Showing 21 - 30 of 52
Art as a political act
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 18/03/2016
» It was with a feeling of nausea and disgust that Chiang Mai-based artist Mit Jai Inn spent one month working on his new series of abstract paintings, now on display and part of the exhibition "Wett" at Gallery Ver at N22 in Bangkok. Mit's series is entitled "Junta Monochrome" -- obviously not for the works themselves -- for the art space has exploded with every colour imaginable; rather the title conveys the artist's contempt for the reality outside: a junta-ruled country where things are either black or white, where if you're not a khon dee (good person), the artist says, you are inevitably the bad guy.
Trafficking in art
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 16/03/2016
» The notion that an artist can exist alone and thrive independently, according to artist and curator Henry Tan of the Tentacles contemporary art space, is long over. The same applies to art spaces in Bangkok. This explains why there's a profusion of co-operative projects between art galleries practically all year round.
Regional revolution
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 03/02/2016
» 'An art fair is always a commercial event," said Lorenzo Rudolf, founder and president of Art Stage Singapore whose sixth edition ended last month. There's not a response more apt than that to a common complaint like: "Oh, but Art Stage is too commercial." It's an art fair, and quite naturally, as Rudolf added in an interview during the fair, "the galleries come here to sell".
Thais take the Lion City
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 03/02/2016
» Singapore's Art Week is over but it doesn't mean there aren't any good remnants left. The newly-opened National Gallery, for one, is hardly what one would call a remnant, with a comprehensive collection of works by Southeast Asian artists from the 19th century onwards which would take at least a day to completely take in. There are also, of course, a few major shows at the old military quarters-turned-art hub Gillman Barracks, such as Steve Mccurry's iconic photography show, Yinka Shonibare's new sculptures and Joan Jonas' acclaimed "They Come To Us Without A Word" exactly as seen in last year's Venice Biennale.
Wonderwalls and more
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 27/01/2016
» Since we have yet to find an art school for, or exhibitions by, the much-hyped angel child dolls, Art Matters this month is going to make do with the same old current show round-up.
Poor me
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 21/01/2016
» While Crescent Moon Theatre presents the Thai-Korean collaboration Mai Pen Rai Project, Democrazy Theatre Studio is kicking off 2016 with Peerapol Kijreunpiromsuk's directorial debut Plan B.
Loud paintings
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 13/01/2016
» Echoing the title of Paphonsak La-or's solo exhibition "Silent No More", his opening reception at Lyla Gallery in Chiang Mai on Boxing Day last year was buzzing with locals and those who had made the trip from Bangkok. Milling around, everyone in the exhibition room couldn't possibly have avoided the huge 7m-long centrepiece that comes with a shade of blue paint that is neither gloomy nor reassuring in the background. While there's a sentence in the middle, "This image is no longer available", the bottom text reads, "Love which was woven in our society leads to a great tragedy and sorrow".
Searching for identity
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 06/01/2016
» In one exhibition room at Navin Rawanchaikul's studiOK in Chiang Mai, wooden crates used for shipping his previous artworks are piled up as a huge rectangular structure. An entrance on one side reveals an old fabric shop, with rolls of cloth of various colours, desks and measurement tools. Open for viewing for the first time late last month, the "shop" is an exact recreation of O.K. Store, Navin's family clothing store, his original home in Chiang Mai's Warorot Market.
State of the art
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 30/12/2015
» It's been an exciting year for the Bangkok art scene, with new galleries opening and quite a few collaborative projects. Life looks back at these significant incidents and picks its five favourite exhibitions of 2015
Mapping out Chiang Mai's art scene
Life, Kaona Pongpipat, Published on 28/10/2015
» Long before becoming the capital of hip coffee places, Chiang Mai has long been a city of art. But even for locals, planning a gallery-hopping trip can be mind-boggling, with almost 50 galleries spread across the city and its environs. Although long overdue, it's great news for art lovers that Chiang Mai Art Conversation, or CAC, has just recently launched the Chiang Mai Art Map.