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10 Must-See Highlights at the Architect ’19, An Expo of Architectural Technologies, Building Materials, Smart Innovations and Home Decorations
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10 Must-See Highlights at the Architect ’19, An Expo of Architectural Technologies, Building Materials, Smart Innovations and Home Decorations

The Architect ’19 is in full swing. The 33rd edition of the Architect’19 expo is on from April 30 to May 5. This year’s concept is Living Green, which is about the role of architecture in building a sustainable future. The event showcases the latest in technological innovations in architecture and building materials by manufacturers from 40 countries worldwide. Here are ten highlights of the show that we don’t want you to miss. It’s good to know something about them beforehand.

Architect ’19

  1. SCG

A leader in building materials and interior decorating, SCG never ceases to amaze us with new developments, products and services. One of the highlights of its exhibition this time is COTTO Life, a tile installation service designed to solve problems and deal with difficult situations. Once you have selected the perfect tiles for your home project, you can rest assured that they will be installed correctly by a team of experts. There are designers and skilled tile setters on hand to give options so that you are now making an informed choice.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19

​Another outstanding show is the display of new mosaic tile collections that have become more than bathroom floor coverings. There are plenty of ways to decorate with a colorful and variegated pattern that looks simple and feels more fun and modern, yet classic in style and high quality standards. You can decorate the wall and the countertop with a mosaic, too. And, if you are planning on opening a restaurant or café, keep abreast of new trends in technology and design. Go for a mosaicked pattern.

(Booth S308)

Architect ’19

  1. Phitpaisarn

The Resysta brand of imitation wood from Germany is made of raw materials sourced directly from nature. It is composed of 60% rice husks, 22% rock salt, and 18% mineral oils. As the market price of genuine timber continues to rise, faux wood is on course to become the material of choice in future construction. It’s available in a variety of styles, each tailored to meet specific building needs ranging from flooring to wall coverings to decorating materials. Imitation wood comes in textures and finishes that resemble real timber. It’s capable of being used indoors and out of doors. Faux wood for outdoor applications is covered by a 15-year warranty. There’s no worry about peeling paint, either. Since it is water impermeable, faux wood isn’t prone to be affected by surface fungi, mold and mildew. Apart from flexibility, imitation wood is easy to drill holes, saw off, and rub to produce smooth, shiny finishes.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19

(Booth S113)

Architect ’19

  1. Hooth

Made of high quality stainless steel, the Hooth brand of home kitchen systems is renowned for creativity and craftsmanship. What makes it special is that you have the option of designing a kitchen to fit in with your specific space and functions. Created with the Thai kitchen in mind, Hooth sets of fixtures, cabinets and appliances are made tough to withstand the stresses and heavy-duty use. The layout includes areas where materials are prepared and food is cooked as well as washbasins and neatly designed storage spaces. Stainless steel is unaffected by heat, easy to keep clean, durable, and scratch-resistant. You can add small tweaks to improve the look, such as cabinets with glass doors and the countertop made of natural stone slabs.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19

(Booth S502)

Architect ’19

  1. Kenkoon

The Kenkoon brand of multipurpose kitchen cabinet is good news for small-space dwellers. Known as Q-Mini Compact, the cabinet measuring 120 x 205 x 60 centimeters is designed to make a small kitchen work best for you. Once opened, the cabinet transforms into a workable kitchen with a cooking range, washbasin, storage, and a shelf for the microwave oven. Shelving is fully adjustable to suit specific storage needs, while cabinet sides can be made of real wood, corrugated metal, stone veneer siding, or laminate boards.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19

(Booth F206-1)

Architect ’19

  1. 3M

​Transcending the limits of thought, the 3M DI-NOC vinyl that’s only 200 microns is suitable for multiple uses and looks its best in many different situations. Your home exterior is just as important as its interior, and vinyl siding comes in handy for both. Installation is easy. Simply remove the outer covering and place the self-adhesive film over the existing surfaces. The decorative vinyl sticks to wood, sheet steel, aluminum, stainless steel, Plaswood PVC sheets, and MDF boards. DI-NOC vinyl offers many advantages, ranging from low maintenance to durability to enhancing curb appeal. There are more than 1,000 design patterns to choose from.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19 Architect ’19

​That’s not all. 3M is also showcasing Fasara, also known as PE Film, which is only 80 microns. Designed especially for car windows, the film is capable of blocking up to 99% of hazardous ultraviolet rays. It adds strength to glass windows and has more than 55 designs to choose from.

(Booth F104)

Architect ’19

  1. Kenzai

​​              Realizing the potentials of a hybrid of ceramics and synthetic resin, Kenzai has achieved a major breakthrough in manufacturing lightweight brick for construction. The important development is the result of a collaboration between Kenzai and Jun Sekino of the architectural firm JUNSEKINO Architect and Design. Resin, which is translucent, allows light to pass through the brick creating an interesting new dimension to the wall. Combine that quality with creative bricklaying patterns, and the result is amazing. The best part of the show is the Ombra brick collection that’s highly recommended as worth seeing.

Architect ’19Architect ’19

(Booth S212-1)

Architect ’19

  1. L&E

​              A leader in electric bulb manufacture and lighting technology, L&E showcases exciting new lamp collections with a focus on simple design that’s characteristic of the minimalist decorating style. The exhibit offers light fixtures designed for a variety of functions, ranging from floor standing lamps to hanging chandeliers to linear strips and studio rail systems. You will love the clear blinker light bulbs for ceiling decorations that mimic a night sky filled with stars. For the outdoors, there’s a beautiful collection of lamp fixtures that turn the garden and swimming pool into an enchanting place. All of them come equipped with LED bulbs that save you money on electricity while providing sufficient light that’s easy on the eyes.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19

(Booth S301)

Architect ’19

  1. Material World

​              For people who do occasional domestic repairs and minor renovations, Material World is one of the must-see events at this year’s expo. Handymen will find the exhibition useful in keeping abreast of the latest in tools and equipment for household maintenance. They include multipurpose tool boxes and bags that are lightweight, durable, and available in many colors and sizes. The kind designed for storing heavy-duty tools is capable of withstanding weight up to 150 kilograms. When not in use, they can be stacked up for space saving. If you use plastic bags in the kitchen, there are metal clips for a variety of purposes. Clips and sealable bags come in handy for storing things left over after other things have been used.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19

(Booth L104)

Architect ’19

  1. Ricoh

​              Development is a never-ending process at Ricoh, which is showcasing an exciting breakthrough in printing technology. Its new inkjet printers are capable of printing works on many surfaces other than paper, among them faux leather, wood and glass surfaces for interior decorating. Advanced technology ensures that the prints are UV and water resistant, which enables them to stay beautiful for a long time without cracking or peeling off. The new Ricoh inkjet printer is suitable for printing works under time pressure, such as promotional materials for event organizing or unique print jobs that are done in limited quantities. The printer is capable of printing 48 square meters per hour.

Architect ’19 Architect ’19 Architect ’19

(Booth L204)

Architect ’19

  1. Fineness

​              Laminate boards from Fineness are the real deal that can add value to your home project. Made of layers of protective material, they are durable and scratch resistant. The kind that’s 0.8 millimeters thick is the material of choice for making the white board that works well with erasable felt tip pens. It’s also available in flat black that’s suitable for making the blackboard to write on with white or colored chalk. The possibilities are endless. They include magnetic memo boards, glass laminate boards, and ceramic tile finishes for the wall to name a few. Manufactured by placing layer upon layer, laminate boards can protect against bacterial and fungal infestations while resisting moisture, wear and tear. More importantly, they are lightweight and easy to install.

Architect ’19

(Booth F421)

All things considered, the Architect ’19 provides an excellent opportunity for an update on the latest news, ideas and information on innovative design, products and services. The expo is highly recommended whether you are an interior designer, architect, service provider, or member of the general public. The expo is on from April 30 to May 5. More details about the exposition can be found at www.asa.or.th/architectexpo.

The 33rd Architect’19 Makes It Big Across the ASEAN
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The 33rd Architect’19 Makes It Big Across the ASEAN

Determined to make it one of the top expos in architecture, building materials and construction with a focus on advances in Thai and international architecture, the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage and the N.C.C. Exhibition Organizer Co., Ltd. (NEO) are hosting the 33rd Architect’19 under the theme of “Living Green” during 30 April – 5 May, 2019. Thousands of brands will showcase the latest in technological innovations, products and services in architecture and building materials from 40 countries worldwide.

The NCC Exhibition Organizer Co., Ltd. is committed to further developing connections between exhibitors and potential buyers from architectural and construction industry especially those from neighboring countries such as CLMV through business matching program. So far the expo has drawn the biggest response from industries across the region. It is anticipated that more than 400 business meetings will take place this year. The expo is expected to generate more than 10 billion baht in total sales. Some of confirmed buyers include:

  • Cambodia: Heng Asia, one of the largest shopping centers for architectural and interior design products and services, Unisun Development Corp, which owns and operates office and residential complexes, warehouses and industrial plant renovation services, as well as leading companies such as Hatha Architects, Golden Axis Architecture and Decoration, and Marron Design Studio.
  • Myanmar: Pro1 Global Home Center, a major shopping center for building supplies and decorating materials.
  • India: Adroit Design India Pvt Ltd provides innovative solutions for architectural and interior design.
  • Indonesia: G-Architect and Asia Interior Design will also be meeting with local business participants during the show.

To promote a green experience, the organizer is providing free shuttle van service between BTS Mo Chit station (exit 2), MRT Chatuchak station (exit 4) and IMPACT Exhibition Center during the show, bring your own cup and receive free drinks at the rest area, And to cut down on plastic waste, shoppers are encouraged to bring their own reusable cloth bags. Ideas on reducing paper use is available when you download the ASA Application and get information updates on the show and get a chance to win prizes worth more than 500,000 Baht.

Register now for free to attend the show at https://eventinsight.co/el/to/F2CcfE

See you at the 33rd Architect’19 on the theme of “Living Green” during 30 April – 5 May, 2019 at Challenger 1-3, IMPACT Exhibition Center, Bangkok, Thailand.

For more information, get the latest news updates at www.asa.or.th/architectexpo or follow us on Facebook: ASA CREW.

THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE
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THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE

More than 19 years of event planning experience have prepared us at Baanlaesuan Magazine Group for the job of hosting the best home and garden fair in Thailand and the ASEAN region. “Real Life Galleria” is the theme of the 2019 Edition of Baanlaesuan Fair Select, which is now in its second year. The exhibition is brought to you by room Magazine. Look for room Showcase at the fair for imaginative designs and inspiration. Experience the excitement of modern design that comes with every showroom on display during the five-day event. Good design inspires the admiration of everyone, and it’s one that answers your specific lifestyle needs. For the 2019 Edition of Baalaesuan Fair Select, Room Magazine proudly presents a collection of masterpieces by some of Thailand’s distinguished designers.

Looking back, the furniture section’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Looking back, the furniture section’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Looking back, the furniture section’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Looking back, the furniture section’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Looking back, the furniture section’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Looking back, the furniture section’s friendly, welcoming atmosphere at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.

If you are handicraft lovers, there’s a special zone for that. Look for My Craft Zone at the fair for new ideas and inspiration for your next project. Whilst there, drop into The Book House to browse and shop new books and other bestsellers on the topics of home and garden. For those who are enthusiastic about small garden ideas, Baanlaesuan Pocket Garden offers a wonderful richness of small garden ideas. Just a reminder, the home and garden fair is happening from 20 to 24 February 2019 at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center.

The floor plan, 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select (Click here)

Entrance to the Galleria

THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCETHE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE

To create an inviting atmosphere, the entryway to the Galleria is decorated showroom style. Simple, clean designs paired with perforate metal patterns give handy hints about furniture, home goods and decorating ideas. The paint color, the furniture, the lighting combines to make the area awesome. Drop by for a photo opportunity. There’s something good in every show.

room Magazine Showcase
Real Life Galleria: The Secret of Showroom Making

Real Life Galleria by room Magazine at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select

Real Life Galleria is a show about design masterpieces by some of the country’s top-notch designers. Organized on theme of “The Secret of Showroom Making”, the exhibition provides a conducive atmosphere for learning and exploring design possibilities. It’s the product of a collaboration between the Baanlaesuan Magazine Group and the Design and Objects Association. The 2019 Edition of Baanlaesuan Fair Select proudly presents five masterpieces by five leading homegrown designers. They include Suwan Kongkunthien, M. L. Pavinee Santisiri, Amornthep Kachanont, Jirapan Tokhiri, and Rangsan Narathasajan. Together, they let us in on their secrets in “giving a home the look and feel of a living art gallery”. Over time, our curators have worked jointly with diligent care and effort to choose five designs that answer different lifestyle needs. Not only are the showpieces fully functioning as expected, but they are awesome in ways that bespeak their unique style.

Real Life Galleria by room Magazine at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select Real Life Galleria by room Magazine at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select Real Life Galleria by room Magazine at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair SelectReal Life Galleria by room Magazine at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair SelectReal Life Galleria by room Magazine at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select

The Book House at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select

The Book House at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select

Real Life Galleria is also the theme of this exhibition booth. The relationship between color and texture in the room is defined by a gridiron design that sits atop a series of archways painted contrasting shades of red and green. Where appropriate, small green plants thrive from hanging containers creating a welcoming atmosphere. It’s designed to be an ideal place to browse, read and shop books specially screened and chosen by a team of editors at Baanlaesuan Printing.

The Book House at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select

            Special Promotions! Buy books from Baanlaesuan Printing on this occasion only and get:

* 15% discounts when you buy 1 to 3 books.
* 20% discounts when you buy 4 books.

The Book House and Chang Green Oasis

 THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCETHE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCETHE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE

Relax Zone for Garden Lovers

The Relax Zone is a stress free area for garden lovers. It’s pleasing to the mind to be able to sit down and do some reading after a long walk. And if you think it’s time to grab a bite to eat, there’s a very nice café for that. Plenty of food and drinks to enjoy in a relaxing environment! It’s also a center for home decorating demonstrations and workshops for those who are interested. Decorated urban café style in a garden setting, the Relax Zone makes a visit enjoyable thanks to live music courtesy of Chang brands.

THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE

Besides good food and a cup of coffee to replenish your energy and recharge your spirit, the Relax Zone will put a smile on your face. There are plenty of design ideas to take home to liven up your favorite family hangout.

Urban Pocket Garden Ideas

Explore new ways of planting your own small gardens at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Explore new ways of planting your own small gardens at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.

Urban Pocket Garden Ideas are the theme of a show for people living in small spaces. They come in handy to brighten the home with living plants, whether it be a backyard patio, small terrace or indoor space. Healthy green foliage provides unexpected pops of color and texture that can soften the harsh appearance of the built environment. The show garden offers clever tips for choosing plants and decorative containers suitable for small spaces. There are plenty of cool designs to transform a niche of space into a stunning garden that bespeaks your unique style. They include living green walls or vertical gardens, potted gardens, and urban green space ideas. Drop by for a good photo opportunity.

Explore new ways of planting your own small gardens at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Explore new ways of planting your own small gardens at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Explore new ways of planting your own small gardens at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.
Explore new ways of planting your own small gardens at 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select.

Art and Craft Zone

Looking for decorating ideas to create a personal oasis? Art and Craft is a zone for home goods, décor accents, even small ornaments for every room in the house. Save on home accessories from across the country, among them unique screen prints from “The Archivist”, cool items of clothing and nice looking hats for summer from “PALINI”, and more. There are plenty of handmade ceramics and imaginative décor materials to make your home awesome.

THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE THE 2019 BAANLAESUAN FAIR SELECT AT A GLANCE

Just a reminder: The 2019 Baanlaesuan Fair Select is happening from 20 to 24 February at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. It’s open from 9.30 to 21.00 hrs. See you there.

 

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The Chairmen of Thai Design, A Room Magazine Showcase at The BaanLaeSuan Select Fair
Looking back, the Chairmen of Thai Design, a Room Magazine showcase at the 2018 Baanlaesuan Select Fair

Behind the Works at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018: Historic Images of an Important Time for the Art World
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Behind the Works at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018: Historic Images of an Important Time for the Art World

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 has now finished up. Here we’ll look back at some historic images illustrating what was behind the scenes of this important page of Thailand’s contemporary art world, which brought many world-class artists – Marina Abramović,  Yayoi Kusama, Choi Jeong Hwa, Jean-Michel Basquiat, and many others – to exhibit at 20 landmark locations in Bangkok.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

This is Tape Bangkok 2018, or “Adhesive Tape Tunnel,” by Numen/For Use Collective Design. The artists had a foreign team work closely with the Thai team to teach installation methodology during setup on the 7 th floor of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre.


Zero, an 8.2-meter-tall installation art sculpture by Elmgreen & Dragset, required skilled Thai workmen using a crane to lift it into position in front of the East Asiatic Building.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
Our team found that three pieces especially grabbed the public eye at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. The “mother goddess of polka dots,” Artist Yayoi Kusama, sent a foreign work team to closely supervise the highly complex installation of her pieces after their arrival from Japan. The FAVForward/Lifestyle website in the Amarin Group, which monitored the installation, said, “The 14 Pumpkin balloons took a lot of days to set up, with meticulous attention to every detail by the Japanese team. Setting up “Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons” wasn’t simple: it required stringing electric lines and constructing beams and internal
supports to get the pumpkins to float high above.

I Carry On Living With The Pumpkins (Silver Pumpkin and Red Pumpkin), two large and heavy works composed of inflexible pieces with lots of angles, had a hard time making it through the door. It took the staff a big chunk of time, and they told us that putting it all together was no easy thing.

Your Dog, the work of Yoshitomo Nara, another Japanese artist, at BAB Box @One Bangkok, was in a single piece and didn’t involve difficult transportation or setup. The installation team simply lifted the 4.5-meter puppy, and in the clip below you can see the setup procedure.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
Turkish female artist Canan’s Animal Kingdom involved installation of dozens of animals, large and small, at BAB Box @ One Bangkok. This animal kingdom took up nearly 10 square meters and was as tall as the 2-storey building itself. Installation required a work team to build scaffolding to fit.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018The work 2562++, by Tay (Patipat Chaiwitesh), was exhibited at the East Asiatic Building. It’s full of fun, but that is blended with biting satire. The backstory here, Patipat tells us, is that the animals displayed here were all stuffed. He himself found them all in the market (not alive at that point, of course), and worked with lab experts at the Veterinary Department of Chiang Mai University to stuff them, preserving shapes and eliminating decay. After that procedure, Patipat left the lab and continued working on them in ways you can see in the video below.

Pictures that Tell Stories: Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 (Photo Essay)
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Pictures that Tell Stories: Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 (Photo Essay)

On its very first day, Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 became an important part of world-class contemporary art history, with many stories of its own to tell. Today Living ASEAN will show you what this means, telling stories through pictures. Sometimes many written words can’t express the spirit of a thing as well as a single picture.

/// THAILAND ///
Story : Singhanart Nakpongphun 

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
19 September 2018 – Minister of Tourism and Sport Weerasak Kovasurat gives opening remarks for Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 at BAB Box @ One Bangkok. The glass walls in back reflects the shadow of Happy Happy Project: Please Love Me 1, a work of synthetic fabric in the shape of a flying pig, 3.5 x 5 meters, by Choi Jeong Hwa | Photo: Soopakorn Srisakul

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
23 October 2018 – Marina Abramović, one of the most influential artists in the world of contemporary art, conducts her first full-length symposium in Thailand at Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theater in Siam Paragon before more than 2,000 Thai and foreign audience members | Photo: Phukarin Phuangthong

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

8 November 2018 – A tour group from Korea and their translator, visiting The State of Suffering (Mental Therapy), an installation art piece by Ajarn Sunanta Phasomwong at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, serving as a case study showing how Thailand can use a contemporary art festival in a concrete way to promote tourism. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

Bangkok Art Biennale 20188 September 2018 – Ajarn Lakhana Khunawichayanon, former director of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, speaking informally with participants in the 16th BAB Talk seminar at Warehouse 30 on the topic “Beyond Bliss: Can Art Really Build Happiness?” | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
13 November 2018 –   Inflatable sculpture Happy Happy Project: About being irritated, by Choi Jeong Hwa, an 8-meter-tall robot lying down between buildings in the heart of the city. Normally this can only be seen in a Japanese superhero film, but here visitors see the real thing close up, in a plaza connecting Siam Center and Siam Discovery. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
17 October 2018 – Diluvium by Lee Bul, an installation art piece of silver light-reflecting tape set up in the 2nd floor of the East Asiatic Building. The picture was taken using double exposure to overlay three separate corners of this work. | Photo:  Singhanart Nakpongphun

24 November 2018 – Two Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 artists meeting without an appointment: Michael Elmgreen, creator of Zero – at the East Asiatic Building –came as a visitor only to become a special guest participant in Pichet Klunchun’s Bogus Séance Version Bangkok 4.0, which deals with a mix of cultures and communication without words, national borders, or languages, through something known as “art.” | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

19 November 2018 – The venue of Geometry of Lamentation by performance artist Jihyun Youn, one of 8 artists from the Marina Abramović Institute (MAI) who did continuous live performances eight hours a day for 3 weeks running from October 19th – November 11th, 2018 on the 8th floor of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. At first the room is white, as Jihyun Youn communicates sadness and the emotional complexity of a woman unable to use the spoken word. But then red colors are splashed all over the room throughout the performance. Even after the performance is long over, the venue itself speaks to visitors. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

10 November 2018 – Phaptawan Suwannakudt and Jitsing Somboon during a special lecture (a TV program with Tiwaporn Thetsatit) outdoors in nature at the Crocodile Pond, Wat Pho, near where Phaptawan’s work is displayed. Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 has created happiness throughout Bangkok with about 200 art pieces in various locations – department stores, old buildings, or important Thai temples. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
18 November 2018 – The grand old East Asiatic Building

In eventide, bathed in joy and light at the 20th BAB Talk half seminar, half very- special-pool-party with the artist duo Elmgreen & Dragset, who have a lot of world-class works behind them. | Methee Samantong, Post Process, Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

20 November 2018 – Taweesak Molsawat, in a live performance of Mis/placed: The Existing of Non-Existence on the architectural piece Moving System Pavilion by Vira Inpuntung and Pich Poshyananda, assembled by Bangkok Art Biennale and the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage. Here we see how beautifully architectural design and live performance can support each other. Taweesak has done other architecture-based performances as well, with installation art by Bea Vithayathawornwong of Beautbureau and Savinee Buranasilapin and Tom Dannecker of Thingsmatter. November  20-25, 2018 at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

26 October 2018 – BAB Workshop #2: Teaching printmaking at Baan Lae Suan Fair “Massclusive 2018,” with Ajarn Chakri Kongkaew, whose prints of H.M. King Bhumibol Adulyadej were distributed the previous year at Baan Lae Suan Fair 2017. Here you see him sharing his knowledge at “BAB Workshop #1” in the most recent Midyear Fair. We must express our thanks for all the support for such great activities from Thai Beverage, Pcl. and companies in the Amarin network, as well as the Ardel Gallery Of Modern Art and the Bangkok Art Biennale Foundation, who have jointly organized such wonderful, creative artistic activities as we see here, without any participant fees charged! | Photo: Sitthisak Namkham

Kawita Vatanajyankur, Great Performance Brings Afternoon Tea to Life
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Kawita Vatanajyankur, Great Performance Brings Afternoon Tea to Life

 A cup of tea in the afternoon is an excuse to share great thoughts with like-minded friends. Even better if the elixir of life is served fresh while live performance art is happening in real time. And right before your eyes, you fall in love with the show. It just goes to show the close-knit relationship between two artistic disciplines – visual arts and culinary talents.

/// THAILAND ///
Story and video: Singhanart Nakpongphun /// Photographs: Soopakorn Srisakul, Singhanart Nakpongphun and PR material 

“Knit” 2018, a performance art show visualizing hardships women face in society
“Knit” 2018, a performance art show visualizing hardships women face in society

Kawita Vatanajyankur, one of six must-see artists in the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, is renowned for using video art to raise concerns about major issues in society and the exploitation of women, more specifically women’s rights abuse. The young homegrown artist calls attention to the problems by putting her body through various situations in the workplace that involve real pain and suffering.

Through painstaking attention to detail, Kawita sends a strong message that women deserve respect for doing backbreaking jobs in society. Her works characterized by vivid colors portray a woman as part of weaving machines, dyeing processes in the textile industry, and unending house work that includes cooking, cleaning and laundry. Over time, the power of enduring unpleasant situations crystalizes into a style that’s her signature as we know it.

Like a shuttle on the loom, the artist puts her body in an imaginary knitting machine to portray real pain and suffering that women face in society.
Like a shuttle on the loom, the artist puts her body in an imaginary knitting machine to portray real pain and suffering that women face in society.

Kawita Vatanajyankur, a rising star on Thailand’s thriving art scene, gave a live performance at an afternoon tea event hosted by the Peninsula Hotel Bangkok on January 11, 2019. Aptly named “Knit”, the show turned out to be quite a departure from her previous performances both in form and content. Only this time it focused on the power of visual storytelling as a means of highlighting hardship, solitude and experience that played a role in shaping people’s lives.

The artist likened human life experience to interlocking loops of wool or yarn knitted together to form an item of clothing. The stage on which she performed was bordered by 11 poles depicting an imaginary machine used in making knitted garments. Spun thread in bright red color twisted and wound around her evoked memories of a shuttle being thrown back and forth in the course of textile weaving. Only this time the shuttle was a human being – the artist herself.

Reports had it that the artist had gone through countless rehearsals to bring the show to perfection. The practice involved strenuous work, physical and mental fatigue, and many long hours. In the end, the audience responded with a big round of applause for the artistic talent, energy and strength that she displayed in the show that went on 60minutes.

Kawita makes art while afternoon tea is served at the Peninsula Bangkok.
Kawita makes art while afternoon tea is served at the Peninsula Bangkok.
The Knit Afternoon Tea menu is made exclusively for the show at the Peninsula Bangkok
The Knit Afternoon Tea menu is made exclusively for the show at the Peninsula Bangkok

Nothing compares to an hour reserved for afternoon tea. With a cup of tea in their hands, audience members enjoy the best of both worlds – a tea culture that looks aesthetically pleasing, and an art show that’s impressive, powerful and thought provoking.

Pastry chef Nicolas Pelloie has every reason to be very pleased. | Photo courtesy of the Peninsula Bangkok
Pastry chef Nicolas Pelloie has every reason to be very pleased. | Photo courtesy of the Peninsula Bangkok
Executive Chef Stefan Leitner, the face of leadership at the Peninsula Bangkok. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun
Executive Chef Stefan Leitner, the face of leadership at the Peninsula Bangkok. | Photo: Singhanart Nakpongphun

Sharing his experience, the Peninsula’s Executive Chef Stefan Leitner said, “To get the inspiration that we needed in the course of designing the menu for the show, our team of chefs spent some of their time each day looking at rolls of yarn and stage props for weeks. It just goes to show that well thought-out themed menus can go hand in hand with visual arts shows, which include the live performance that’s happening today. The result is a perfect marriage of two artistic disciplines.”

Members of the audience are able to experience the performance up-close. The event is recorded on videotape and the guests who attend the Afternoon Tea all become actors and actresses for the day. Footage of the performance will be used in a video art production for future shows abroad. In the end, the show becomes a stage, and everyone plays a role, this writer included.

The artist said in a post-performance interview, “I want societies to appreciate the roles that women play especially in the textile industry, in which women account for between 80 and 85 percent of the sector’s workforce worldwide. When we buy an item of clothing, oftentimes we think of the brand name and machinery that goes into making it look good. We hardly ever think of the little people who work on the production line. The exploitation of women and girls must end. I want societies to turn their attention to the problem. My message is that everyone is worthy of being treated fairly, the little people included.”

The 2018 Bangkok Art Biennale’s CEO and Artistic Director Dr. Apinan Poshyananda addresses honor guests at the end of the “Knit” live performance by artist Kawita Vatanajyankur.

Speaking to honor guests at the end of the show, the Bangkok Art Biennale’s CEO and Artistic Director Dr. Apinan Poshyananda said: “I can feel for her. It’s hard work. And it just goes to prove the artist’s perseverance with, and commitment to, a purpose and everything she has stood for in a fight against gender inequality. It tires me out to watch Kawita try with everything she has, her hands, her feet, even her mouth. The artist puts her body through hardships and pain twisting and winding thread around the 11 poles that symbolize the machine used in making knitted garments. In a way, it reminds us of many challenges that we must overcome in our work life.”

“Knit” is the latest edition of Kawita’s live performance series known as “Performing Textiles”. The series also includes 4 video art productions, all of which are on show at the East Asiatic Building now until February 3, 2019. They are the following:

“Dye”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“Dye”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“The Spinning Wheel”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“The Spinning Wheel”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“Shuttle”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“Shuttle”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“Untangled”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist
“Untangled”, a live performance by Kawita Vatanajyankur | Photo courtesy of the artist

“Knit” has been dubbed one of the must-see art exhibits as part of the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. The live performance by artist Kawita Vatanajyankur is held in the Lobby of the Peninsula Hotel Bangkok every Saturday in January from 1530 to 1630 hours. The show runs until Saturday February 2, 2019. Everyone is invited, and it’s free. But if you prefer to watch the show and enjoy the pleasure of Afternoon Tea service at the same time, the ticket is 1,400++ Baht for two persons. The Peninsula Hotel Bangkok’s Afternoon Tea service is in such high demands that reservations are required. To make a reservation, the number to call is 02 020 2888 or by email at diningpbk@peninsula.com.

Apart from the Peninsula Hotel Bangkok, amazing works of art by Kavita Vatanajyankur are also on show at the Central World Shopping Center, the Emquartier Mall, the Theatre of Indulgence, and the East Asiatic Building now until February 3, 2019

Are We Living Life, or Just Playing Parts? In Conversation with Marina Abramovic
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Are We Living Life, or Just Playing Parts? In Conversation with Marina Abramovic

A large crowd of art lovers queued up to get into Siam Pavalai, the Royal Grand Theater at Siam Paragon. Like everyone else, I had my ticket to the event ready for inspection. I could sense the atmosphere was filled with enthusiasm and energy. People were excited about the prospect of a vis-à-vis with Marina Abramovic, the icon of live performance art and living legend. Dubbed one of the most influential personalities to date, the 72-year-old Serbian artist and writer apparently was doing extremely well.

/// THAILAND ///
Story : Singhanart Nakpongphun /// Photography: Anupong Chaisukkasem

Inside, the sound of Clair de Lune by Claude Debussy brought the Royal Grand Theater to life.  As the beautiful piano music played, a slide show evoked the images of museumgoers taking it in turns to sit across the table from Marina Abramovic and look her in the eye. The artist was still and silent for the duration of the marathon live performance. The show brought a series of flashbacks of “Marina Abramovic: The Artist is Present”, her solo exhibition hosted by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York back in 2010.

Taking a quick look around, I saw people both local and foreign gradually being ushered to their seats while dimming lights signaled that something was about to happen. Clair de Lune, French for moonlight, seemed quieter now setting the scene for the show.

Lights were back on as Prof. Dr. Apinan Poshyananda, Chair and Artistic Director of the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, appeared on stage to deliver a speech making the opening of the show. He said the event coincided with one of the most important public holidays on Thailand’s calendar.

October 23, known as King Chulalongkorn Day, is observed nationwide in loving memories of the fifth monarch of the House of Chakri, who passed in 1910. The day also remembers his first official visit to Europe that took place 121 years ago. It was with mixed emotions knowing the journey also took him to Venice, Italy back in the day. Nowadays the “City of Canals” is home to one of the most celebrated art destinations in the world. La Biennale di Venezia, or the Venice Biennale, was founded in 1895 and have since become the model for other shows worldwide.

Out in the streets, it was raining heavily, but inside the Royal Grand Theater was filled to capacity to the point extra seats had to be provided to accommodate larger-than-expected crowds of art lovers. The Kingdom’s inaugural art festival, known as the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, began on 19 October and would run until 3 February 2019. The period saw more than 200 masterpieces by 75 renowned artists both local and international being on display at 20 landmark destinations throughout the city.

No stranger to Thailand’s artists circle, Abramovic was a visiting lecturer at Chulalongkorn University back in 2000 and since then has become fascinated with Thai culture. She was among the first world famous artists to accept the invitation to partake in the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. Abramovic began her art career in the early 1970’s in Belgrade, in what was then Yugoslavia. Active for nearly 50 years, she won the Golden Lion Award for Best Artist at the 1997 Venice Biennale for her video installation titled “Balkan Baroque”.

The 2018 art festival in Bangkok offered the opportunity of experiencing the amazing works of Marina Abramovic, which included “Standing Structures for Human Use”, a live installation exhibit that looked into the power of silent communication and invited viewer participation. The other show, known as “Method”, was an experimental piece about the state of being present in time and space. It was presented by a team of artists from the Marina Abramovic Institute (MIA), which focused on durational works.

“Standing Structures for Human Use” is a collection of five wood poles in the upright position and adorned with crystals, each one unique in its own special way. Intended for viewers to practice meditation, the live installation is happening daily at BAB Box @ One Bangkok on Rama V Road now until February 3, 2109.

The artist said that a lot of work had gone into the making of the exhibit. There was a time she traveled as far away as Brazil to search out crystals that would be the most suitable for a show, in which she wanted viewers to participate. She could still recall many long hours sleeping on a bench inside a remote Brazilian mine. She searched among the rocks looking for clear minerals believed to have healing powers. The rest of the time was spent searching out new ideas for future art making. In retrospect, the long, arduous travel into the woods has had far-reaching effects on her art. It was a spiritual journey that went beyond traveling to work.

The fun started here. The moment Marina Abramovic entered the stage, she asked people in the audience to close their eyes and breathe in and out normally in sync with the rhythm she was giving. After 12 times, she told everyone to slowly open their eyes. Like a wow moment, it felt like the beginning of a new day, one that culminated in a rendezvous with a celebrity artist.

“Welcome to the present,” said the artist. A succinct opening remark directed the audience attention to something like we’ve got far better things to do than dwell in the past. Neither would we think about the future still to come. Marina Abramovic proceeded to outline three activities she wanted to talk about in that evening conversation. As she spoke, eight young performers who had undergone training with MAI appeared on stage. Like a scene of walking meditation, they lined up one after another behind her and began treading very slowly without making a sound. And it went on for the duration of her talk.

Abramovic speaks as young performers tread the stage slowly and quietly behind her.
Abramovic speaks as young performers tread the stage slowly and quietly behind her.

Abramovic said the eight performers had successfully completed training at an MAI workshop aimed at getting their minds ready for show. Like a long, arduous journey, they gave live performances eight hours daily and the exhibit continued for three weeks at the Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BAAC). It began on 19 October and ended on 11 November as part of the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. From a wide field of hundreds of applicants, Abramovic handpicked only eight, among them Thai performance artist Thavisak Moolasawat.

The crux of the matter was a workshop on performance and material art, which the artist referred to as “Cleaning the House”. During training, participants went through different phases of intense activity. Some exercises involved the practice of walking very slowly that could go on for several hours. The focus was on breathing, motion, stillness and concentration of the mind, a method developed over several decades to prepare a select group of performers for long durational art exhibits.

Performance art is an exhibit presented to an audience within a fine art context. It can be performed live or shown via media. Abramovi said durational performances required a lot of physical and mental strengths and willpower to succeed. She said performance art, which could be art of any discipline, was different from acting or playing parts in stage or other productions, where actors and actresses assumed a different persona or put on a disguise. Quite the contrary, performance art was about living life and being who you were and what you stood for. A durational art performer was not performing a fictional role in any stage or screen production. The Cleaning the House workshop is about resetting the body, the fresh-and-blood living being, and preparing the mind to face the challenges in life.

Abramovic explains the idea behind the Cleaning the House Workshop.
Abramovic explains the idea behind the Cleaning the House Workshop.

The slow walking exercise soon changed to stillness where performers paired up and looked each other in the face. It was soundless, motionless and without response of any kind. They tried not to blink, because any shutting and opening of the eyes could result in losing a focus on the matter at hand. The show was modelled on a previous performance by Abramovic titled “The Artist is Present”, which was hosted by the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York in 2010.

The work of a lifetime
The work of a lifetime

Then came the moment of Abramovic’s work of a lifetime. A public declaration of her life and works appeared on the screen behind her. The artist said the formal announcement and listing of works she has performed from the past to the present has meant a lot to her. The same applied to any career, whether it be singer, songwriter, or authors and whatnots. Her life manifesto just went to show who she was and what she believed in.

After asking the performers to change from looking each other in the face to standing still with their eyes closed, Abramovic began reading her life manifesto clearly and slowly one item at a time. Some items were repeated many times over, especially ones that said an artist shouldn’t behave like a star, and that depression had no benefit for anyone pursuing an art career.

There was a big round of applause when she said: “Never should an artist fall in love with another artist.” She was speaking from life experience, subtly alluding to a romantic relationship with Uwe Laysiepen, also known as Ulay, her German partner and artistic collaborator. It was one of the most meaningful aspects of life and sources of deep fulfilment and companionship that had strong influence on her art during the 1980’s.

Abramovic reading her life manifesto
Abramovic reading her life manifesto

The meeting concluded with a Q&A session, in which the artist invited people to ask about anything. Sure enough, there were a lot of questions from members of the audience, both local and international. One of them harked back to a witty remark Abramovic had made earlier in the show, which said: “Never should an artist fall in love with another artist?”

To which, she answered from experience that apparently artists tended to have a lot in common. Their spirits and natural instinctive states of mind tended to be too similar. It was especially good from the get-go. Two artists could be ideally suited to each other, but rarely did it translate into living life together happily ever after. Exceptions were few and far in between. This writer thought the same applied to relationships in other professions, too. Don’t you think? Click this link to share your thoughts with us.

Without a doubt, Abramovic has been held in high esteem the world over. The long spiritual journey to respect and admiration must have taught her something. This writer finally got around to asking her what was it that had the most influence on her art.

This writer stands up for vis-à-vis with Marina Abramovic.
This writer stands up for vis-à-vis with Marina Abramovic.

Abramovic answered: “It was Rhythm 0.” She was referring to a solo live performance she staged at age 23. She could still recall it was one of the most challenging performances in her lifetime as artist. It was a test of the limits of the relationship between performer and audience. Between the artist and members of the audience, there were 72 objects that she put on the table. People were allowed to use any one of them in any way they chose, among them a rose, a feather, honey, scissors, a knife, even a pistol loaded with one bullet. The performance last six hours, during which her body sustained several injuries that brought out the dark side of human nature. Needless to say she felt really violated. Since then, Abramovic has spent more than four decades researching and developing spiritual and material art as tools to promote the positive traits of humankind.

The inaugural art festival saw the icon of live performances work non-stop for more than three weeks in Thailand, the longest visit she has ever made to a country she has grown fondest of.

The Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 began on 19 October and runs until 3 February 2019. There are 20 locations city-wide that play host to more than 200 masterpieces from all disciplines. In all, 75 artists from 34 countries across the globe are taking part in a joint effort to turn Bangkok into one of the world’s most sought-after art destinations.

The moment this writer has been waiting for, the opportunity of meeting the artist up-close and picking up a book with her autograph on it. | Photo courtesy of the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
This writer’s most treasured possession

This writer told Marina Abramovic that he wanted more than just an autograph. He would really appreciate an inspiration, especially to do something creative. And the artist scribbled something resembling two mathematical expressions being equal. This writer then asked her what she meant by it. With a smile, she answered in a clever and amusing way: “Infinity plus infinity, then on one knows the answer.” Aha! I’ve got it.

Experience Art Late at Night: A Charm You Never Knew Before
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Experience Art Late at Night: A Charm You Never Knew Before

Sometimes changing our perspective crystallizes our vision so that what we’re looking at appears entirely new and different. This definitely applies to certain exhibits at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 international festival of contemporary art: there are quite a few you might want to visit, experience, and drink in not just during the day, but much later, at night. Here we’ve collected some of those you might want to spend some quality evening time with, and we’d like to pass on these suggestions to the people of Living ASEAN.

Let’s start in the heart of Bangkok with the Siam District, which could be considered the trade center of the nation. There at night you can see art works from the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 international festival of contemporary art at either Central World shopping mall or the real estate development One Bangkok. These locations are neither terribly close to each other nor very far apart.

  • Name: 14 Pumpkins
  • Artist/Nationality: Yayoi Kusama (Japan)
  • On display at: Central World

In any discussion of outstanding contemporary artists it would be surprising if the name Yayoi Kusama were not mentioned. She is considered the “mother of polka dot art,” creating paintings, sculptures, installation art, and movies based on innovative arrangements of those quirky round spots.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 features numerous of her latest works, including 14 Pumpkins, giant polka dot pumpkin . . . sculptures, is that what they are? In any case, they are on display at Central World and have created an exciting transformation of the mall interior with a truly spectacular piece of pop art.

  • Name: Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • On display at: Central Embassy

Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree is a fantastic work by Choi Jeong Hwa, a leading contemporary artist from Korea. All his creations are inspired by materials encountered in daily life that are recycled and arranged to tell their stories in fascinating ways.

The Happy Happy Project is a good representation of Choi’s approach. These pieces explore the world of happiness, which is actually a very transitory and contradictory realm within each of us, and the project is made up of art works created as large inflatables, such as Fruit Tree, a giant plant that can’t help but bring a smile to anyone who so much as gives it a brief glance.

  • Name: Happy Happy Project: Breathing Flower
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • On display at: One Bangkok

Happy Happy Project: Breathing Flower is one of this project’s most interesting works. Somehow, viewers just can’t escape feeling a rush of happiness as they pass this giant inflated flower which moves on its own.

  • Name: Happy Happy Project: Love Me Pig
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • On display at: One Bangkok

Love Me Pig is another work from Happy Happy Project that calls forth smiles from visitors. How could it not? An inflatable pig with giant wings! And so brightly colored, dominating its space in the One Bangkok hall as it waits for viewers to come admire it.

  • Name: Animal Kingdom
  • Artist/Nationality: Canan (Turkey)
  • On display at: One Bangkok

The artist Canan calls herself an activist for women’s rights. She believes in the power of social activism and uses the female body to communicate her work in mixed media, handicrafts, painting, video, and installation art.

Her latest, Animal Kingdom, is installation art based in Arab and Persian cosmological concepts, made from a blend of materials such as sequins, fabric, fibers, and interwoven string. It suggests a scene in the land of heaven, which is full of all kinds of mythological animals such as the phoenix, dragons, snakes, and demons (djinni), and reflects the artist’s personal sense of supernatural creatures.

Charoen Krung is another area which, despite its economic growth, still retains much of its historical identity and culture. This preservation is clearly visible in houses and other buildings you’ll find here, which makes this district a favorite of artists and art lovers.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 exhibitions you can see at night in this district are at the Mandarin Oriental Hotel and the East Asia Building.

  • Name: Lost Dog
  • Artist/Nationality: Aurèle (France)
  • On display at: Mandarin Oriental

This is a sculpture by famous French artist Aurèle Ricard, who uses art to reflect on environmental problems that humans worldwide have brought on themselves. One of his recent major pieces is Lost Dog CO2, a huge dog made of pollution-reducing plants, designed to encourage awareness of increasingly occurring negative environmental effects produced by humanity’s own skills.

His very latest is Lost Dog, a more than 5.9-meter-tall sculpture standing tall by the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, one of the treasures of Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. Here Aurèle suggests an animal seeking a path leading to happiness in the midst of a world made confused by humanity’s all-too-clever accomplishments.

Credit Pic: Singnat Nakphongphan
  • Name: Zero
  • Artist/Nationality: Elmgreen & Dragset (Germany)
  • On display at: The East Asiatic Building

Zero is a thought-provoking sculpture by Michael Elmgreen and Ingar Dragset, a pair of artists known for their installation art techniques who have exhibited at festivals all over the world, including at the Venice, Berlin, and Gwangju Biennale exhibitions.

For their latest showing, at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, the pair have a select space on the riverfront of the East Asiatic Building where you’ll find Zero, a stainless steel “swimming pool” outline 8 meters high. Its form resembles a zero and symbolizes a connection between Bangkok’s large waterway, the Chao Phraya River, and the artists’ homeland on the Nordic Sea.

Besides the spots we’ve mentioned, there are quite a few Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 exhibitions that have been placed in temples, as, for instance . . .

  • Name: Turtle Religion
  • Artist/Nationality: Krit Ngamsom (Thailand)
  • On display at: Wat Prayunwongsawat Worawihan

Turtle Religion is a mixed media sculpture by Krit Ngamsom, which may have sprung from childhood memories brought back by the artist with new twists and interpretations to pique interest in the ordinary world.

Turtle Religion is found at Khao Mo in Wat Prayunwongsawat Worawihan where a moat home to an abundance of turtles and catfish is echoed above by these steel turtles, each of which holds something different on its back, suggesting a unity in religious faiths and cultures which are mixed and blended into a single substance here.

  • Name: What Will You Leave Behind?
  • Artist/Nationality: Nino Suwannee Sarabutra (Thailand)
  • On display at: Wat Prayunwongsawat Worawihan

“If today were your last day of life, what good would you leave in this world?” is the question posed by What Will You Leave Behind? This installation art is designed specifically for this place by Nino Suwannee. It consists of more than 100,000 tiny ceramic skull bones spread down on the walkway surrounding the temple’s main chedi. The concept is to make visitors experience it with the soles of their feet, giving them sudden insight into the fragility of life.

  • Name of work: Across the Universe and Beyond
  • Artist/Nationality: Sanitas Pradittasnee (Thailand)
  • On display at: Wat Arun Ratchawaramahawihan

Across the Universe and Beyond brings back to life a principle which has been lost and forgotten, with a design of space and light urging the viewer stepping into the space to stand in contemplation of himself, as in a moment of persistence, impermanence, and emptiness, this art piece carries a reminder for us to be aware of being mere particles in a vast universe.

There’s More to the “City of Art” Than Just Viewing: Join in BAB 2018’s Super-Cool Activities
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There’s More to the “City of Art” Than Just Viewing: Join in BAB 2018’s Super-Cool Activities

“If you just look and never touch it, the product suffers.” Most of us probably know this Thai proverb, but wouldn’t think it applied to the art we’ll see at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 international festival of contemporary art. However, you might be surprised! You really should visit this multi-venue event. Walk around, drink in the atmosphere, and actually reach in to the core of the stories and inspiration the artists have given us with these works.

Tape Bangkok 2018
Artist: Numen For Use Design Collective
Location: 7th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Have you ever been afraid of things you couldn’t see? If, at the end of the tunnel, there’s nothing but emptiness and you don’t know what’s in front of you, how can you dare go in? And if the tunnel is full of breakable things and you have to walk with the greatest care?

We’re taking you to Tape Bangkok 2018, a giant tape sculpture at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. Attached from walls to floor, it is not only like a tunnel, but when you walk inside, it feels like a silk cocoon. Experiences of light, sound, touch, and smell give the visitor a sense of being on a journey of self-discovery and rebirth. The creator of this project, Numen For Use Design Collective, is a group of artists and designers made up of Sven Jonke, Christoph Katzler, and Nikola Radeljkovic, whose work often experiments with large spaces and small-scale materials such as adhesive tape, glass, or aluminum.

WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND?
Artist: Nino Sarabutra
Location: Wat Prayoonwongsawat Worawihan

If today were the last day of your life, what good would you leave behind in this world? Most of us probably don’t have our lives completely planned out. If tomorrow were to be the last day of your life, what would you do? We expect that more than 90% of respondents would say they’d spend as much time as possible with loved ones. Would it occur to anyone that perhaps we should instead use every breath remaining to make a better world?

WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND? is a scattering of more than 125,000 unglazed white ceramic skulls that pave a walkway around the temple’s main chedi. The pieces are of different sizes, transforming the space and giving it a fragility that moves people to step carefully, and with each step there are reminders of death, calling for mindfulness, as the rhythm of the walk encourages controlled breathing, and perhaps also thinking about how each of us can bring some good into the world each day .


Paths of Faith, 2018
Artist:  Jising Somboon
Location: Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn

The name Jitsing has long been well known in fashion circles for the artist’s being different and tearing up old rules: in this respect his identity is reflected here in a work that mixes art, spirituality, and fashion design. Besides his fashion design work, Jitsing also does paintings and sculptures.

For Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) 2018 Jitsing has produced a piece entitled Paths of Faith (2018). This is a collection of white robes with the word “faith” in Thai, English, and Chinese embroidered on the back. There is a pocket sewn into the shirt to hold shoes so that removing them to enter the Reclining Buddha sanctuary they don’t have to be left haphazardly outside. The robes are set where visitors can wear them inside as they walk around the giant sleeping Buddha, feeling heavenly while hearing the sound of coins falling into a donation bowl. Paths of Faith (2018) is on exhibit for the full 4 months of the Festival, plenty of time to come take part in this expression of faith.

Standing Structures for Human Use (2017)
Artist: Marina Abramović
Location: BAB Box @ One Bangkok

If you don’t participate in this art work, you’ll never understand how wooden columns can be related to crystals. This is the latest work of Marina Abramović, an artist who at age 72 is at her highest level of influence in the world of live media and conceptual art. This piece focuses on communication through the body. This glowing sculpture here is designed to treat injuries and heal the hearts of those who interact with it. Two people stand, each on a side, and use the crystal for communication through silence. Marina believes that if our hearts are still enough, they can send power to each other. Want to know what this is all about? Come experience it at BAB Box @ One Bangkok.

What makes Marina Abramović’s work interesting is the display of intention through performance, playing with the deepest states of the human body and spirit. The works that brought her fame were many, and one of the most interesting ones is Rhythm 10 (1973).

Marina Abramović’s fascinating performance art, revealing intention through an interplay of the human body and spirit, is at the core of the works that made her famous, one of which is Rhythm 10 (1973).

Rhythm 10, her first solo performance, features knife play. Spreading her hand wide, she slams the points of the knives rapidly in each in-between space, all the time recording the sounds. Using 20 knives, changing after each round, she then plays the recording and repeats the process in synch with the recorded rhythm. Spooky, no?

Marina says she’s neither crazy nor has a death wish. Even if many of her works appear life-threatening, she is simply testing the extent of the body’s powers: it isn’t so much the body, but more the mind that enables us to go beyond our limitations. For her, performing before an audience merely means pushing her own limits to be able to do things normally impossible.


The Check Point 2018
Artist: Nge Lay
Location: 7th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Installation art often gives you something to stand staring at before passing by. You won’t understand it if you look only at its surface. The Check Point is an arrangement of multicolored, multipatterned fabrics into a beautiful work of art, but is much more than that. It communicates about both spiritual and physical women’s issues that reach all humanity, including saints, knights, philosophers, and sinners, as one and all, we are born through a mother’s vagina. Nge Lay poses the question of why for many reasons arising from society or belief systems there is a pervasive view of women as representing weakness and lesser ability. Yes, nowadays issues of equal rights are more at the forefront, but this piece harks back to the traditional. The artist uses numerous pieces of longyi, a fabric popular among 8 Myanmar ethnicities for skirts, to sew into a vagina-like shape. To really get inside this piece doesn’t mean simply daring to go through a cloth birth canal, but being inside and summoning a belief in the symbolism as if it were indeed true. Nge Lay says, “Creating this piece I felt both satisfied and dissatisfied, proud and sad at the same time, at being a woman. I want visitors to walk through this door and experience it as not a dirty or depressing thing, but as the value that comes with being at once mother, nature, and the land itself.

Shelter 2018
Artist: Marc Schmitz
Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Shelter in public places enables escape from the outer confusion to a place of peace: This sculpture. Shelter, is created specifically for Bangkok, in particular for artists. The empty space provides an experience normally unavailable in urban life. Shelter lets us get away from decay, confusion, and spiritual gloom to look up at the sky and stop hurting each other for a moment. This Shelter is set in the middle of Bangkok, in front of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, in a location busy with people and crowded with cars. To experience this work of art is to feel peace and solitude as you are cut off from surrounding people. Walking out, creative ideas come quickly.

Across the Universe and Beyond
Artist: Sanitas Pradittasnee
Location: Wat Arun Ratchawaramahawihan

Here we take a lost and forgotten mountain path on a return to life, as the design of space and light brings visitors to look inward and contemplate their own being as they walk into the space and experience an instant of persistence, impermanence, and emptiness. This installation piece impels us to think about human identity: are we only particles in a vast universe?

Besides these art works we’ve just invited you to see at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, you can visit many never-before-seen works at many more locations all over urban Bangkok and along the Chao Phraya riverside. The Festival runs from October 19, 2018 until February 3, 2019 at 20 landmark locations all over the City.

Go Eat, Go View! Fill up at Restaurants the Locals Love (Chao Phraya)
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Go Eat, Go View! Fill up at Restaurants the Locals Love (Chao Phraya)

It’s said that waterways are the wellsprings of civilization, and that does appear to be true. Looking back many thousands of years to the earliest prototypes of human civilization it seems they all had close relationships with and originated along water sources. Civilizations in the Nile Delta, the Huang He basin, along the Indus River, the Tigris-Euphrates, and in Thailand itself, humanity’s ways of life began with connections to waterways used for consumption, travel, and agricultural use.

The international festival of contemporary art Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) 2018 echoes this historic heritage of civilization by exhibiting the works of artists both Thai and foreign along one of Asia’s ancient and majestic waterways. Come along today as we take you to see art on the Chao Phraya riverside, and, by the way, take a few breaks to scarf down some truly delicious food.

Saphan Taksin SkyTrain Station

Our starting point today is the Saphan Taksin BTS Skytrain station, itself an important landmark. Foreigners are familiar with it for its location in the heart of Charoen Krung district and its access to the Chao Phraya Express Boat and cross-river ferries, for travel to major points such as Asiatique the Riverfront, ICONSIAM, Wat Arun, Maharaj Pier, and many others.

Sathorn Pier (Chao Phraya Express Boat, Chao Phraya Tour boats, cross-river ferries)
A songthaew minibus service running along Charoen Krung Road

For a taste treat in the Charoen Krung area, we’ll first take you to “Thip Hoi Thot Phukhao Fai,” a superb fried shellfish shop in Soi Charoen Krung 50 known for the freshness of ingredients coming direct from the sea each day. We recommend the Hoi Thap Hoi (“Shellfish on Shellfish”) for 90 baht, featuring deep fried mussels spread on top of a layer of oysters for a crispy-outside, soft-inside taste, with oysters that are delightfully fresh and juicy.

Thip Hoi Thot Phukhao Fai (Shop is in the front of the tiny 1 Khuha Building, tucked away in Soi Charoenkrung 50)

Hoi Thap Hoi (crispy-fried mussels spread over oysters)

Thip Hoi Thot Phukhao Fai Restaurant
Open Monday – Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tel: 0-2233-1116

Full from our Thip Hoi Thot Phukhao Fai meal, leaving the shop we see Robinson’s Department Store, a Bang Rak landmark since 1992 and an early indicator of the commercial boom this area was about to undergo.

Robinson Department Store, Bang Rak Branch

Just past Robinson we glance across the street to see another of this area’s great restaurants, “Prajak Roast Duck.”

In front of Robinson’s, traffic tends to get congested!

Prajak Roast Duck (directly across from Robinson’s)

Prajak Roast Duck has a long history in Bang Rak, and is famous for its roast duck, tender, skin crispy to perfection, and delicious. Today we’re ordering kiaow mee kung pet (“mee noodles with dumplings, shrimp, and duck”) and kiaow kung chin toh (“prawn dumplings”) with crispy-skin roast duck on top, for an intensely savory taste without needing to add any seasoning at all.

kiaow mee kung pet
kiaow mee kung pet

Prajak Roast Duck Shop
Open: daily, 8:00 a.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Tel: 0-2234-3755

. . . continuing our walk along Charoen Krung Road, at Soi 40 we reach a major Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 location, with Festival exhibits at three venues: the East Asiatic Building, the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, and the OP Place Shopping Plaza.

On the way to Assumption College, Bang Rak
Bang Rak District stands out for its tremendous number of jewelry shops selling natural stones and gems.
At Soi Charoen Krung 40 a charming old fellow directs traffic in to the exhibitions.
As we enter Soi Charoen Krung 40, the East Asiatic Building is on the left.

Going up the 2nd floor of East Asiatic Building we find an exciting group of works, including Diluvium, an installation art piece which transforms the room in a uniquely disturbing way, by Korean female artist Lee Bul. Then there is Nothing Is Less Comparable 2018 by Sara Favriau, a sculptress from France skilled in creating art works from wood. Moving on, we see Pyramid Shape Sculpture, an extremely unusual and striking sculpture by Andrew Stahl, and Performing Textiles, which poses questions about various social issues, especially women’s rights, with artist Kawita Vatanajyankur using her body as a tool for “women’s work at home.”

Inside the East Asiatic Building
Diluvium, by Lee Bul
Diluvium, by Lee Bul
Nothing Is Less Comparable 2018, by Sara Favriau
Nothing Is Less Comparable 2018, by Sara Favriau
Pyramid Shape Sculpture, by Andrew Stahl
Pyramid Shape Sculpture, by Andrew Stahl
Performing Textiles, by Kawita Vatanajyankur
Performing Textiles, by Kawita Vatanajyankur
Companion Hands, by Kata Sangkhae
Companion Hands, by Kata Sangkhae

Leaving the East Asiatic Building we encounter Lost Dog, a more than 3.8-meter-tall sculpture by Aurèle Ricard, towering in front of the Mandarin Oriental.

Lost Dog, by Aurèle Ricard

Turning left into the OP Shopping Plaza right next door, there is more great art on exhibit, beginning with Jrai Dew: a radicle room, a mixed-media presentation by Art Labor, a Vietnamese group of artists. Next is Listen to the voice my Land Papua, a painting on canvas by Moelyono. And there is QUALITY: quality, by Latthapon Korkiatarkul, which urges us to think and pose questions about our lives and surroundings.

OP Place Shopping Plaza
Jrai Dew: a radicle room – Art Labor
Jrai Dew: a radicle room, by Art Labor
Listen to the voice my Land Papua, by Moelyono
QUALITY : quality, by Latthapon Korkiatarkul
Becoming White, by Eisa Jocson

OK! We’ve seen quite a bit of art! Let’s go pamper ourselves a little with a visit to the organic café “Farm to Table.” This tiny place is hidden away near the Pak Khlong flower market, with a warm and familiar atmosphere suitable for a good sit-down chill. Let’s order lod chong + ice cream (75 baht), a mix of soft, smooth organic ice cream with the signature sweetness of lod chong dessert noodles.

Farm to Table organic café
Lod Chong + Ice Cream

Shop: Farm to Table organic café
Open: every day, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tel: 0-2115-2625

Feeling fat and sassy after a restful stop, we exit the shop to head out again on our art odyssey. There are two more BAB 2018 exhibition locations right nearby: Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn, or Wat Pho, and Wat Arun Ratchawararam.

We can just walk across the bridge to Tha Thien Pier (Wat Pho)

In the Wat Pho grounds six important art works are on display, including Paths of Faith, by Jitsing Somboon – a collection of white robes, backs embroidered with the word “faith” in Thai, Chinese, and English – and Zuo You He Che, by Huang Yong Ping, which uses sculptures of fantastic animals to depict stories based in Chinese culture.

Paths of Faith, by Jitsing Somboon
Zuo You He Che, by Huang Yong Ping
(Photo credit: Metthi Samanthong)

If you get tired looking at the Wat Pho exhibitions, you can walk across Maharaj Road and into a tiny alley on the Chao Phraya riverside. There you’ll find another super-cool café hidden away, the Blue Whale Café.

The Blue Whale Café

The Blue Whale Café is a tiny Maharaj Road district coffeehouse set in the soi opposite Wat Pho. What makes it special is the ambiance, a sky blue décor  matching the name. We order the signature dish, “nom anchan (“butterfly-pea milk) for 120 baht, colorful, eye-catching, photogenic! Check in there and have a taste: milk, butterfly pea, mixed, for an incredible new taste.

nom anchan

Shop: Blue Whale Café
Open: every day, 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Tel: 08-1641-4514

Once you’ve filled yourself up with this treat, let’s check out one more place. Right near Phra Athit Pier is “Khun Daeng’s Kui Jap Yuan,” is one of the area’s best-known spots for Thais and foreigners alike, and should be experienced at least once. We suggest the Kui Jap Juan (45 baht), which Khun Daeng is justly known for: soft, viscous noodles in a mellow soup that needs practically no additional seasoning.

Khun Daeng’s Kui Jap Yuan

The dish Kui Jap Yuan

Shop: Khun Daeng’s Kui Jap Yuan
Open: every day, 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Tel: 0-2282-0568

. . . Full of delicious kui jap but still not sated with all this art? Then hop on a boat, cross to the other riverbank and see more at the Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan and Wat Prayoonwongsawat Worawihan BAB expositions.

Across the Universe and Beyond, by Sanitas Pradittasnee
WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND? By Nino Sarabutra

So, have you experienced a full menu of awesome art works and fabulous eats along the Chao Phraya riverside? Well, remember: Bangkok Art Biennale 2018’s “Beyond Bliss” is held until February 3, 2019, at a full 20 venues, not just here, but all over the city of Bangkok!

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