Jon Stojan
Image credit: Riven Ratanavanh
Riven Ratanavanh’s artistic journey began in bustling Bangkok, Thailand, far from the international art scene he would eventually find himself in. A few years after leaving home, Riven embarked on a voyage that would span continents and propel him to the forefront of the global art world. Growing up in Bangkok, Riven found a distinct absence of visibility for queer and trans identities, particularly for those who, like him, identified as transmasculine. This lack of representation drove Riven’s artistic passion and purpose and became a central theme in his work.
One of Riven’s most noteworthy works is the film Inner Dawn, which dives into the intricacies and complexities of transmasculine, queer, and East-Southeast Asian representation—or, rather, the absence of it. Addressing issues of visibility and identity, Inner Dawn has attracted attention from all around the world. It has screened with CIRCA at the world-famous Piccadilly Lights in Europe and has made the rounds to the London Short Film Festival at the Institute of Contemporary Arts in London, Performance Space New York, and the Seattle Trans Film Festival. Not only has Riven’s work illuminated the intricacies of identity, it has also initiated significant discussions around representation for East and Southeast Asian trans identities in the arts.
However, Riven’s influence extends far beyond film. As a performer, he has shown his work at esteemed and historic New York venues such as Movement Research, Performance Space, the Center for Performance Research, and the Poetry Project. This year, he’s scheduled to perform at the Park Avenue Armory on the Upper East Side; recently, he performed at the historic Movement Research Series at the Judson Church. This was particularly special for him as it was one of the first venues he studied when he arrived in New York.
For Riven, art is a tool for empowerment and resistance as much as it is a source of expression. Riven had to deal with the idea that his artistic attempts were somehow less valuable than other interests because he grew up in a world where art was frequently viewed as a frivolous activity, separate from societal concerns. However, for Riven, his art is a tool of empowerment as much as it is a channel for advocacy.
Image credit: Riven Ratanavanh
In his own words, Riven is moved to make work because of the transformational power of art: “being transgender and queer, creating art is a means of breathing for me. It is both a privilege and a means of survival.”
For him, performance is not only a way to forge representation and imagination but also a way to create an internal space of safety within himself, and a means of crafting and forging his body through his own doing.
The nature of the way Riven’s body is politicized in the US and Thailand, as well as many other places worldwide, has led this multidisciplinary artist to maintain a practice of many different art forms, including video, conceptual work, writing, and movement. Riven’s drive to make art is intertwined with a drive to create more visibility and representation for the trans and diasporic communities to which he belongs.
But visibility is a double-edged sword for Riven, especially being Southeast Asian, where multiple histories include less savory elements like fetishism and specific stereotypes. Pushing back, Riven’s recent work shifts its focus to crafting new imaginations for those who have historically not had so many means to do so.
Riven Ratanavanh’s artistic practice continues to uphold the body as a site of resistance. His work, spanning film, performance, and written word, delves into the complexities of transmasculine experience and the often-absent narratives of Southeast Asian immigrants. From the invisibility he encountered growing up in Bangkok to the empowering self-expression fostered by New York’s art scene, Riven’s experiences drive his artistic endeavors. As his practice grows and expands, this is one emerging artist to watch.