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Huang Yong Ping, a Voice of Rebellion, Conflict and the Diaspora at BAB 2018
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Huang Yong Ping, a Voice of Rebellion, Conflict and the Diaspora at BAB 2018

Born in Xiamen, Fujian Province in 1954, avant-garde artist Huang Yong Ping is arguably one of the most influential Chinese artists to gain international notoriety. In the mid-1980’s he founded an art group called Xiamen Dada, which explored similarities between Dadaism, an artistic and literary movement that began in Switzerland around WW1, and the Zen school of Mahayana Buddhism that originated in China during the Tang dynasty. Huang is one of six must-see international artists exhibited at the inaugural Bangkok Art Biennale, which is running until February 2019.

/// THAILAND ///
Story and video: Singhanart Nakpongphun /// Photographs: Portrait of Huang Yong Ping (top) by courtesy of the artist

The journey of the 64-year-old artist is manifested in his works that engage visitors actively with new kinds of experiences. Like those of co-founders Zha Lixiong, Liu Yiling, Lin Chun and Jiao Yaoming, Huang’s masterpieces are known for being experimental, radical or unorthodox with respect to art, society and culture. Together they combine to form a powerful medium of expression that’s though provoking.

An installation titled “The History of Chinese Painting and A Concise History of Modern Painting Washed in a Washing Machine for Two Minutes” 1987 (reconstructed 1993). Image courtesy of the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, T. B. Walker Acquisition Fund, 2001. Photo: Kristopher McKay, © Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation, 2017

At age 35, Huang Yong Ping made his world debut during the Magiciens de la Terra exhibition at the Pompidou Center, Paris in 1989. The year was notorious for student-led demonstrations in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square. His participation in the show was a sculptural installation titled “Two-Minute Wash Cycle”, which was made by machine washing two books for two minutes. At a glance, the work of art looked like a modest pile of paper pulp on top of a wooden crate. On close examination, it was the conceptualization of a cultural assimilation, a place where many different people and ideas mix together producing something new.

By machine washing, the two books (“The History of Chinese Painting” by Wang Bomin, and “A Concise History of Modern Painting” by Sir Herbert Read) were reduced to fine pieces blended to portray a single entity. The work was reconstructed in 1993 for a show at the Guggenheim Meuseum, New York. Since then, the Chinese-born, French contemporary artist has exhibited at various art scenes worldwide, including the 48th Venice Biennale in 1999, the Red Brick Art Museum in China, the Ludwig Museum in Germany, and the Grand Palais des Champs-Elysees in Paris.

2017 was an eventful year for Huang Yong Ping. His exhibit “Theater of the World” (1993), along with controversial works by two other artists, were pulled from a major show hosted by the Guggenheim Museum after a public outcry. Theater of the World is a wood and metal enclosure designed to hold insects and the reptiles that feed on them. The work requires that fresh supplies of insects be added regularly as others are eaten. Like a gladiator arena in ancient Roman, the live installation provides grim insights to the negative effects that globalization is having on cultures in China.

A live installation titled “Theater of the World” (1993). Image courtesy of the artist © Huang Yong Ping.

During the inaugural Bangkok Art Biennale, outstanding works by avant-garde artist Huang Yong Ping are on view at:

  1. The Bank of Thailand Learning Center

A large sculptural installation titled “Dragon Boat” is designed to tell stories of the diaspora of Chinese people from their homeland into Southeast Asia in times past. The 4.2-meter-long replica of a rowboat of ancient China is on show at the Bank of Thailand Learning Center until February 3, 2109. The artist likened the dispersion of Chinese people in the past century to his own experience after having migrated to France in the late-1980s.

“Dragon Boat” tells stories of the diaspora of Chinese people into Southeast Asia.
  1. Sala Misakawan at Wat Phra Chetuphon (Wat Pho)

Sala Misakawan, a pavilion inside Wat Phra Chetuphon, also Wat Pho, is known for beautiful Chinese architecture and many mural paintings. It’s home to “Zuo You He Che”, a sculptural installation by Chinese contemporary artist Huang Yong Ping. The exhibition, which runs until February 3, 2019, features a pair of imaginary creatures whose body consists of three parts; the head, leg, and foot. A product of Xiamen Dada-style imagination, one creature has a head shaped like that of a deer, while the other has a growth of hair on the neck. Both of them carry a rolled up scroll in their mouths as if they were sent on a mission to guard a sacred document. Its meaning is up for interpretation. Art is fun. Look for yourself so you don’t have to believe what someone is telling you.

“Zuo You He Che”, an imaginary beast installation by Huang Yong Ping

In the world of art, imagination is everything. There is more to the inaugural Bangkok Art Biennale than Huang Yong Ping, Many leading artists from Thailand and abroad are taking part in the show that began on October 19, 2018 and will run until next February 3. The exhibits are on view at 20 different locations throughout Bangkok.

 

 

How Will This Work: “City of Art” Exhibits in Temples?
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How Will This Work: “City of Art” Exhibits in Temples?

Without doubt art has origins in faith and belief: the earliest cave murals and sculptures indicate rituals relating to nearly all aspects of life, and many of these evolved into religions and faiths of various kinds. Art works since have played a great role in the transmission of belief and faith, to the point where, by inference, art works are expected to manifest a sort of religious expression.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, or BAB 2018 marks the first time a major world festival of contemporary art has graced Bangkok with its exhibits for an extended period of time. Featuring contemporary works of more than 70 both Thai and international artists, Bangkok is hosting Festival showings at 20 locations from October 19, 2018 to February 3, 2019.

Exhibition sites range from the financial district office buildings to local communities, and, most significantly, to Bangkok’s temples, a cultural heritage for which Thailand is famous throughout the world. It seems fitting, then, to give our friends at Living ASEAN a glimpse of some of BAB 2018’s most creative art that is on exhibit in some of our most beautiful temples. 

Phra Chetuphon Wimolmangkalaram Ratchaworawihan Temple

Here we bring you to your first stop, the exhibits at Phra Chetuphon Wimolmangkalaram Ratchaworawihan Temple, or “Wat Pho.” This was the official temple of the first king of the Chakri Dynasty, H.M. Rama I, and is world-renowned for its beauty and historical value. Most Thais and foreigners alike want to come at least once to experience its beauty.

First, some highlights of Wat Pho, the temple itself …

Temple of the Reclining Buddha / Wat Pho Reclining Buddha

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha was built in the era of Rama I, with its primary image of worship “Phra Phuttharoup Proht Surin Sathu,” known popularly as “the Reclining Buddha.” The sculpture is 46 meters long and 15 meters tall. Each of its feet is 1.5 meters wide and 5 meters long and is decorated in 108 spots with pearls and auspicious images.

The “Four Reign” Chedis

The base of each of The Four Reign Chedis has notched corners, and the chedi is identified with a glazed tile showing the name of one of the first four Siamese kings: “Phra Maha Chedi Si Sanphet Yadayan” (Chedi of Rama I), “Phra Maha Chedi Dilok Dhammakaroknitarn” (Rama II), “Phra Maha Chedi Munibat Borikhan,” (Rama III), and “Phra Maha Chedi Song Phra Srisuriyothai” (Rama IV).

Rishi (Hermit) Statues

Wat Pho, aside from its beauty and historical value, is associated with the remarkable traditional medical arts and wisdom that have been handed down as a national heritage since the Ayutthaya period. The Rishi Statues were placed there in the time of the first Chakri king to demonstrate traditional medical arts with figurines posed in more than 80 different attitudes, though at the moment only 24 of these remain.

Giants of Wat Pho

The Wat Pho Giants are another highlight of this world-famous temple, giant statues personifying characters from the Ramakien epic colored red and green, located at the entrance to the Phra Mondop scripture hall.

The 6 Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 works shown at Wat Pho are as follows:

 

Paths of Faith (Thailand)
Artist: Jising Somboon

Paths of Faith is a collection of white robes with the word “Faith” in Thai, English, and Chinese on the back. These are hung for tourists to wear while visiting the Hall of the Reclining Buddha.

 

Zuo You He Che (China, France)
Artist: Huang Yong Ping

It is well known that most of Huang Yong Ping works involve stories based in Chinese culture, and Zuo You He Che is no exception. It is a sculpture of imaginary animals holding scrolls in their mouths signifying wisdom, faith, and healing, all paths to peace and contentment in Buddhist and Chinese philosophy.

 

Knowledge in your Hands, Eyes and Minds (Thailand)
Artist: Phaptawan Suwannakudt

Knowledge in your Hands, Eyes and Minds is a mixed media (picture, scent, sound) art work located in a monk’s hut at the Wat Pho crocodile pond. It speaks to relationships between various traditional branches of knowledge: medical, design, literary, authorship, herbal massage, astrology, and communication between monks and the dead and dealing with the world after death.

 

Sediments of Migration (Thailand)
Artist: Pannaphan Yodmanee

Sediments of Migration is a free-standing sculpture in one of the rock gardens, where it is paired with the Rishi statuettes healing their bodies in contorted poses. Sediments was inspired by murals within the temple itself, and depicts commercial travel between Siam and China with contrasting views of merit, faith and, ethnicity.

A Shadow of Giving (Thailand)
Artist: Tawatchai Puntusawasdi

A Shadow of Giving is an experimental sculpture inspired by two-dimensional murals in poorhouses. It symbolizes giving, unselfishness, and respect. For the artist, accuracy of scale and mathematical fundamentals are a path to happiness.

Tha Tien (Thailand)
Artist: Sakarin Krue-on

Tha Tien is a silent movie accompanied by music inspired by Somphot Saengdueanchai’s 1973 movie of the same name, whose plot involves a quarrel about nothing important at all between a giant and a warrior. The story takes place at Wat Pho and Wat Arun, and when the two are unable to come to agreement, the ensuing fight causes the Wat Pho pier area to collapse flat as a drumhead. (shown October 16 – 20 and November 22 – 24 2018 at Wat Pho and Wat Arun)

Wat Arun Ratchawararam

Crossing the Chao Phraya from the Tha Tien pier near Wat Pho we quickly arrive at Wat Arun Ratchawararam, more simply known as “Wat Jaeng” or “Wat Arun.” This temple is no less important than Wat Pho, but dates from the Ayutthaya Period. It was named “Wat Makok” before King Taksin gave it the name “Wat Jaeng” when expanding the grounds of the royal palace, bringing it inside – along others there – as a court temple. It underwent continual restoration after that until Rama IV made a major restoration and placed the ashes of Rama II at the Buddha image there, giving it the name “Wat Arun Ratchawararam.”

Important Highlights of Wat Arun are ….

The Central Prang of Wat Arun

The Central Prang of Wat Arun is a prime example of Thai sacred architecture. There is a main prang and four secondary ones, all of mortared brick adorned with seashells, glazed tiles, and beautiful Chinese benjarong designs, replete with representations of mythical figures such as kinaree, giants, angels, and garudas. The Central Prang of Wat Arun was also refurbished in the time of Rama II, when the Wat Arun Central Prang was raised from 16 to 81.85 meters, making it the highest in the world.

Wat Jaeng Giants

The Wat Jaeng Giants are among of Thai Buddhism’s most famous statues, no less than the Wat Pho Giants. The Wat Jaeng giants represent the giants Thotsakan (green) and Sahat Decha (white) from the Thai epic Ramakien, and shine in their glazed tile apparel as they stand guard before the entrance gate to the ordination hall.

The two Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 works exhibited in Wat Arun are:

 

Across the Universe and Beyond (Thailand)
Artist: Sanitas Pradittasnee

Across the Universe and Beyond brings lost and forgotten principles to life again, as the designs of space and light call on visitors to look within themselves when they step into the area. This installation art piece is intended as a reminder in this moment of existence, impermanence, and emptiness, for us reflect on ourselves as simply particles in the vastness of the universe.

Giant Twins (Thailand)
Artist: Komkrit Tepthian

Inspired by the stone statures of ancient Chinese warriors and divinities, as well as people and animals China sent to Siam, the art work Giant Twins is a mixture of China and Siam. It recalls the legendary Siamese Twins Eng and Chang, as these two historical figures are transformed into the shape and form of giant warriors to symbolize Thai-Chinese relations.

Wat Prayurawongsawat

Near Wat Arun and Memorial Bridge is Wat Prayoonwongsawat, the last temple where we’ll bring you to view BAB 2018 art works. This temple was built as a royal monastery in 1828, during the reign of King Rama III, by Somdet Chao Phraya Borom Maha Prayurawongse, or “Dit Bunnag.” He gave it the name Prayurawongsawat, but it became known as Wat Rua Lek, “Temple with the Iron Fence.”

Important highlights of Wat Prayurawongsawat are….

Sacred Heart Buddha Temple

Sacred Heart Buddha Temple exemplifies Thai architectural work. At 16.99 meters wide and 20.19 meters long, its interior is split into 5 sanctuaries. Here cast Buddha images from the Sukhothai period are enshrined: an ancient image named “Naga Buddha,” is paired with “Phra Sri Sakyamuni,” which is also the principal Buddha image of Wat Suthat Thepwararam.

Phra Borommathat Maha Chedi

The Phra Borommathat Maha Chedi is 60.525 meters tall, with a base width of 162 meters and diameter of 50 meters. It was built by Dit Bunnag, completed during the reign of King Rama IV, and contains Buddha relics.

Khao Mo Park

Khao Mo Park, better known as Turtle Mountain, is a small artificial mountain built and surrounded by a pond in front of the temple. A stairway to the top takes you to a gilded, lacquered, brass cast stupa containing important Buddha images. The pond has many turtles of different varieties, hence the name “Khao Tao,” or “Turtle Mountain.”

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 works shown in Wat Prayurawongsawat are altogether 6, being

Chat…Naa (Thailand)
Artist: Arnont Nongyao

This artist  has experience in the arts of sound and animation, so Chat…Naa (“the next life”) is a mixture of  installation art, experimental animation, and experimental sound performance art, all touching closely on the roles of people, materials, the environment, and society.

 

WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND? (Thailand)
Artist: Nino Sarabutra

WHAT WILL YOU LEAVE BEHIND? Is a scattering of more than 125,000 unglazed white ceramic skulls on a walkway surrounding the primary chedi of the temple, transforming it to a space that encourages visitors to think, “If today were the last day of my life, what good would I be leaving in this world?”

Zodiac Houses (Thailand)
Artist: Montien Boonma

Zodiac Houses is a set of sculptures in black gothic style, full of astrological symbolism, that Montien has created as a search for peace, rebirth, and communication with the world after death. It was constructed in the Buddhism instruction hall of the temple so as to face the instructor’s lectern, suggestive of communication with the dead and the world after death.

 

Sweet Boundary: In the Light Tube (Thailand)
Artist: Kamol Phaosavasdi

The installation art piece Sweet Boundary shown at Wat Prayurawongsawat has origins in historical research about the establishment of the temple and nearby areas. The iron fence here features a representation of sword, arrow, and spear. The actual fence was imported from England in the time of King Rama III in exchange for its equivalent weight in sugar. This piece harks back to the prime relationship between Thailand and China at a time when maritime trade could be held as a monopoly in the region; this was before the worldwide market glut in sugar and the arrival of Western nations on the scene.

Monuments of the Memory, the Golden Room (Italy)
Artist: Paolo Canevari

Monuments of the Memory, the Golden Room is a painting in shades of gold, but devoid of internal content, to symbolize sanctity, significance, memory, and prayer as they exist in both Buddhist and Christian religions. It is on display in the Temple’s religious instruction hall.

 

Turtle Religion (Thailand)
Artist: Krit Ngamsom

Turtle Religion is at Khao Mo, set by the pond, itself full of turtles and catfish. Here we find iron turtles carrying various objects on their backs that reflect the unity of religious beliefs and cultures which in the Khlong San area are so thoroughly mixed as to become one substance.

Altogether, including these three abovementioned temples, under the concept of “joyous, energetic art” the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 International Festival of Contemporary Art has exhibits at 20 landmark location in Bangkok landmarks on display until February 3, 2019.

Before It Came To Be the “Pumpkins” Project by Yayoi Kusuma
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Before It Came To Be the “Pumpkins” Project by Yayoi Kusuma

Anyone coming to the City during this period will almost certainly see major art works by many world-class artists. These are set up in shopping malls, along walkways, even in temples, as part of the contemporary international art festival Bangkok Art Biennale 2018.

One of the artists we’ve been keeping close track of is Yayoi Kusama, known for artistic expression through repetition of polka dots on various materials and objects, some of them inspired by “Auntie Yayoi’s” frequent visual reflections on relationships that uses pumpkins as a medium, for example in the piece entitled Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons. This gorgeous exhibition consists of 14 balloons suspended from the ceiling of Central World, hanging chandelier-like above a wide area also adorned with those signature red dots.

When the project was transported from Japan it was still in an unfinished state, but on arrival at Central world it was swarmed by both a Japanese and a Thai work team speeding to complete all the details, not in just the one or two days we were there watching, but over a period of many days. The subtleties of the Japanese, insisting on perfection in every detail, allowed not the smallest imperfection. Those floating balloons weren’t simply inflated and hung up: light wiring had to be strung through an elaborate framework constructed of beams and internal supports. It took all that and more to produce these beautiful airborne pieces we know as Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons.

Why does it have to be Pumpkins?

This seems like a question most people might ask! In an interview on the Louisiana Channel Auntie Yayoi answered, “I love pumpkins because of their funny shapes, sometimes quite like human facial features, and they give me a warm feeling.”

The pumpkin shape has been a staple of her artistic work dating back to the 1950’s: she’s always been attracted to materials whose natural forms had an unevenness to them and also showed repetitive patterns. Adding to her unique view is a neurological condition that has caused her to have double vision since age 10, and has actually contributed to her producing such world-class artistic work.

Another spot everyone can see Yayoi Kusama’s Work is Fashion Gallery 3, on the 1st Floor of Siam Paragon: I Carry On Living With The Pumpkins (Silver Pumpkin and Red Pumpkin) gives us a pair of Auntie Yayoi’s signature pumpkin works. One of the sculptures features silver dots in subtly detailed mosaic patterns reflecting various things hidden in them. Another, in the same area, is a red pumpkin with black polka dots which we’re able to view up close. On its installation date it appeared to involve just a simple setup of 2 ordinary pieces of art, but the actual story is a bit more complex. Due to the size and great weight of the works, plus the fact that there were no easy protuberances to grab onto, bringing them through the doors with both pieces remaining in perfect condition was a huge challenge to pull it off, and in the end it took from nighttime till the break of dawn to do it successfully.

What a strange experience! Art exhibitions aren’t always an easy business, right? Well, so many people have put in so much great work, it would be a pity if not enough folks saw it . . . so what are you waiting for? Get down here!

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30 Works of Art You Can’t Miss at BAB 2018
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3 Destinations Not to Be Missed at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
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3 Destinations Not to Be Missed at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

We have less than a month before the curtain falls. The inaugural Bangkok Art Biennale will end on February 3, 2019. If you haven’t already been to the show, find time to do it. Plenty of exciting exhibits to see, if you love art. Grab a smartphone. Bring your friend, and take a selfie or two. Not sure where to start? Living ASEAN recommends 3 destinations that you can’t miss.

BACC

Destination 1
The Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC)
Open daily 10.00-21.00 Hours (Closed on Monday)

You will love these amazing exhibits.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
“Basket Tower” by Choi Jeong Hwa
The Spiritual Spaceship 2018 by Thai artist Torlarp Larpjaroensook currently on view at BACC | Photo courtesy of Soopakorn Srisakul
“Spiritual Spaceship” 2018 by Torlarp Larpjaroensook
“Rekayasa Genetika” (REGEN) by Heri Dono

“Tape Bangkok” by the Numen For Use Design Collective

BAAC is one of 20 destinations partaking in the country’s inaugural art festival. It’s centrally located and accessible via BTS mass transit. Get off at National Stadium Station. Many world-renowned artists are exhibited here. Worth a visit, worth a lifetime.

To get there: Take the BTS. Get off at National Stadium Station.

East Asiatic Building

Destination 2
The East Asiatic Building
Open daily 10.00-19.00

The astonishing masterpieces you can’t afford to miss

“Diluvium” by Lee Bul
“The Female Angels” by Heri Dono
“Rien n’est moins comparable” by Sara Favriau
An installation titled "Pyramid Shape Sculpture 2018” by Andrew Sthal | Photo courtesy of Singhanart Nakpongphun
“Pyramid Shape Sculpture” 2018 by Andrew Stahl, and
“Zero”, a sculptural installation by Elmgreen and Dragset | Photo courtesy of Rithirong Chanthongsuk
“Zero” by Elmgreen & Dragset

 It’s easy to get to: Hop the BTS at National Stadium Station. Get off at Taksin Bridge Station. Then catch Bus No. 1 or No. 75 to Charoen Krung Soi 40.

Destination 3
The Bank of Thailand (BOT) Learning Center
Open daily 09.30-20.00 Hours (Closed on Monday)

BOT Learning Center

Highly recommended as worth seeing

“Dragon Boat” by Huang Yong Ping
“Memory House” 2018 by Alex Face, Souled Out Studios (SOS)
“Memory House” 2018 by Alex Face, Souled Out Studios (SOS)

It’s convenient by boat.

– Take a Chao Phraya River Boat (regular service), and get off at Wat Sam Phraya – Or take the Chao Phraya River Express, and get off at Theves.

And by bus

– Take No. 3, 9, 30, 32, 33, 43, 49, 53, 64, 65, 516 and 524. And get off at Wat Sam Phraya.

Listed above are 3 out of 20 venues of the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. 200 works by 75 renowned artists from 34 countries are on display. The BACC has the most shows. Plenty of happenings to excite your imagination. You can see all in one day if you start early. But, time is running out. We don’t want you to miss any of them!

 

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Manual for Art Viewing 101: the Professional Approach to Art Exhibitions

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            30 Works of Art You Can’t Miss at BAB 2018

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A City of Art Takes Thailand by Storm With 6 Big Names: Experience It at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
livingasean

A City of Art Takes Thailand by Storm With 6 Big Names: Experience It at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

Don’t prejudge beauty: just look deep, seek the true inspiration at the center of a single art work, a particular piece that gives an extraordinary reflection of society, ideas, and culture, or perhaps may take you straight down into the depths of the human soul.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Nirin P. /// Photography: Wara Sutthiwan

If you have time, we hope you’ll use some of it each day visiting the Bangkok Biennale 2018 Art Festival, with exhibitions in urban settings and along the Chao Phraya riverside. Here we’re calling your attention to six artists whose work you should experience for guaranteed insights into the world we live in.

Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons / Yayoi Kusama
Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons / Yayoi Kusama 

Let’s start with “Auntie Polka Dot,” Yayoi Kusama, famous for her characteristic repetitive use of those quirky dots on all sorts of artistic media. Some of the beauty in Auntie Yayoi’s work comes out of her reflections on struggles for gender equality and women’s rights. She uses netting, pumpkins, and mirrors to show relationships, as you’ll see in the piece named Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons on display at Central World. There you’ll see 14 pumpkin-shaped balloons suspended, chandelier-like, from the ceiling, in an environment dominated by red polka dots.

Why pumpkins?

Everyone asks this question! In a Louisiana Channel interview, Auntie Yayoi answered, “I love pumpkins because of their funny shapes, sometimes even quite like human facial features, and they give me a warm feeling.” And the pumpkin shape has been a staple of her art since she her youth in the 1950’s: she’s always been attracted to materials whose natural forms had an unevenness to them, as well as showing repetitive patterns. Adding to her perception has been a neurological condition causing her to have double vision since age 10, which has actually contributed to her producing such world-class artistic work. Watching the dedicated performance of Auntie Yayoi’s Japanese work team, we were amazed at how no tiny detail escaped them. This involved not only inflating and hanging the colorful balloons, but creation of beams and internal supports, and stringing wiring, finally resulting in the spectacle of gorgeous pumpkins floating high above which you can see today.

Location: Floor G, Central World

Yayoi Kusama
“I Carry On Living With The Pumpkins” (Silver Pumpkin and Red Pumpkin)

Another two of Auntie Yayoi’s signature pumpkin works are on display at Siam Paragon, one a sculpture featuring silver dots in subtly detailed mosaic patterns reflecting various things hidden in them, and the other in the same area, a red pumpkin with black polka dots, called I Carry On Living With The Pumpkins, both definitely worth close-up observation.

Location:  Fashion Gallery 3, 1st Floor, Siam Paragon

Lost Dog
Lost Dog 

This title translates word for word between language, no room for misunderstanding. If you’re an animal lover and see a lost dog poster, what’s your first reaction? Naturally we feel sorry for both dog and owner and want them to find each other quickly. But more than that, imagine yourself in the dog’s place: scared, anxious, unfamiliar with everything. Aurèle Ricard’s Lost Dog may represent a person living in modern society, trying to find a path home in the confusion of today’s world. And Lost Dog is a reflection of life not only under problematic social conditions, but also afflicted by the continuous environmental deterioration and decay caused by limitless and increasing human consumption.

Lost Dog CO2 is a huge 3.8-meter tall dog sculpture made entirely from more than 1500 plants, mainly ferns and climbing vines, vegetation helping to reduce air pollutants. We are the lost dog’s owners: human beings who suffer from the pollution and confusion of the city. Although lost and stumbling around in the dark, by starting with ourselves we should be able to change the world, developing towards a good future for the young and the next generations.

Location: Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Choi Jeong Hwa

Choi Jeong Hwa

If you like balloons or animated 3-dimensional representations, you’ll like Choi Jeong Hwa’s work, as these sorts of things give life to his works. Abundant happiness is an ever-present theme which Choi likes to express by playing with space, large shapes, and sharp perspectives. Many of his works are best first seen from some distance. He makes use of unexpected materials, and takes great care to exhibit in locations where the art will have the greatest effect on viewers. One project he’s given us is

Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree 2017 and Flower 2016, at BAB Box @ One Bangkok, directly across from Lumpini Park: a giant flower whose motion simulates breathing, and a tree bursting with all manner of fruits. Choi says that he doesn’t have words to describe his works, that instead he feels he is creating openings for people to appreciate and interpret according to their own experiences. His personal favorite phrase is “Your heart is my art.”

Location: BAB Box @ One Bangkok

Driving, come just a little further down the road to Central Embassy for more Choi and more large pieces. Robot is a black, awesomely scary giant and The Joker is a huge golden crown that looks as if it’s been dropped there. We don’t know if there’s any relationship between these two, but it’s fun to strain the brain coming up with one. The black robot god can get up and lie back down as if fatigued from work. What’s he been up to? Use your imagination.

Location: Central Embassy

Standing Structures for Human Use (2017) / MARINA ABRAMOVIĆ 

Marina Abramović’s fascinating performance art, revealing intention through an interplay of the human body and spirit, is at the core of all 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 (there are 20 of them!) rapidly in each in-between space, all the time recording the sounds. Then she 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. She’s discovered it isn’t so much the body, but 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 works she has brought to Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 are retrospectives of her installation art. Visitors to Standing Structures for Human Use (2017) participate in activities by responding to the structures. A person stands on one side and communicates with another through a crystal. Marina believes that if our minds are still enough, they can send energy to each other.

Location: BAB Box @ One Bangkok

Diluvium / Lee Bul

This work is eye-catching from the first moment, a futuristic installation art uses reflective silver-colored plastic panels built on a temporary framework of connected steel boxes covered over with reflective plastic sheets. The name Diluvium, known in a very wide circles, has a Latin root meaning “flood” or “gush to overflowing.” Artist Lee Bul says, “I’m always asking questions about mechanisms of the human body. This piece does that in a site-specific way: here we transform a large space into something completely different by playing with gravity. There’s no place here where visitors stand up naturally straight, so they have to find their own balance, which means the brain is forced into constantly controlling the body.”

Lee Bul’s BAB festival works are found in the East Asiatic building, a splendid example of Renaissance revival architecture. This makes for a perfect blend of history and fascination.

Location: East Asiatic Building

Nothing Is Less Comparable 2018 / Sara Favriau

Wood is valuable in all its forms; a tree has value, whether standing, cut into many forms, or even as wood chips, to get every possible use from it. Nothing Is Less Comparable 2018 is the name of a sculpture work by French artist Sara Favriau. Her remarkable strategies create installation art from teak, tembusu, and sandalwood to communicate a colonial flavor that reflects the exhibition building itself. But for the vision she brings to Bangkok, and how she makes use of wood materials in the tropics . . . ah, but yes! You must see this for yourself!

Location: East Asiatic Building

Beyond the 6 artists we’ve mentioned here, Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 offers countless works from many you have likely never seen, in a great number of locations across the city and along the river. The festival runs from October 19, 2018 through February 3, 2019 at 20 Bangkok venues.

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Manual for Art Viewing 101: the Professional Approach to Art Exhibitions
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ASEAN Art Plays Vital Social Media Roles
livingasean

ASEAN Art Plays Vital Social Media Roles

The art of the ASEAN is shining with excitement at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. Besides encouraging creative thinking through their works, artists from around the Region see their expressions as a tool to communicate their enthusiasm, raise their concerns, and get people to think about various social and environmental issues. Their thought-provoking visuals and other artistic designs reflect how art is playing a vital role within the community much like social media is used to connect with people and foster new ideas. Our Living ASEAN team has explored the works of visual art on display and filed this report. Check it out!

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Singhanart Nakpongphun /// Photography: Rithirong Chanthongsuk, Anupong Chaisukkasem, Singhanart Nakpongphun, Woradon Chansiri

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEAN for short, is a regional organization committed to promoting cooperation and facilitating economic and sociocultural integration among its ten member states, which include Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Indonesia. The ASEAN population is estimated at 635 million.

Country: Cambodia
Title: National Road No. 5
Artist: Lim Sokchanlina
Venue: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 7th Floor

Lim Sokchanlina is a photographer and founder of the artist group “Stiev Selepak” that’s known for works in various disciplines ranging from photography to installation to performance art. His expressions often reflect with gloominess on socio-economic conditions in Cambodia. Worthy of attention is the work of visual art titled “Sa Sa Bassac Art Project”, which he recently exhibited at the Sydney Biennial, Australia. He also debuted his latest work titled “Sunshower: Contemporary Art from Southeast Asia from the 1980s to Now” at the Mori Art Museum in Tokyo in 2017.

“National Road No. 5”, his exhibit at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, tells stories of overwhelming distress after people’s homes have been torn down to make room for the development of a project along the Thai-Cambodian border. Timber that’s eroded by being exposed to the weather tells an unforgettable tale of heartbreak after people’s lives have been altered by the expansion process of a capitalist economy.

A sculptural installation titled “Rekayasa Genetika” (REGEN) by Heri Dono. Press the button to get the message.
A sculptural installation titled “Rekayasa Genetika” (REGEN) by Heri Dono.
A work of visual art titled “Flying Angels” on show at the East Asiatic Building
A work of visual art titled “Flying Angels” on show at the East Asiatic Building

Country: Indonesia
Titles: “Rekayasa Genetika” (REGEN), and “Flying Angels”
Artist: Heri Dono
Venues: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 7th Floor; the East Asiatic Building; and the Hotel Peninsula

“Rekayasa Genetika” (REGEN) is sculptural installation by Indonesian artist Heri Dono. Surprising in a way that’s unique to his artistic ability, the exhibit is appreciated for its beauty of non-verbal expression and strong emotional power. The human like sculptures showing the effect of mutation get their inspiration from Indonesia’s shadow puppetry known as Wayang. The sculptural works are made of a variety of objets trouves ranging from fiberglass and wood to electronic gadgets and electric fans. Art lovers can interact with the exhibits by pressing the button provided. Besides the mutants, Heri also debuts “Flying Angels” at the East Asiatic Building for the duration of Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. Meantime, another squadron of “Flying Angels” are on view at the Hotel Peninsula Bangkok.

Country: Myanmar
Title: The Check Point
Artist: Nge Lay
Venues: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 7th Floor

The Check Point by Myanmar artist Nge Lay sends a tactful reminder that says, “Everyone must come through that door.” It reflects a situation in which people experience a clash of opposing needs or wishes in daily living. A graduate of the Yangon University of Culture, the artist pursued a career in ornaments and accessories design until 2003 when she made the switch to live performance art and photography. Her works of visual art oftentimes touch on the perception of social and historical circumstances and the prospects of Myanmar’s politics. Since 2009, she has exhibited at various art scenes including the Singapore Biennale 2013 and the 8th Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art.

The artist’s entry in the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 is a bloggable installation that calls attention to gender inequality. Through it, she deals with the subject of different treatment or perceptions of individuals due to their gender. The most important point at issue is whether it be good or bad, rich or poor, saint or sinner, everyone is born into the world through that door. Yet, the idea that men and women are not equal remains a major barrier to human development. Aptly named “The Check Point”, the installation tells their stories of what seems like the eternal conflict between the sexes. The artwork that resembles a woman’s outer garment consists of eight types of Longyi or sheets of cloth worn by people from various ethnic groups across Myanmar. As the artist puts it: “The work is a combination of different feelings, satisfaction and dissatisfaction, pride and sadness that comes with being a woman. I want to send a message that the door through which we are born into the world should not be regarded as unclean. Hence, the weaker sex should not be oppressed nor treated badly by people in power. A part from motherhood, they represent cultural values, the beauty of nature, and healthy pride in a country.”

Country: The Philippines
Title: The Settlement
Artist: Mark Justiniani
Venues: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 1st Floor

“The Settlement” is a small room that stretches into infinity. Its outer covering is made of timber and old galvanized sheets. Step into the world of Mark Justiniani, and you come before an amazing installation. The visual artist uses mirrors to create an illusion that shows smaller and smaller reflections that appear to recede into endless space and time. In so doing, Justiniani combines his artistic skill with a high degree of knowledge to relive an experience and feelings from the history of the Philippines. He gets his inspiration from stories of national heroes, such as Jose Rizal, Andres Bonifacio, and their struggle to free the island country form colonialism. Justiniani sees understanding of past events as a means to recuperate from unpleasant memories. Illusions come in handy to stimulate a passion for learning and happiness. For those wanting to escape from confused and noisy disturbances, “The Settlement” is a place to be. (Viewers are required to take off their shoes to enter the exhibit.)

Justiniani is among the artists who took part in social movements in the Philippines from the 1980s to the 1990s. Through the years he has earned affection and esteem for contributing to positive change. He won the Thirteen Artists Award from the Cultural Center of the Philippines in 1994. Since then, he has exhibited at major art events worldwide, among them the Asia-Pacific Triennial, the Yokohama Triennial, the Asia Society in New York, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, and the National Art Gallery of Singapore.
Country: Malaysia
Title: We die if we don’t dream.
Artist: Sherman Ong
Venue: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 7th Floor

Winner of the 2010 ICON de Martell Cordon Bleu Photography Award, Malaysian artist Sherman Ong has worked in motion pictures and photography in Singapore. She is passionate about the circumstances affecting the relationships between humans and the environment as well as change that’s taking place in modern-day Southeast Asia. Sherman is widely known for her work titled “NUSANTARA: The seas will sing and the wind will carry us” that chronicles long journeys by sea through the Region from past to present. It tells stories in a non-verbal way of movement of people from one area to another as well as cultural assimilation that has come to characterize the social landscape. Over time, as people came in contact with one another, the individuals or groups of different ethnic heritage are absorbed into and become a part of the culture of a society. For the Bangkok Art Biennale, Sherman Ong debuts “We die if we don’t dream” (2018), a thought provoking exhibit about the experience, ideas, and memories of Afghan people in Malaysia.

The Adventure of Sinxay

Country: Laos
Title: The Adventure of Sinxay
Artists: The Thai-Lao Group Hooptam
Venue: BAB Box @ One Bangkok

“The Adventure of Sinxay” is a full-size wall painting in vivacious colors by the Thai-Lao group Hooptam. The painted picture is the result of a confluence of ideas between Songwit Pimpakun, Tanupon En-on, Home-Sawan Umansap of Thailand and two artists from the Lao PDR Tiane Vilayphonechith and Amphonesouk Phaysourine. The amazing work of visual art gets its inspiration from oral literary works about the basic goodness of mankind and courageous character. It tells a story in a powerfully irresistible way about a young man who goes on a long journey to rescue his relative abducted by a giant. Along the way, the story of imaginary persons and events makes reference to the basic teachings of the Buddha, the beliefs associated with the local people, and the mottos that guide them through pain and suffering. For the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, the artist group gives a different interpretation to the classic story so as to fit in with modern-day circumstances. The leading character begins his journey from the Laotian capital Vientiane, crosses the Mekong River into Thailand, and soon heads for Bangkok. On the way, he confronts many obstacles, among them devils and evil spirits as well as an army of soldiers. Overall, it’s a confusing world dominated by technological advances and online social media.

 

Country: Vietnam
Title: Jrai Dew: A radicle room
Artist: Art Labor
Venue: O. P. Place, 3rd Floor

Artists from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam came together in 2012 in a bid to find ways of presenting their ideas through non-formal visual art forms. The result was a series of artistic expressions from a unique cultural point of view. The group consisted of artist Thao Nguyen Phan, curator Truong Cong Tung, and author Arlette Quynh-Anh Tran. Together, they experimented with new ideas that went beyond the limits and ventured out into unfamiliar territories. In the process, they discovered “Jrai Dew”, a belief traditional to an ethnic group called Jarai who inhabits remote areas in the highlands of central Vietnam. According to an explanation by Art Labor, the Jarai people believe that humans are an inextricable part of the cycle of nature, a process in which everything is continuously cycled in various forms of the environment. After death, everything begins again like tiny drops of water that form in the cold of night and evaporate when temperatures rise. Likewise, people and the forest in which they live go through a never-ending cycle of change. As the gems of morning disappear, they signal the opening of new opportunities for other things to grow. For the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, Art Labor debuts “Jrai Dew: A radicle room”, a unique installation that took three years in the making. It’s designed to communicate such a thought provoking idea from the highlands of central Vietnam to its audiences beyond borders.

 

Country: Singapore
Title: A Parade for the Paraders
Artist: Kray Chen
Venue: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 7th Floor

“A Parade for the Paraders” is a triple-screen piece of video art by former members of the Singapore Military Marching Band. The musicians come together to play “Steamroller” in a lively and animated fashion that has made the soldier jogging song more interesting and exciting. The band members are seen without full dress regalia as they march past a deserted school. The relaxed and unconcerned parade may be an unfamiliar sight to see, but the music and the formation are a serious matter. Kray Chen, formerly a member of the marching band, explained that his video art presented a contrast between playfulness and serious performances. The real military marching band spent many hours practicing to achieve perfection before they could play as part of National Day Parades on August 9. His band did not. A harsh reality of life that few people knew was that military marching music was taken so seriously that under normal circumstances, its members weren’t even allowed to perform live in public.

Country: Thailand
Title: The Outlaw’s Flag
Artist: Jakkai Siributr
Venue: The Bangkok Art and Culture Center (BACC), 7th Floor Ambulatory

“The Outlaw’s Flag” by Thai artist Jakkai Siribut is an installation that calls attention to the plight of the Rohingya refugees. Like a very exciting contest, the work of visual art consists of 15 flags that no one knows to what country or people they belong. The only known truth is that the humanitarian crisis caused by violence and discrimination in Myanmar has sent hundreds of thousands of refugees fleeing into neighboring countries. The imaginary flags on display send a message of hope for the future of the Rohingya and urge countries in the region to cooperate in a bid to end terror and suffering that the refugees are facing. The artist is regarded with respect and warm approval for drawing attention to pressing socio-political issues, most notably the challenges faced by the followers of Buddhism in Thailand. He sees the tendency to consider material possessions more important than spiritual values as having a detrimental effect on the Thai way of life. A versatile artist, Jakkai is skillful in using textiles, embroidery techniques, photography and video art in creating beautiful installations that get people to think about the problems that need to be dealt with. He has exhibited at various art destinations in America, Europe, and Asia, most notably the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the Asian Civilizations Museum in Singapore, and the Vebih Koc Foundation in Istanbul.

Manual for Art Viewing 101: the Professional Approach to Art Exhibitions
livingasean

Manual for Art Viewing 101: the Professional Approach to Art Exhibitions

In earlier times, an “art work,” for the most part, simply reflected the ways of life and daily routines of human beings at the time. Stone age cave paintings tell us of the progression of early civilization from tribal animal hunts to creation of tools & utensils by shaping and carving done with the human knowledge and experimentation of that time.

Nowadays, though, art has become a reflection of the progress of the human mind and of creativity itself, distilled and filtered through experience, imagination, and the fashions of the time, to express personal insight and inspiration through visual arts, sculpture, painting, and even architecture. In bringing art works together for exhibition, care must be taken that each work, full of historical value, is experienced according to specific requirements and protocols so that it will not be harmed or deteriorate before its time.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

Because these art works are so precious, we are offering Living ASEAN readers some guidelines for their proper viewing and study.

Refrain from taking pictures

Museums and art exhibition centers generally make it a priority to ask visitors not to take pictures. This is because some paintings and sculptures may have reactions to flash photography that cause premature deterioration of the pieces being photographed. Both cinnabar and yellow from lead chromate darken over long-term exposure to light. Realgar yellows may become fine powder incapable of restoration to their original condition. This is why many museums enforce standards for direction and intensity of light, and why museums are often darker than one might expect.

The use of photographic accessories such as tripods and selfie sticks can block people from easily walking around as well as diminish the aesthetics of other visitors’ viewing experience.

Refrain from touching materials on display

It is also important to avoid physical contact with exhibits. Many art works are labeled “Don’t touch,” or are protected by barriers, since some art works may react to human body temperature much as they do to light. Certain paintings may change color or retain fingerprints if touched, and direct touch can cause abrasion, scratching, or punctures from fingernails or palms, causing breaks, tears, disfigurement, or premature degrading. On the other side of things, though, some artists use art as a more direct means of communication, and give visitors the opportunity to interact freely with their works, so some art pieces actually may be touched! Just watch for a “Please touch” sign at the exhibit area.

Refrain from loud noises or running and playing within the building

Basic art show etiquette calls for limiting vocal communication. Museums and art exhibitions are common areas with large numbers of visitors, and loud noises or conversation can disturb others. Running or careless walking, as well, may cause collisions both with people and with exhibits. Many museums insist that children under 18 be under the close supervision of their parents or guardians at all times.

Refrain from bringing bags/gear into art exhibition areas

Many museums or art exhibitions forbid carrying personal bags into exhibition areas; this may include backpacks, suitcases, or large shopping bags, as they may annoy or block the path of other visitors, or cause damage to works on display. A suitcase on rollers can collide with a display, or a backpack strap can catch on one.

Refrain from smoking or eating at in exhibition areas

Smoking, eating, or drinking near exhibited art seriously risks damaging it, which is why many museums do not allow bringing food or liquids in, or even in outdoor exhibit areas. And simple good manners would obviously mandate not smoking in an exhibition area.

Keep an appropriate distance

Many art works need to be viewed in specific ways. Some large paintings need to be viewed from a certain distance to properly experience them. Besides giving consideration to not blocking the view of others, we need to be sure we get a full impression of the meaning the artist is communicating, which too much attention to a single point may make difficult.

 

Dress respectfully

Some museums have dress codes. If planning a visit to an art exhibition or museum, be sure to dress up to international standards: fully dressed, no open-toed shoes): this shows respect and is acceptable almost anywhere. This may depend on local traditions: for instance, museums in some countries require women to wear head coverings. In any case we should educate ourselves about such things before embarking on international travel to visit art exhibitions.

 

Always study the manual before attending an exhibition

Finally, before visiting an exhibition always read signs, announcements, or guides provided by the curator or institution: this will help you have a worry-free experience. Each location involves different customs and viewing rules, and studying and understanding these details aids us in developing a truly professional approach to the enjoyment of art.

The contemporary international art festival Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 had its formal opening last October 19th. This fair has reinvented our own Bangkok as a major art venue on a level with Venice, Berlin, Paris, and Singapore. Here, now, more than 75 famous domestic and foreign artists have showings at various important locations for us to enjoy what has been called “resplendent, energetic art,” as Bangkok itself becomes a prominent landmark in the contemporary art world.  From now until February 3rd, 2019.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, (BAB) is an art fair which will transform Bangkok into a city for art lovers. Famous artists from many corners of the world have brought their works here to be shown at 20 landmark sites.  (Download here)

Thanks for information provided by:
– Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
– Museum Siam
– National Palace Museum

Find a Place To Crash Between Visits to BAB: 5 Convenient Hotels with Super-Cool Designs
livingasean

Find a Place To Crash Between Visits to BAB: 5 Convenient Hotels with Super-Cool Designs

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 is an event that will for the first time transform metropolitan Bangkok into a world-class art destination. People coming from every corner of the globe to see the incredible art on display creates a need for world-class accommodations, so we’ve put together some suggestions. These are places with standout designs that will not only put you in the mood for each BAB visit, but facilitate convenient and comfortable travel for you and your friends to and from all the many venues.

/// Thailand ///
Story: Taliw /// Photography: Wara Suttiwan

Amdaeng Hotel

Amdaeng Hotel

Beside the Chao Phraya in the Khlong San neighborhood stands the remarkable Amdaeng Hotel, eye-catching for its vermilion color and charming architecture.

The hotel’s name came from the name “Amdaeng Li,” the name on a deed for the property from the time of Siam’s King Rama V. “Amdaeng” is a lofty honorific for ‘lady,” for a concept that extends to the hotel’s design as well as its name: a beautiful, glamorous lady.

Amdaeng Hotel Amdaeng Hotel

The Amdaeng Hotel has 10 rooms, with the style of each designed to reinforce the sense that this is, as they say, “the most romantic hotel in Bangkok.” It includes the NYE Café Restaurant, where we can partake of delicious cuisine and drink in the delightful Chao Phraya riverside ambience. The café interior is darker and relies less on the color red than inside the hotel proper. Here there’s also a roof deck where we can sit back, relax, and enjoy the evening atmosphere.

Amdaeng Hotel

Traveling to BAB:

The Amdaeng Hotel is convenient to BAB exhibition sites from the nearby Lhong 1919 pier, which offers ferry service to the Si Phraya Pier on the opposite side. From there visitors can hop on the Chao Phraya Express Boat and speed off to see world-class art works of their choice.

Chann Bangkok Noi

The name “Chann” comes from the Thai word for the porch deck of a traditional house, and wood is the hotel’s primary construction material, harking back to the houses of an earlier Thailand and filling the hotel with a contemporary version of that easy Thai charm to match its motto: “Simply at Ease.”

Chann Bangkok Noi

The lower floor of the two-storey Chann Bangkok Noi reflects an essential element of the traditional Thai home: the tai thun lower space which is home to a variety of activities and opens onto the Chao Phraya riverside atmosphere. The floor above is designed as four separate houses with an interconnecting porch deck.

Chann Bangkok Noi

But what will capture your heart here is the sense of peace along the riverside, the river seen through the natural light shining freely into open areas and the green of garden plants, bringing the feeling of being out in the countryside. The guest rooms retain that relaxed atmosphere, with high gabled roofs that make them feel open and airy, reminiscent of the simple charms of old Thailand.

Chann Bangkok Noi

Traveling to BAB:

It’s easy to get from Chann Bangkok Noi to the BAB Chao Phraya “Riverside Zone”:  the Tha Rot Fai Pier, one of the main stops for the Chao Phraya Express Boat, is right next door. The hotel also has its own private pier where you can hire a longtail boat to take you wherever you want for as long as you want.

Siam Plug In Boutique Hostel

“Plug in here and get acquainted with Thainess” is this hostel’s defining concept. Its aim is to bring  “Thainess” to foreigners and for Thais to experience their identity in a contemporary format, as it is set in an old commercial building in the Charoen Nakhon area that was renovated in a Thai/Industrial Loft style, featuring walls of bare cement and brick for a perfect blend of Thai flavor and modern stylishness.

Siam Plug In Boutique Hostel

The half-reception, half-café area is between one wall of show brick and another of wood, and features vintage furniture, for a combined sense of being in a house and sitting relaxed on a porch. Further in is a concrete wall decorated with gilded patterns and a staircase of bare concrete leading up to the second floor.

The rooms at Siam Plug In follow that Thai/industrial style, with a brighter décor suggesting an atmosphere of comfort. Rooms are named after Chao Phraya piers, a cute touch. Here the walls are a gallery of photographs to tease the touristic imagination. And whoever would like to sit and chill in the Thonburi evening can relax at the Sky Lounge, whose uneven brick walls were inspired by ancient temple and palace ruins.

Traveling to BAB:

From Siam Plug In it’s easy to get not only to BAB exhibitions in the Chao Phraya Riverside Zone, but also to all the ones in the Urban Zone. The hostel is near the Thonburi SkyTrain station, so for riverside sites, get off at Taksin Station and transfer to the Chao Phraya Express Boat. For urban art displays, simply continue on the SkyTrain to your chosen destination.

J No. 14

The 50-year-old J building was renovated as a chic hotel with an “industrial/vintage” atmosphere, exposing the building frame to convey a fashionable sense of rawness. The hotel owner put his own hand to the design, which gently masks a classic European style –suggested by tasteful collectible items found everywhere – that give J No. 14 a remarkable and unique identity.

J NO 14

While the industrial vintage design and décor is based in the roughness of its building materials, the hotel feels light and airy. A skylight brings in natural light to brighten the ornamental plants placed throughout the hotel. The many guest rooms retain the style and are furnished with vintage pieces, many of them true antiques. This hotel has an irresistible charm, and we can’t help but give it high marks.

Traveling to BAB:

From J No. 14 it’s not far to the Pepsi Pier, where you can take a boat across river to Saphan Taksin, a perfect starting point for visits along the art festival’s Chao Phraya Riverside Zone.

Glur Bangkok Hostel

Though Glur is not large, it has important advantages. Travel is convenient and comfortable because of proximity to the Saphan Taksin pier and SkyTrain station. The warm familial atmosphere here is a major plus. A stay here feels like sleeping over  at a friend’s home. After all, “Glur,” means “friend” in Thai!

The front side of the hostel is a travelers’ café open for service 24 hours, which noticeable for its atmosphere reinforced by intense navy blues. Upstairs are rooms of many sizes, but Glur is primarily designed for the “backpacker” traveler.

Guest rooms primarily stress functionality, and décor is simple. The dorm-style common sleeping spaces are great for coming with a group of  friends and keeping it economical. However, more privacy is also available here, from 2-person to family-size rooms.

Traveling to BAB:

As already mentioned, Glur Bangkok has significant advantages in location, at Saphan Taksin with both the Skytrain station and the pier where the Chao Phraya Express Boat stops just 150 meters from the hotel. This makes for very easy travel to either Urban or Riverside BAB festival zones.

These are just a few selections we came up with for you art lovers to think about when making plans for visiting Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, which is – don’t forget! – between 19 October 2018 and 3 February 2019, at 20 different metropolitan Bangkok landmarks.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018
Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, (BAB) is an art fair which will transform Bangkok into a city for art lovers. Famous artists from many corners of the world have brought their works here to be shown at 20 landmark sites. (Download here)
Get a Taste of Art and Delicious Food at SIAM
livingasean

Get a Taste of Art and Delicious Food at SIAM

Most people probably think of the “Siam” neighborhood as a collection of super-modern shopping centers. Since it’s a giant commercial center in the heart of the city and a hub for convenient transport to everywhere else, it’s also true that many “trends” and “currents” start out here.

Today we’re going into the Siam district not for fashion or shopping, but to get a taste of art works on display at Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) 2018 international festival of contemporary art, and focus on getting some great eats while we’re there!

We’ll start out at MBK Center, a huge shopping center in the heart of the city, and a close match for the nearby Siam shopping area. Getting there is easy, just hop off the BTS SkyTrain at National Stadium Station and walk across the bridge.

MBK is right across the street from the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), an art exhibition hall and place to meet and exchange ideas, building knowledge and understanding about art. It is also one of the venues for the BAB 2018 exhibits on today’s tour.

  • Name: Basket Tower
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

  • Name: Genetic Manipulation
  • Artist/Nationality: Heri Dono (Indonesia)
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

  • Name: Good Girls Go to Heaven, Bad Girls Go Everywhere
  • Artist/Nationality: Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand)
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

  • Name: Tape Bangkok
  • Artist/Nationality: Numen For Use Design Collective
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

  • Name: The State of suffering
  • Artist/Nationality: Sunanta Phasomwong (Thailand)
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

  • Name: The Check Point
  • Artist/Nationality: Nge Lay (Myanmar)
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

  • Name: Hope and courage, Human compassion, Love and values of beauty in the way of life
  • Artist/Nationality: Muslimah Collective (Thailand)
  • Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

The first eats shop we’ll take you to is Mont Nom Sot (“magic fresh milk”), the celebrated name of a place of legendary flavor which has stood in front of Bangkok City Hall for fifty years. This shop is unique for dishes of concentrated milk with toast and sweet-smelling steamed buns. Mont Nom Sot has expanded into other locations, with branches in Chiang Mai, at Itsaraphap Road, here in MBK Center, and other places.

  • Menu/Price: Steamed buns with coconut custard (75 Baht) / Red sweetened milk (37 Baht)
  • Shop: Mont Nom Sot
  • Location: 2nd Floor, Ma Boon Khrong Building (MBK Center)
  • Hours: Every day 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
  • Phone: 02-048-4898

Another establishment is on the 4th Floor of the BACC, and you shouldn’t miss this on: IceDEA, a tiny ice cream shop bursting with creativity, one of the BACC landmarks spots that everyone’s talking about. The dessert menu is exotic and looks scrumptious. Our dish for today is mango sticky rice ice cream and/or durian ice cream on a stick, easy to walk around eating, and it looks like the real fruit dessert, not this ice cream version, cool to upload and show folks social media.

  • Menu/Price: Sticky Rice Mango Ice Cream (79 Baht) / Durian Ice Cream (89 Baht)
  • Shop: IceDEA
  • Location: 4th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
  • Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
  • Phone: 08-9834-5950

OK, great art at the BACC, delicious treats at MBK, but now let’s cut through to the Sky Plaza, which connects trade centers and major buildings around the Pathumwan intersection.

Remarkable street art by famous artists

Coming into the Siam Center, on the ground floor you’ll see more Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 international festival of contemporary art exhibits.

  • Name: Shot Guns
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • Display Location: Siam Center

  • Name: Happy Happy Project: Alchemy
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • Display Location: Siam Center

Good spots to nosh on great food in Siam Center? You must definitely not miss the amazing choux cream item served at the Japanese find at Croquantchou Zaku Zaku, which just recently opened here.

Choux Cream on a stick, crispy soft, sweet, with a great custard filling

  • Menu/Price: Croquantchou Zaku Zaku (75 Baht)
  • Shop: Croquantchou Zaku Zaku
  • Location: Floor M, Siam Center
  • Hours: Every day 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Phone: 09-1916-4224

When we’ve filled up on this, we can cut through Siam Center to Siam Square One, where there’s a famous shop servicing the taste for bubble tea that’s become all the rage in our country. Let’s definitely get over to The Alley and get in line to check out this great taste from Taiwan.

Milk tea with a sweet taste and scent: Bubble tea, with its chewy pearls

  • Menu/Price: Brown Sugar Deerioca & Fresh Milk (100 Baht)
  • Shop: The Alley
  • Location: 4th Floor, Siam Square One
  • Hours: Every day 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
  • Phone: 06-1414-2222

And then there is . . . the light touch and soft taste of the springy pancakes served in many flavors at the well-known Eat The Street shop, in a comfortable price range. And there’s not even a very long line!

  • Menu/Price: Choco Soufflé Pancake (89 Baht)
  • Shop: Eat The Street
  • Location: 2nd Floor Siam Square One
  • Hours: Every day 00 – 21.00 น.
  • Phone: –

Stepping out of Siam Square One, we immediately run into something we’re well used to in this Siam district: a tantalizingly delish selection of street food, for example . . .

Delicious soft oden, served with Tom Yam or an original soup

  • Menu/Price: Oden (70 Baht)
  • Shop: Anyong Korea
  • Location: Siam Square, Soi 7
  • Hours: Every day 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Phone: –

Legendary Siamese dessert: soft coconut cups with pandanus leaf scent

  • Menu/Price: khanom khrok bai toei (“Coconut pandanus cups”) (40 Baht)
  • Shop: Siam Pandan
  • Location: Siam Square, Soi 7
  • Hours: Every day 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
  • Phone: –

To finish up our art tour today, there’s a big pumpkin “sculpture” exhibit by the “mother of contemporary polka dot art,” Yayoi Kusama, creating excitement right in the middle of Central World with a major transformation of the space.

  • Name: 14 Pumpkins
  • Artist/Nationality: Yayoi Kusama (Japan)
  • Display Location: CentralWorld

There is more installation art nearby, this time featuring huge inflatables, calling out smiles and happiness all around. If you have time, get over to see Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree: it’s not too far away.

  • Name: Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree
  • Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
  • Display Location: Central Embassy
So, Can Art Really Create Happiness?
livingasean

So, Can Art Really Create Happiness?

“Beyond Bliss” and “The Joy of Art” are catchphrases for Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, so it’s natural to look at how these 75 artists from 33 countries interpret “happiness” according to their own experience. Some depict happiness by taking ownership of it: see the works of Choi Jeong Hwa. Some show it through a lens of conflict, suffering, sadness, struggles for survival, or immigrant problems. Each work takes a different approach, offering perspectives on “happiness” we’ve never seen before.

Following up on this, we looked back to a seminar held last September at Warehouse 30, the 16th BAB Talk, where the 5 renowned Thai artists Tawatchai Puntusawasdi, Sanitas Pradittasnee, Dujdao Vadhanapakorn, Torlarp Larpjaroensook, and Kawita Vatanajyankur discussed the topic “So, Can Art Really Create Happiness?” Here are some samples of how each answered this question.

Dujdao Vadhanapakorn

Dujdao Vadhanapakorn

“Art can create more than happiness. As a child I wasn’t a good student. I couldn’t do much of anything, wasn’t much good at anything. The classroom felt like the absolute wrong place and the wrong way for me. But when we put on a dance for the New Year’s party, or when the teacher called me up to dance in front of the class, it felt really good! The art of dance teaches me how to be myself every day. It teaches the feeling of true happiness and gives it a tangible form.”

Tawatchai Puntusawasdi

Tawatchai Puntusawasdi

“Our art works are evidence of time: that is, they indicate how well we have used our time. In any case, a finished art work emerges as a tangible piece that communicates our ideas. We may well define the word “happiness” differently, but I think if we as artists are happy with a piece of art we’ve created, viewers will pick up on that feeling and learn from it.”

Sanitas Pradittasnee

Sanitas Pradittasnee

“As someone who likes to look at art, that is, speaking from the standpoint of a viewer, when I see something unexpected in a work of art my heart fills with a great feeling, as I’ve been given something new to learn. A truly good art work can take us on a path into another world, seen through the eyes of the artist who created it. I want my art to communicate the substance of things that inspire people, to spark something in others, so I really have to say that art actually can create happiness, and has done so throughout time, to this very day.”

Torlarp Larpjaroensook

Torlarp Larpjaroensook

“When someone comes to see my art and it brings out a connection to a time of their own happiness, it makes me very happy. Both happiness and sorrow are definitely there to be seen in art, but for me, happiness is the greater. That’s what makes me want to get up in the morning and get right to my art, it’s great fun.”

Kawita Vatanajyankur

Kawita Vatanajyankur

“Artists are able to create happiness in themselves and others. The things that give me the greatest happiness are, first of all, being able to work with my mom, who is my manager and photographer, and secondly, my art teaching me how to cope with life’s hardships and care for my own spirit. As for giving happiness to others, I feel my work is a kind of mouthpiece for the “little people,” such as laborers, helping society to be more aware their value. Just that, the ability to help other people, gives me more happiness from creating art.”

Our interviews with these 5 artists show that many concepts about art and creativity are shared among themselves and with other world-class artists. Marina Abramović’s view extends beyond the happiness of the individual artist to the artist’s audience and to world society in general. In a major seminar at Siam Pavalai Royal Grand Theater in Siam Paragon Marina put it this way: “Art should imitate and promote positive emotions. It should encourage each of us to be a better person, and in the end society will be the better for the art which accomplishes that.”

Regardless of how you personally define “happiness” or “art,” or if you’re still wondering if art can really create happiness, right now more than 200 art works from 75 artists worldwide are visiting us here in Bangkok, Thailand. To answer those questions all you have to do is step out, go see the art for yourself. Where to start? What to see? Check it out by taking a little time to study 30 not-to-be-missed works at Bangkok Art Biennale 2018.

30 Works of Art You Can’t Miss at BAB 2018

30 WORKS OF ART YOU CAN’T MISS AT BAB 2018

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