Francesco Arena’s God sculpture Debuts in Thailand’s Art Forest

In the verdant expanse of Thailand’s Khao Yai Art Forest, Italian artist Francesco Arena has created a striking dialogue between human intervention and natural space. His work, “GOD” composed of two monumental stones found on the grounds, stands as one of the inaugural installations in this ambitious project spearheaded by art patrons Chearavanont and Pansera.

Arena’s installation joins works by an international roster of artists including Fujiko Nakaya, Ubatsat, and Elmgreen & Dragset, each responding to the forest’s distinctive character. The project’s emphasis on healing, positivity, and environmental harmony resonates deeply with Arena’s artistic practice, which has long explored the relationship between human presences and natural spaces.

In our conversation Arena reflects on his experience working within this unique setting, where the traditional concept of a sculpture park has been reimagined as an organic, evolving environment.

Abbey: Your commissioned work is deeply tied to the natural landscape of Khao Yai Art Forest. What was your first impression of the land and how did it shape your artistic approach?

Francesco: When I am invited to think about a work for a specific place it is essential to build a relationship with the space for which the work will be projected. First, I visit the place without being so specific so that the sensations remaining from the gaze are in a certain sense primordial, this was also the case for Khao Yai.

Abbey: Marisa Chearavanont, the patron for the forest, emphasized healing, love and care as guiding principles for the Art Forest. How did these themes influence the concept or materials of your piece?

Francesco: Marisa asked me to visit the site without adding any additional information so that my first visit would not be influenced by directions or any suggestions. I immediately thought that the place required of my a work that in its monumentality would be lost in the surrounding nature while still remaining itself.

Abbey: Site-specific art often requires a deep engagement with the environment. Were there any unexpected challenges or discoveries you encountered while working with natural elements like rocks, mud, and water?

Francesco: I knew right away God was the right work for Khao Yai. The production took two years with five visits to Thailand to follow each stage of the work, made entirely in Thailand. We faced many challenges, from finding the right stones to use, to transporting these heavy stones to the engraving site, and subsequent transport to Khao Yai. It is not easy to make two boulders of forty tons each fit on top of each other without using jointing pins. It takes great precision, which is not at all easy when working with such large dimensions. We documented all the stages of the work and are now completing a film chronicling the time and effort that went into making God.

Abbey: Your work will be in constant dialogue with nature changing with the weather, seasons and time. How does this impermanence factor into your artistic vision?

Francesco: God now lives in the forest and experiences the time of the forest - the constand repetition of sunrise and sunset. This letting everything slip by is a fundamental part of the work that stays there for those who go and encounter it.

Abbey: The Khao Yai Art Forest is also a reforestation project, reclaiming land once cleared for monoculture farming. How does your piece reflect or interact with this idea of renewal and transformation?

Francesco: The work continually renews itself in its stillness, renews itself before the eyes of the beholder and in the minds of those who think about its encounter. Renewal and transformation are as much a part of the work as they are a part of nature reclaiming spaces that for a time were taken from her.

Abbey: Were there any cultural or spiritual influences from Thailand that you incorporated into your work, or did you find inspiration from local traditions during your time at the site?

Francesco: I had never thought about making a God of that size before I went to Thailand. The encounter with the giant Buddhas made me think about how being physically overpowered by a representation of an idea of the sacred was an important element of communication. Size can relate to an idea of transcendence that looks beyond humanity and time.

Abbey: This project is meant to bridge gaps between Thai and international artists, between art and nature, between urban and rural experiences. How does your work contribute to this dialogue?

Francesco: A work of art is always a piece of encounter and dialogue. God is also that. I think Marisa’s project followed by Stefano Rabolli Pansera for Khao Yai and Bangkok Kunsthalle through the involvement of artists coming from different backgrounds is a key opportunity for Thailand and the artists who live there. I encountered a magnificent country full of ideas and energy, so different from our somewhat tired Europe.

Abbey: The forest has a unique way of altering human perception through sounds, light and movement. Did you design your piece to engage visitors’ senses in a particular way?

Francesco: God is constantly changing throughout the day with the lighting illuminating it differently, sometimes directly and sometimes filtering through the tree foliage. The sound of the falling Tek leaves caressing the work is beautiful. All of these elements make the uniqueness of the work and its being in that place and not any other.