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Bangkok may become arts capital of Asia


MrX

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>>>deans and rectors retreated to where they are are a long time ago and have little to do with creative artists/entertainers who need ingredients of repression, freedom, decadence and bloodymindedness in rather enigmatic proportions<<<

 

 

deans and curators are the way to worldwide exposure and money.

they sit in all international artgremiums, are members of foundation overseeing councils etc.

if an artist wants to be exhibited at places like the bienale in venice, or in cologne he better has some of those artofficials sponsor him.

if an artist wants to get a good gallerist, it is not a disadvantage when a curator or dean recomends him.

if an artist wants wealthy collectors byuing his work he needs a good gallerist, and the endorsement of some curators/deans.

having people like these in the back means that an artist is built up an not killed off as a momentarily fad.

 

in a country like thailand, where there are almost no important gallerists and no collector of international statue whatsoever someone like the dean of chula (in artcircles a rather powerful man who sits in lots of gremiums) are more or less the only way to international exposure.

 

don't forget - art is business. creativity without exposure will starve to death.

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Unfortunately this article is not online. I would like to know if this artice matches with my thoughts.

 

There is hard work ahead for this plan to to become an art center for itself not to talk about leadership in Asia, since for visitors like me the art scene is nearly invisible. For (art-) tourists currently only traditional Thai art is promoted, contemporary Thai cannot be found without a deeper knowlegde of the town and art scene. When in BKK I would have liked to visit a museum for contemporary Thai/Asian art, but could not find information about it.

 

To become a leader Thailand needs to compete against capitals like Beijing, Shanghai and Tokyo. I know the scene in Tokyo a little bit and this town has many theatres, concert halls and an opera house, dozens of museums, some of extra ordinary quality (and very large as well) for Asian/western arts, modern- and contemporary arts, for painting, photography, new media or film e.g.. Some of them are state/town owned and some are private.

There are hundreds of galleries, there are auction houses, there are collectors, magazines and critics, curators and very different art schools.

The leading Japanese artists (visual arts, music, ballet e.g.) are part of the international art scene and market, the museums, galleries and curators as well. Additional there is the "Japan Foundation" which promotes Japanese art (exhibitions, symposiums, publications, scholarships for Japanese and foreigners) all over the world and spends millions of yen every year for this purpose.

 

First of all before becoming a leader in Asia, Thailand should first try to develop it's own scene, which means to set up the appropriate structures like to build the long awaited BMA Bangkok Museum of Arts which was scheduled for 2001 :cussing:.

Bangkok should take a look at other capitals who recently tried to enter the art world like Hongkong, Taipei, Seoul and Singapore. First you'll need buildings for arts like Singapore built a new a multifunctional opera house and Hongkong and Taipei built new museums (Hongkong Heritage Museum, Taipei Fine Arts Museum).

I don't know if BKK has already an concert hall of international standard?

 

Second you need to make shows, tours and publications in English with Thai artists with the only aim to show quality.

An international art festival would be a good idea or a cooperation with existing festivals like the Taipei Triennale in Taiwan or the Kwangju Biennale in South Korea curated by international curators which will attract an international audience.

 

Third, maybe the education system for Thai artists should be reconsidered? To teach Thai artists and to promote them you'll need to send them abroad. If it doesn't exist already a "Thailand Foundation" would be very helpful. But of course the teachers and curators need to be educated on an international level as well.

 

Maybe the biggest obstacle is:

This will take years and money, lots of money and as well important for art: independent directors, independent curators, independent critics, independent gallerists, independent art teachers and educated collectors with a real good taste who will search, develop, collect and show quality. With cronyism, corruption or only a bad taste BKK will not come far. - Of course any art scene has this a kind of cronyism, Japan with it's many closed and rigid art circles is an valid example, but the scene is very complex and the best artist seem to be able to overcome this barriers either at home or abroad.

 

The first decade might not be very successful since Thailand is not on the agenda of the international art scene. If this is only done to promote Thailand as a tourist destination or as tool for more positive publicity for certain politicians the project will be dead after five years. Art is where the money is, maybe this could be the time for the Thai oligarchy to do something for it's country ::.

 

 

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Ok will try to super summarise:

 

Bangkok will have state sponsored contempory arts centre

 

and private sector sponsored performance centre

 

a proposed outreach programme involving weekly art market

and other iniatives

 

they see problems with transport and too much glitz

but like the recent fashion parade (sic)

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This sounds good for the beginning, but to put this in perspective, that is what every bigger Japanese city like Yokohama, Osaka, Kyoto, Fukuoka has - except the art market.

 

A weekly market does not sound very convincing, is this something aimed at tourists? This sounds to be something for a broader audience and most probably the most problematic, but maybe the best arts will not be sold there. Good art needs a gallery and usually is sold very slow from my own experience.

 

Anyway, hopefully they will go on and finish this projects. But after building the architecture the second stage is very important: To fill the art center with life AND keep it alive. It is very costly to run an program, produce exhibitions and built up a collection. For example there are some fantastic museums in Japan built in the 80s which came in big trouble in the 90s after the burst of the bubble economy. Some are closed now other fell into a kind of winter sleep.

 

I don't think that they are able to compete with China or Japan, but with Singapore, Hongkong, Taipei and Seoul. If Thailand is seeking international reputation and does not think too nationalistic IMHO a good idea would be to become THE center for SE Asian arts from LOS, Cambodia, Vietnam e.g... The Fukuoka Asian Arts Museum could be a very good model such kind of effort. Currently they hold show on SE Asian Arts including two Thai artists.

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One of the main problems here is as was mentioned there are simply very very few venues of quality Most of the places artists may show are in hotels or restaurants-now this is really sad.

In addition the broader collecting public are really only interested in supporting Thia artists whichis to some extent natural yet ultimately points to the nationalistic and rather self important direction of Thai culture-

One would think that Thailand could become adept at playing the "ART" game as it really is almost exclusively about BS IE marketing at this point intime rather than quality.

Art is about the work,the time in the studio,the years spent,a lifetime not about what BS is on everyone lips at a give moment-YET artist need $$ as well. An age old canundrum.

There was recently a Thiaishow in New York ...almost complete drivel... ::

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one problem is that the few galleries with a vision are notoriously underfunded. potentially good curators like thanom are working on the edges of financial ruin. if some talented and good artist from some other part of town supports one of the small good galleries by showing his work there, the art "establishment" here is absent. those wankers show only up when one of their untalented friends (thai!) has a show to clap themselves on their own backs.

it is very sad. to safe myself from depressions i have stopped going to exhibitions here.

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Hi Fly,

 

your description sounds quite depressing.

 

With such kind of scene Thailand will need more than one decade to develop a flourishing art scene. Curiosity, the will to cross boarders, to search for something new (besides the social aspect of openings) should be a main aspect for looking for arts. If this group of people, presumably mostly upper class, only care for their friends Thai art won't go far, since there won't be any support for experiments and risks.

Of course you can teach the audience, but for this you will need the right place like a very interesting museum, this will take time and money and a small group of fanatics (artists and curators) backed by the local government.

 

Anyway, one or two times I tried to explain a Thai BG what a museum or gallery is, but it was impossible for me. I am not sure if I would get the same reaction in East Asian countries.

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Here is an update on the art market. It sounds interesting and it´s bad that I don't have the opportunity to go there. Unfortunatly it seems to be only a tempory opportunity for artists and the audience.

The quoted 30%-40% share for the galleries sounds not very high for me. In the west it is up to 50% for contemporary artists.

 

 

Weekend art market opens

BKK Post

 

Anjira Assavanonda

 

The Art Market which was inaugurated yesterday at the National Gallery on Chao Fah road has a different, down-to-earth look.

 

Most visitors who browsed through the almost 200 booths were casually dressed. No people in lavish outfits.

 

The market offers works by young artists which come in various forms, including painting, sculpture, printing, photo, handmade art, pottery, clothes and jewelry at affordable prices.

 

An intiative of the Culture Ministry, the art market will take place every weekend until March 21 as a forum for young artists, many still unknown, to sell their works to enthusiasts.

 

``This kind of quality works are scattered here and there, so we came up with an idea to find a gathering place for them, so that people can come and buy the pieces they like at reasonable prices,''said Prof Dr Apinan Poshyananda, director-general of the Office of Contemporary Art and Culture which oversees the project.

 

The young artists said the market gives them the opportunities they have longed for.

 

Saksarawut Panichkitpeera, a printing artist, said this was the first time he had put up his work for sale.

 

In the past, he exhibited his works in the galleries, but the deal was not fair.

 

``With the galleries, we had to give them 30-40% of the selling prices, compared to 10 % in this market. The rate is more acceptable,'' said Mr Saksarawut.

 

Jayda Rodnit, an oil-painting artist from Phuket, said she was really happy about the project and was glad to take part in it.

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