The Revolving World
From Venice to Bangkok
Exhibition period: 19 March – 31 October 2021
Curated by Tawatchai Somkong
Stories, truth and histories are an invented tool dealing with reality. They are all inseparable and indispensable. Story tends to be based on historical events while the truth might be adapted from the stories. Histories are believed to be the truth and approved to be correct.
Siam has been part of the trade route connecting the mainland with the sea. Trading has brought many beliefs and stories affecting the invention of Thai culture. This happens specifically through the process of cultural selection, appropriation and transculturation of the oriental civilization including India, China and Cambodia. Afterwards, in Rattanakosin era, the western civilization was imported along with the colonization during the reign of King Rama IV and King Rama V.
The art exhibition presents the stories, truth and histories related to the Kingdom of Thailand. All of them are reorganized through the cultural and social context, national discourse and dynamics of the relationship of Thailand and other countries.
Krit Ngamsom
His artworks were created based on the binary opposition. His well-designed Cabinet of History featured everything with “Thainess” written in the national history along with the symbolic materials of the western world. It represented cultural diffusion during the past century. In addition, the artist also presented another set of mixed-media sculptures which presented two similar while different perspectives. Nevertheless, they intrigue us to reconsider the matter from two different angles unbelievably.
Krit Ngamsom
Kanthaka the Deva Horse, 2019
Mixed media, 60 × 250 × 60 cm
Krit Ngamsom
Cupids Horse, 2019
Acrylic sheet, steel, LED and resin
70 × 70 × 65 cm
Krit Ngamsom
Cabinet of History, 2019
Mixed media
160 × 50 × 250 cm
Krit Ngamsom
Happy Go Lucky, 2018
Acrylic sheet, steel, LED and resin
30 × 30 × 45 cm (each)
Krit Ngamsom
Revolving Paradiso, 2021
Kinetic sculpture
80 × 80 × 57 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
The artist presented stories passed on in Thai society, “Mae Nak Phra Khanong.” It was the tragedy widely believed to be true and happened during the reign of King Rama III. The story was reinterpreted and presented through the abstract painting which was placed in the light box. The artwork also included another collection of the paintings presented by the same artistic practice. They depicted the historical events as inspired by Kanchanaburi war cemetery. Somsak’s artwork was reinterpreted stories and historical events through artistic perspectives. Different tragedies and group of people were related when considering through the perception of Buddhism and truth of life.
Somsak Chowtadapong
Motherhood, 2019
Oil on canvas and light box
40 × 30 cm (each)
Somsak Chowtadapong
Love Story 1767, 2019
Acrylic on canvas and light box
60 × 80 cm (each)
Somsak Chowtadapong
Love Story 1767, 2019
Acrylic on canvas and light box
100 × 100 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
Mother and Child (Mae-Nak), 2019
Oil on canvas, 30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
Belief, 2019
Oil and acrylic on canvas
30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
Ghost Story, 2019
Oil on canvas, 32 × 60 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
Ghost Story, 2019
Oil on canvas, 32 × 41 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
The Railway, 2019
Oil on canvas, 30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
The Death Railway, 2019
Oil on canvas, 30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
The Cemetery, 2019
Oil on canvas, 30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
Hellfire Pass, 2019
Oil on canvas, 30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
The Sleepers, 2019
Oil on canvas, 30 × 40 cm
Somsak Chowtadapong
Peace, 2019
Acrylic on canvas and light box
30 × 40 cm (each)
Somsak Chowtadapong
The Death Sleepers, 2019
Oil on canvas and light box
30 × 40 cm (each)
Somsak Chowtadapong
Story of Thai Modern Art, 2020
Acrylic on canvas and light box
117 × 117 × 240 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
The duplication of Thai traditional paintings from the mural painting of the 200-year-old scripture hall, was used as the main material for Panya to illustrate the context of western colonization that generated two major factors; military power and art and cultural exchange, both played important role in the development of the contemporary culture. In addition, many sculptures in the gallery also address a variety of beliefs in Buddhism, which corresponds with western philosophy.
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Black Buddha and White Lotus, 2016
Oil on canvas, 230 × 810 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Ever Rest in Heaven, 2016
Acrylic sheet, bronze, steel, marble,
wood, cement and lacquer work
100 × 150 × 180 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Inner Mind, 2016
Acrylic sheet, bronze, steel
and lacquer work
63 × 83 × 203 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Wonderful Chair, 2018
Oil on canvas, 180 × 130 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Shared No. 1, 2019
Mixed media, 30 × 130 × 98 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Shared No. 2, 2019
Mixed media, 105 × 120 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
The Power of Dragon Fox, 2019
Fiberglass, bronze and gold leaf
100 × 140 × 125 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Dragon Fox in Gold/Blue/Pink, 2018–19
Woodcut, 93 × 70 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Dragon Fox in Lucky Red, 2018
Oil on canvas, 153 × 175 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Conversion, 2018–19
Woodcut, 85 × 120 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Awareness, 2021
Bronze, steel and acrylic sheet
35 × 35 × 185 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Freedom Gate to Golden Mountain, 2019
Oil on canvas, 153 × 175 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Democracy Monument, 2019
Mixed media, 117 × 90 × 179 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
A Half Past Six, 2019
Mixed media installation
230 × 460 × 280 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Excellency, 2019
Oil on canvas, 153 × 175 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Fear Frontier, 2019
Fiberglass, gold leaf and video projection
70 × 60 × 235 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Auspicious Time, 2018–19
Woodcut, 132 × 167 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Temple of Paradiso or Animism, 2019
Oil on canvas, 200 × 120 cm
Panya Vijinthanasarn
Paradiso, 2019
Fiberglass and gold leaf
44 × 44 × 146 cm
This world is like a large factory that distributes the tales, truths and history constantly everywhere. As long as the world is still revolving around itself, lives are still continuing in our own patterns. And last but not least, the different in the roots of culture, beliefs, food, languages, and many more things will still be the charm of this world.
