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Bangkok may become arts capital of Asia


MrX

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i would love to buy one his sleeping beauty paintings. i haven't seen him in a while, used to see him often when he came to bangers. like many creative italians, he's completely nuts, but in a nice way. :p:up:

last time i was in a show of his here was when he exhibited in that procect something gallery near the samsen railway station. it was a disgrace, and a turning point for me - the only important thai person in thai art who showed up for the vernissage was thanom (who also expressed his shame). none of the others found it worth to make an appearance.

it is an everlasting shame for thai art circles to disrespect an artist of such a stature as mondo in such a mean way. that guy is shown all over, was very successful in many art festivals such as the biennale in venice, and was treated like a non-entity by that insular art-clique here. :dunno: ::

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I rememeber that show, 98? I think.

 

Don't forget that sometimes the problems are caused by lack of good PR and media awareness by the gallery. My mate that came here thought he was going to show in a top gallery, not the case, would you expect Mondo to know the same, not really.

 

JB

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that project something was not a top gallery (dunno if it's still existing), but it was well known for their off the wall shows, got even some funding from some artfunds in the west.

mondo knows the scenery here well, he comes to bangkok regularly since way back. and he lives in bali, not that far away.

point is that the artcircle here is tiny, and if any of the wellknown local galleries and artprojects do something everybody will know. when i was still socialising i got regular emails and invites from that project - no way that people in the circle did not know.

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  • 6 months later...

To revive this thread: I visited the art market at National Museum in August. The art shown there was what I would call "tourist art" with religious paintings of Buddha, idyllic landscapes e.g. mostly was not well done as well. If this market represents the Thai art scene you can forget it, but I hope that the better artists stay away from it.

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Some good news, which not won't turn Thailand in an art center, but will be a first step for a more vital art scene - hopefully. (see article below)

 

By the way, I just visited the "798" area in Beijing with private contemporary art galleries, a art bookshop, restaurants e.g. This is the place which sets the standard currently in Asia (except Japan).

 

IMHO Thailand will not become an "art center" within the next 10 or 20 years (maybe never). After Japan China is now in the focus of international attention ("798", Shanghai Biennal). Smaller countries like South Korea (Kwangju Biennial) and Tawain (Taipei Triennial) struggle to stay on the international agenda, since China's economical and in this case cultural power will overshadow all efforts of smaller countries in Asia.

 

 

BKK Post

For love of art

 

Bangkok's abandoned downtown gallery project comes back to life

 

Story by ANJIRA ASSAVANONDA

 

After years on the shelf, the Bangkok art gallery project looks ready to take off under new Bangkok governor Apirak Kosayodhin.

 

And if things go according to plan, the public will be able to enjoy traditional and contemporary art in a modern complex at Pathumwan intersection by the end of 2006.

 

Governor Apirak has assigned Trungjai Buranasomphob, adviser for arts and cultural affairs, to oversee the project.

 

Approved six years ago by the Bhichit Rattakul administration, the project was abandoned after a dispute between his successor Samak Sundaravej and a group of leading artists and civic leaders.

 

Mr Samak wanted to include retail outlets in the complex, saying city hall did not have enough money to build a stand-alone museum. The artists favoured a single-purpose art centre.

 

Their strong opposition to the former governor's ideas turned away potential developers and the project ground to a halt at the bidding stage.

 

The artists seized the recent race for governor as a chance to revive the idea.

 

Calling themselves the People's Network for the City Art Gallery, they launched an ``Art Vote'' in August that mimicked the campaign for governor. Some 50,000 art lovers signed up to back the project.

 

Following Mr Apirak's triumph, Bangkok senators Kraisak Choonhavan and Chirmsak Pinthong discussed the project's background and proposed design features with him.

 

Famed photographer Manit Srivanichpoom, a member of the artists' network, praised Mr Apirak for keeping his promise.

 

``His positive stance has brought the once-doomed project closer to reality,'' Mr Manit said.

 

Ms Trungjai said a special committee, comprising artists, scholars and BMA executives, is being set up to work out the details of the project.

 

The committee will have to decide on questions of budget and design, she said. The members will also look into long-term management questions to ensure the museum's survival.

 

``These details will be sent to the governor for approval, and the project is expected to be completed within two years,'' said Ms Trungjai.

 

So far, organisers have agreed in principle to locate the arts centre at the originally designated site, a two-rai plot of land which is now a small park opposite Mahboonkrong department store on Rama I road in Pathumwan district.

 

Taweesak Dejdecho, chief of BMA's Office of Social Welfare, said the budget was likely to exceed the 300 million baht originally earmarked for the project.

 

``The 300-million-baht budget was set some five years ago on a budget-tightening rule. To build a perfect art gallery, we may need to invest more,'' said Mr Taweesak.

 

Mr Taweesak said Mr Bhichit had approved more than 400 million baht for the project, but it was later cut down to 300 million baht.

 

``If the project is revived, we must consider the real sum needed for a perfect construction,'' said the director.

 

According to Ms Trungjai, the arts centre will be located in an eight-storey building equipped with galleries for exhibitions, display halls for rare works, a mini-theatre and ticketing booths.

 

The plan also calls for a conference room, an underground library, a restaurant, lounges and space for seminars, training and storage. Toilets, first aid facilities and two levels of underground parking will be provided.

 

In one of its first decisions, a working group has agreed to change the name from ``Bangkok Art Centre'' to ``Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre''.

 

``This would be Thailand's first complete art centre with all the necessary facilities for art lovers,'' said Ms Trungjai. ``There will not only be modern arts, but also traditional arts on display,'' she said.

 

If the project is a success, Ms Trungjai will propose building smaller centres elsewhere in Bangkok to promote love for the arts among city people.

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lets wait and see with that gallery building. remember, it took more than 30 years from plannning stage to beginning of building bangkok's mass transit sythem, same time frame about for the new airport.

i start believing it when i see the construction begin, and i only really believe it when the first gallery opens.

and then of course the question will be what will be shown - commercial state art a la national gallery, mixed with pubescent nationalistic art a la "famed" photographer manit, and other politically not dangerous western art?

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