Bangkok – How does the British creative economy earn the United Kingdom over 121.6 billion pounds (or 8 trillion baht) per year?
The exhibition showcases 20 of the UK’s leading design businesses and their award-winning projects. From architecture, fashion, product, print media and animation, to structural and civil engineering, these companies have gained both critical acclaim and commercial success.
Whether it’s Thomas Heatherwick’s Rolling Bridge at Paddington Basin, which literally curls up and down like a kinetic sculpture, the 80 million pound redesign of The Guardian newspaper’s format to suit underground commuters, or comic book artist Jamie Hewlett’s virtual band Gorillaz, which has sold over 6 million copies – each is a story of how design vision meets market savvy.

“Love and Money - The best of British design now”, the exhibition by British Council and UK Trade & Investment, presented by British Council Thailand and Thailand Creative & Design Center. At Gallery 2, TCDC, Friday 20 July – Sunday 16 September, 2007 / 10.30 – 21.00,
Free of charge

Mechanics Alive !!
Temporary Exhibition

TCDC, Gallery 2, 27 July – 30 September, 2007

Bangkok – How does a simple wooden mechanical sculpture manage to capture your imagination? Discover what happens when mechanics meets imagination in the world of automata from the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre.
Seven renowned automata designers from the UK showcase their wit, satire, and craftsmanship in 38 mechanical stories. Paul Spooner’s “Anubis” series, depicts the Egyptian god of death in mundane acts like sit-ups, as a mockery of the human obsession for youth. Peter Markey draws on his painter’s background to add colour and suspense to a hunt in “Large Green Jungle”. And Keith Newstead uses exposed mechanical parts as fish jumping into a cat’s mouth in “Fish Tank in the Sky”.
Each sculpture is a keen observation of people, animals and everyday life, unraveling the mechanical principles which determine all our movements. “Mechanics Alive!!” is a collaboration between TCDC and the Cabaret Mechanical Theatre, London.

Mechanics Alive!! at Gallery 2, TCDC, Friday 27 July – Sunday 30 September, 2007 / 10.30 – 21.00, Free of charge

The Secret Beauty of Buildings


Bod Bung no.2 / Blocking no.2, 180x130 cm with frame, Oil on rubber tiles

Passing By, Kanitsapon Amonsin, at Art Gorillas Gallery, until July 15

Bangkok – The 24 year old artist, Kanitsapon Amonsin, is a fresh, young talent, who has recently arrived on the Bangkok art scene. He just graduated from Silpakorn University and the exhibition currently showing at ArtGorillas, Passing By, is his first solo exhibition. On display are some 30 paintings on diverse medium such as wooden panel, rubber tiles and galvanized iron. They explore the plurality of architectural expressions found in Thai urban areas, often juxtaposing the stylistic language of Thai heritage found in municipal structures and the modern features of the contemporary city. The detailed observations of facades and other aspects of a building that imbue it with a certain character, convey the artist's passion for the forms and colors of the architectural landscape. The paintings are composed of warm tones and the materials used allow Kanitsapon to capture the weather-worn texture of longstanding houses. These features impart onto the pieces a feeling of nostalgia and agedness that makes them feel less like representations of the buildings, but more like parts of the buildings themselves. However, the application of colours and the chosen perspectives, give them an air of freshness that radiates immediacy and a quiet vibrancy.

The gallery is exhibiting ten large pieces and many more smaller-sized works. The large paintings are hung relatively low, inviting close inspection by engulfing the viewer's attention. The alluring charisma of these pieces is achieved in this spatial intimacy with the viewer. It is their tangibility, their richness of detail, texture and colour, which are ultimately captivating and which relate them not only in imagery to their subject, but also in substance.

Many of the pieces depict the quintessential urban animal, the pigeon, resting either solitary or in groups upon the mesh of electrical cables. This familiar sight appears to overflow from the confines of the frame into the space of the gallery itself. Cables traverse the room and styrofoam pigeons sit on top, overlooking the visitors. Several paintings in fact incorporate three-dimensional elements, such as genuine wooden shutters attached to painted two-dimensional windows. On some of the rubber tiled compositions, Kanitsapon has used a heated rod to create a plethora of electrical lines that sometimes crowd the view of houses in the capital's older districts. The deep grooves and thick coating of oil colours provide the paintings with a sumptuous texture that makes you want to touch them. They have a similar appeal to the buildings they portray, an enticing physicality and an ineffable character.

Kanitsapon had started on these pieces during his studies at Silpakorn and the exhibition represents the accumulation of three years of the artist’s work. The paintings reflect his efforts and demonstrate a surprising level of artistic maturity, given that this is his first solo exhibition. The subtlety of his work transgresses distinctions between traditional and modern, just like the architectural topography of contemporary Bangkok, and appeals to the viewer in terms of its aesthetic merit alone.

Kanitsapon Amonsin's exhibition, Passing By, will be displayed at Art Gorillas Gallery, Bangkok, until July 15th.

Article by Andreas Klempin. Andreas is half-German, half-Thai and a student of philosophy. He moved back to Bangkok from London in 2006 and has been eagerly exploring the local art scene ever since.

Lifestyle Art Project Thailand
the art of a travel experience



New York Artist Steven P. Perkins at Teo + Namfah Gallery, June 29 - July 15, 2007

Bangkok – How would you capture the unique experience of going to a place for the first time? The excitement, confusion, and intensity are all sensations not easily harnessed when traveling. Through the creative perceptions of multi-media artist Steven P. Perkins we get just that. Perkins traveled to Bangkok, Koh Samet, and Saraburi hosted by James A. Menges, photographer/ filmmaker and a long-term resident of Thailand. The resulting exhibition is more than paintings in a gallery; it is an event that is the catalyst for how those paintings came to be, the dynamics of making art in the moment. Using photography, video and paintings, James and Steve invite you into the center of an artist's world - you can see through modern eyes not just the results but how the ancient kingdom of Thailand inspired these creative works. In Perkins' words:
“Mindful and meaningful travel has always stimulated my imagination. By using the term "lifestyle", I want to connect to the living spirit of a place. I came here, not to take away the best of Thailand, but to respectfully observe. The resulting paintings are a near immediate processing of new stimuli into intense expressions of my aesthetic interests, wed with the sights and sounds, tastes and smells, and the feel of an ancient civilization pushing towards modernity.”
Steve will also conduct workshops on painting and design during this exhibition.
Reception, June 28, 2007, 6.30 pm RSVP: info@teonamfahgallery.com

Contact the gallery at (66) 2 259 6117 or info@teonamfahgallery.com for more information.
Teo + Namfah Gallery, an international contemporary art gallery, shows the latest developments in contemporary art, both from Thailand and abroad.




Editor's Choice
Yanawit Kunchaethong, Assistant Professor




Born: March 3,1957 in Petchaburi, Thailand

Education:
1983 B.F.A. Graphic Arts (2nd Hon.) Silpakorn University, Bangkok
1988 M.F.A. Aichi Prefectural University of Fine Arts and Music, Japan
1993 Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze, Italy

Present Position:
Head of Department of Graphic Arts, the Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University, Bangkok
Vice President for Art & Culture of Silpakorn University

‘Tonmai Baiyah’ (Botanical Art) “highlights several outstanding features of Yanawit, including his academic background in Formalism with serious and intensive print making practices, onto the love and passion for nature, reflecting in minimal, simple, neat, delicate and refined artworks and installation which are reachable and admirable. The new printmaking approach has expanded the boundary of the arts to be full of freedom and assimilate art with life and the world. The work stimulates and encourages viewers to think, search for meanings, interpret the thoughts and lead to knowledge, interests and love in Thai botany. Eventually, we may all develop admiration, passion and love for Thai botany as Yanawit does.“

Associate Professor Ithipol Thangchalok (translated by 100 Tonson Gallery)

Exhibition at 100 Tonson Gallery Till 8 July 2007

The National Gallery Bangkok
A short history

Operating Hours: Wednesday – Sunday 9.00 – 16.00 hrs. Closed on Mondays, Tuesdays and national holidays.
Buses: 3, 30, 32, 43, 80, 91, 123, 169
Directions: 5 – minutes walk from the National Museum and Khao – San Road.

The Art of preserving paintings
Caring for your masterpieces

Detail of damages before treatment.


After restoration and conservation

Interview with Renate Kant, Chief Conservator and Artistic Director.

Is Art forever?
As everything on the globe is ephemeral, we can only prevent artworks from vanishing with time by conserving damages to keep their historical evidence.

What is the first step you as a conservator recommend if a collector is asking for advice?
Examination by a trained expert conservator is immediately recommended if damages occur due to reasons such as improper storing, transportation, temperature, humidity, light or pollution. documentation as a record about previous conservation activities has to follow. Treatment for stabilizing the condition will be proposed.

Which common treatment actions are usually taken if ageing has occurred?
As each artwork has a different history, the series of treatments are uniquely chosen, such as: stabilization (fixation of paint loss and flaking), re-stretching with protective loose lining, surface cleaning, fungus treatment, strip lining, tear mending, lining, varnish work. As a great number of works have already received previously unprofessional repair attempts, removal of these traces often starts with de-restoration.

Aren't these tasks often challenging and haven't you encountered sometimes complex problems?
Indeed, this happens when previously chosen materials are not reversible and mostly untrained hands did not respect the ethics of conservation which are binding for professionally trained art conservators.

Then the work steps are time consuming?
Yes, sometimes we may end up with a fragment, or partial reconstruction has to follow as interventive conservation can be complex. But the aesthetic and monetary values are always enhanced and increased.

Which preventive measures should art collectors consider so that intense impacts on their artworks can be avoided?
Preventive conservation can include keeping your artworks in optimum environmental conditions, such as: Room temperature (around 20 degrees C) and 50 - 55% relative humidity for paint on canvas. Consistent temperatures and RH would be optimum, since fluctuating environmental changes can cause the canvas to contract and expand which can result in cracking of the paint layers and varnish. Constant circulation of air is important to prevent mould growth.

Conservation is a young science in this part of the world. Which basic observations can we keep in mind as collectors?
Firstly, chemical changes which occur within a material have to be determined. But the critical physical changes as well, such as loss of tensile and adhesive strength and endurance have to be related to chemical ageing tests to determine responsible treatment steps. Visual analysis of artworks together with laboratory research is most effective. Natural science tests can be utilized such as binding and pigment analysis, X-ray, UV light and thermoluminiscence. Secondly, no restoration can ever hope to re-establish the original state of a painting. It can only reveal the present state of the original materials. Even if restoration could determine the original state, it would still be impossible to abolish the historicity of the work, the span of time it has crossed to appear before us.

Renate Kant Studio for Conservation Singapore, 2 Mandalay Road, Singapore, 308206
Tel: (65) 6732 8050 , Fax: (65) 6732 6848
www.kantconservation.com.sg

Framing Imaginary Spaces

Jedsada Tangtrakulwong returned to Bangkok in August 2006, after receiving his Masters from the Slade School of Fine Art, a branch of the University of London. Previously, he had studied at the San Francisco Art Institute, from which he graduated with a Bachelors in Fine Art in 1999. After all those years overseas, Jedsada hopes to import new perspectives and expand on the traditional possibilities of art production, as well as share his experiences with fellow artists who perhaps haven’t had the same opportunities. He currently teaches painting as part of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at the Mahasarakham University. Having come across many interdisciplinary art practices abroad, the artist hopes to broaden the locally defined fine art categories of sculpture, painting and printmaking, into more permeable and multidisciplinary areas.

The work of Jedsada has undergone various changes along the course of his career. From his initial interest in photography, the artist switched to painting. When his tutors suggested he use bigger canvases, Jedsada realised he could no longer afford painting on conventional surfaces. The solution was to attempt wall paintings. This was when the aesthetic of pipes, holes, beams and other architectural elements of a building really came to his attention, which triggered his exploration of spatial and interspatial possibilities.

Jedsada Tangtrakulwong is having his first solo exhibition in Bangkok since 2000, entitled Off the Frame, at Hof Art Gallery during the month of June. It consists of several site specific pieces that explore the physical space of the gallery. The artist explains that he saw the site and the space as a challenge, because of its architectural characteristics, especially since his work is site specific. He needs visual stimuli to set off an idea and prefers to work from an existing platform, such as the structural design of a building, in contrast to starting from a blank canvas. To begin with, Jedsada tried to produce the piece in colour, however, this came across as too decorative and in addition, the back frame was too pronounced against the colourful mesh. “At that point I was stuck.” Jedsada admits, “and I went through the entire colour palette looking for the adequate hue”. Finally, the artist settled for black.

The work consists of a series of enamel stripes painted onto the windows, the window frames and the actual walls of the gallery, in such a way as to integrally alter the perceived structural features of the gallery. His jagged stripes open up the contrived spaces between window frames and criss-cross the square panels of the ceiling above the viewer’s gaze, creating illusionary spatial features that make the work appear as though it were comprised of three-dimensional elements integrated into the already existing space. This artwork challenges the viewer’s perceptions of structures which are often given too little attention and are therefore taken for granted.

The artist usually only works with one or two assistants, however, this time he included a team of six student assistants. Jedsada initially produced sketches for the pieces and his students then set up the physical work as a group on-site. The experience involved a great degree of compro-mise, negotiation and brainstorming, but he saw it as a positive experience.
The opening of the exhibition took place on Friday, 8th of June. Jedsada muses that the initial reaction of the viewers was that of bewilderment: “Where is the work?” many would ask. Some people passed through the exhibition without even noticing the work, which only revealed itself after closer examination of the gallery features. Those who noticed, in a sense discovered the work when confronted with it quite suddenly. “I enjoyed that part of the exhibition the most,” Jedsada reminisces, “that moment of surprise when the viewer actually becomes aware of the pieces”.

When asked about his hopes for the Thai art scene, Jedsada responds, “I think Thai art should embrace contemporary methods step by step. I specifically aim at formulating clearer questions about what art really is, what makes a work of art. In other words, what constitutes a work of art and by what do we measure its quality?” In regard to art education in Thailand, the artist argues that “Art students should be given the whole spectrum of choice, to incite discussion and negotiation with the art lecturers, so that the students can then decide for their own, which medium best suits them.”

Interview by Melanie-Lou Gritzka-del Villar. Melanie is half-German, half-Filipino and is herself an artist. She moved to Bangkok in 2006 and is working toward an exhibition here for October 2007.
Article by Andreas Klempin. Andreas is half-German, half-Thai and a student of philosophy. He moved back to Bangkok from London in 2006 and has been eagerly exploring the local art scene ever since.

Art Talk
In conversation with contemporary artist & curator Khairuddin Hori

Trading Craft (performance by Thomas J. Berghuis). 2007

This young Singaporean is an artist, curator, theatre director, organiser; you might even call him an art activist. His artworks include paintings, installations and performance art but he also teaches, writes, and is currently exploring concerns shared by contemporary South East Asian artists. Khai’s unassuming demeanour in person belies the dynamism and fortitude that his work reveals. Dressed in a T-shirt of his own design, he joins us on a pleasant evening for a discussion about his work, art and its practise and on-going debates.

Wearing multiple hats seems to sit comfortably with Khai. He tells us that like all artists he does not like to be defined. “One title, one genre or one box is too limiting”, he says. This multifarious interest in art evolved at a young age. During his studies at Singapore’s reputed art college, NAFA, Khai started out studying painting but eventually came out with a diploma in sculpture. He also took lessons in theatre concurrently. Later Khai became one of the first three students without a degree to be accepted into the MA program at LASALLE (Singapore) based on his portfolio. Until 2000, Khai was heavily involved in theatre for almost a decade. However, he detested the politics in the field and eventually returned to visual arts.

Khai’s theatre works were also dominantly visual, with few or no narrative threads. One of his most intriguing works is Die Faustus Die! - a rock operetta cum movement exploration of Christopher Marlowe’s version of the famous legend, which was literally performed on the façade of Substation at Singapore. The audience was seated across at the Kopitiam and along the stretch of the road, obstructing traffic. As the rock band played in the balcony, the ‘devil’ sang the script and the actor hung upside down along the length of façade.

After leaving theatre, Khai now devotes most of his time in visual arts and performance. His work is challenging, elusive and is involved in social, cultural commentary. Khai calls his work contemporary, hearing which I remark that the word is notoriously obscure and contentious. The artist begins to explain that there are different perspectives of looking at the word ‘contemporary’. It could simply be defined in relation to time, or it could be defined with respect to practise; the more avant-garde or forward-looking works of art. The later definition is of course disputable; how does one decide how avant-garde a work is? Or how modern it is? Khai himself believes that contemporary art is art that is in tandem with discourses about art today. These could be regional, international, or local discourses. Contemporary art is essentially involved in a debate where other artists are also simultaneously exploring perspectives, thus it is engaging and relevant.

His latest work, Trading Craft, shown at the Substation Gallery is a similar creation dealing with the concerns of art curation, and the conditions of art production. But the debate is specific to South East Asia. “I want an Asian discussion”, Khai says. As such, he informs, curation is a western concept. In Asia, many senior artists do the selection of artists, and help international festival curators curate Asian art. This way they assume curatorial roles themselves. The domain of contemporary art curation is even more novel, even in European countries. In the act of curation, there is a certain manipulation of contexts, artworks and this results in particular interpretations. In this work, Khai curates performance pieces by a group of curators, thus turning the tables and reversing the equation. The politics of curation thus became the over-arching concern of Trading Craft.

Khai’s work is not limited to art discourses but often engages with larger social issues. In Emancikazee, which he performed in Asiatopia 6 held in Bangkok and Chiang Mai in Thailand, he invited the viewers to whip him a total of 100 times. For each whip, the volunteer from the audience was given a 20 Thai Baht bill and an ornament. Khai held a sickle between his teeth and bore the whips as a tribute to the farmers, and villagers who were victimized by the violence that erupted in South Thailand (2004), and the ‘Muslim extremists’ who were condemned for the violence and killed in hundreds by stacking them in trucks.
Khai has also worked to facilitate debates about such issues and discussions about art among artists and curators in South East Asia. Wunderspaze is one such collaborative initiative by him. He is also an assistant director of Future of Imagination, an International Performance art event. Apart from these he curates shows in the region to present emerging contemporary artists across South East Asia.

With his wealth of experience and familiarity with the art scene, Khai shares with us some of the problems faced by artists in Singapore. One of the biggest hurdles is space, for all artists to exhibit and for sculptors and installation artists to work. Money and publicity also rank high on the list. Only three of his batch of over thirty graduates from NAFA actually stayed on in fine arts. Even design graduates seldom continue working in the field. Khai tells us that little or no support is available for artists during the process of producing art, and only end - products are valued.

In the emerging discussions about art, we need to find a place for these and other issues that plague artists, and the shortcomings of processes by which art is produced and received. The efforts of one artist may not ameliorate the situation but Khai’s works raise questions that cannot be ignored.

Trading Craft is open for viewing in Thailand at The Art Centre, Chulalongkorn University, Patumwan in Bangkok. The show will be on from 29 June to 21 July.

Written by Usha M. Nathan