Giacomo Zaganelli Opens Somsed Temporary Cultural Center for Thailand Biennale

Florentine artist Giacomo Zaganelli (born 1983) has inaugurated the Somsed Temporary Cultural Center in Korat, Thailand, as a participatory artwork for the Thailand Biennale Korat 2021. The center, open until March 31, 2022, occupies a former public health building that had fallen into disuse. Zaganelli's practice focuses on public art actions for the community, rejecting market logic. Local residents participated in regenerating the space, which had been abandoned and overgrown. The center now hosts exhibitions, workshops, presentations, screenings, concerts, performances, and a library. The project was supported by Italian Council (IX edition, 2020), a program of the Italian Ministry of Culture's Directorate General for Contemporary Creativity. Zaganelli plans a research project titled "L’artista per la collettività" (The Artist for the Community) upon returning from Thailand, supported by the MIC through an Italian Council grant. He aims to explore the potential of artists in serving communities and social utility, especially in an increasingly digital world. The biennale is curated by Yuko Hasegawa.