art, Brisbane, (1993), 1st Johannesburg Biennale (1995), Biennale of Sydney (1996 and 2010) as well as the 51st Venice Biennale (2006).‘Two Planets’ combines the two worlds of art history and the rural life in Thailand, as Araya arranges for images of well-known Western masterpieces to be displayed and discussed by an unlikely audience, the Thai farmers. The spontaneous conversations between the farmers, who do not possess any knowledge of art history, are recorded. The video provokes questions of whether viewers can appreciate the value of art works without knowing of their importance in art history, and whether such knowledge may influence responses.
