Showing 1 - 7 of 7
The human lens
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 24/09/2025
» An encounter with a girl beaten by a teacher moved Gauri Gill to write a story for a political weekly. However, her idea was set aside for lacking an angle that would engage urban readers and Gill decided to take a month-long sabbatical from work.
Curtains for Chinese opera?
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/02/2023
» "Hurry up," shouted a crew member who climbed up onto a makeshift stage. Casting sidelong glances, performers, half-clad, looked in the mirror and concentrated on applying layers of make-up. Nearby, a motley bunch of musicians and technicians double-checked their instruments. A stream of chatter from a growing audience -- without any partition between the theatre and real life -- put unintended pressure on the band.
A meeting of past and present
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 24/01/2023
» As time goes by, the past fades into oblivion. Like other artists, Tawatchai Somkong combs through piles of dusty history and finds something invaluable. He often visits antique shops when travelling abroad. Century-old sepia paintings are used for lavish adornment, and some are high-quality for museum display. In 2014, he began to create a collection of works that personally resonated with him.
Imagining a new world
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 17/01/2023
» A few days after the dawn of the new year, I found myself on the move earlier than usual. It is not usually until the second week we hit the ground running. After all, who would fly to Singapore just for an art exhibition? But I took it on because, given the pandemic, its theme seemed timely and powerful. Despite a brief downpour, it was a rewarding experience. Made of earthy materials, some pieces evoked a refreshing sense of self-renewal.
Abode of the gods
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/08/2022
» Cicadas sang a chorus as the forest opened out. I peered into the darkness and traced the distant contour of a monumental religious complex, a remarkable feat of human civilisation. Keyed up with my first visit, I crossed a floating bridge, a soon-to-be-dismantled construction, over a large moat in the midst of lush vegetation. Before dawn, I arrived at Angkor Wat.
A cure-all for their wallets
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 08/02/2021
» The notion of "panacea" has long captured the human imagination. In Greek mythology, Panacea was the goddess of healing. She was the daughter of Asclepius, the god of medicine, who was the son of Apollo the physician and a mortal woman. With the blood of Gordon, Asclepius can bring the dead back to life, which angered the gods and culminated in his downfall.
The spirit of Bengal
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 13/06/2019
» As the first rays of light shone on the Bangladeshi morning, the new dawn brought hope and optimism. I got out of the van and walked down the street in Dhaka with other international journalists, the ground still wet after the rains of the previous night.