Five months later than originally slated and more than Bt700 million over budget, the show that promised to combine cinema and circus on the live stage is finally up and running at the new stylish theatre D’Luck in Pattaya.

Costing a hefty Bt1.2 billion, the 90-minute show called “Kaan” is being performed nightly except Monday and takes the audience into a fantasy world where the hero, also called Kaan, encounters characters from Thai legends. But what really makes “Kaan” stand out is its special effects that are so life-like that viewers feel like they are part of a film, close to the furious sea giantess Nang Phanthurat or the black dragon horse Maa Nil Mungkorn from Thai literary work “Phra Aphai Manee” and watching the crocodile king Chalawan transform into a giant alligator fighting with Kraithong, who no longer has a modified raft made from a bamboo but a steel contraption complete with turbo engine.    Panjaluck Pasuk, a company formed through a crowd-sourced funding campaign in October 2014, has partnered for the adventure with entertainment company Scenario, Baan Rig, which handles safety rigging for stunts and special effects in films, Xtreme Plus, a provider of interactive-multimedia and projection-mapping, and creative house Sanookdee Thaweesuk, which is the business unit of the former GTH film studio. Run by filmmakers Yongyooth Thongkongtoon and Paween Purijitpanya, Sanookdee Thaweesuk’s past projects have included the “Spooktacular Halloween” events in Sentosa Island, Singapore.

The Singha D’Luck Cinematic Theatre is a new concept in performance space with a show area of 1,000 square metres equipped with Asia’s latest projection system that supports 1,500 square metres. The theatre also boasts state-of-the-art technology, such as a sling system, audiovisual system and world-class control panels. It can easily set 1,400 spectators per show.

The theatre attracts the visitors from the word go with the outdoor area boasting an illusion concept makes the theatre appear to be levitated in the air.

Yongyooth and Paween have put together a story that’s told through the eyes of Kaan, a boy who is plunged into different mythical worlds with his sidekick Gabilpuksa. As he struggles to find his way home, he experiences adventures from six well-known Thai stories.

“Kaan is like most young Thais. He is bored with Thai literature but is forced to react when he is time-warped into the stories,” says director Paween.

His mission, adds the director, is similar to any classic game, Kaan has to accomplish every task in each story if he is to get back to the real world.

Paween chooses each story based on its entertainment value then transports the old tale and its characters into a more contemporary setting with a little help from the movies. Thus “Phra Aphai Manee” becomes a form of “Pirates of the Caribbean,” the mythical Himmapan forests and creatures like the world of “Jurassic Park,” and the war in Ramayana similar to the robotic conflict in “Transformers”.

“We don’t bring the exact original story to the stage. We just extract the character and then adapt the tale to make it entertaining,” he explains.

“It’s something like a greatest hit album. Each song has a highlighted part of its own,” Paween says.

Kaan’s first mission is in the world of “Phra Aphai Manee” where he meets Sud Sakorn who is flying in the sky with Maa Nil Mungkorn before tumbling down into the ship of Phra Aphai Manee. The ocean is whipped into a fury as giantess Nang Phanturat chases after Phra Aphai’s ship. The visual effects and production technique work efficiently in mapping the scene on the giant screen and audience members really feel that they are floating in the stormy seas.

Kaan then goes to the world of Himmavanta where he encounters mythical friendly beasts and the half woman-half bird Kinnaree. The youngsters finds himself in a “Jurassic Park” setting and quickly moves into the middle of the battle between the God of Thunder Ramasoon and the Goddess of Lighting Mekhala. As the two fly across the sky, she uses a flash from a crystal ball to blind Ramasoon as he throws his axe. That flash is spectacularly produced through the use of Tesla coil lighting. The axe misses its mark and rattles harmlessly across the heavens as Mekhala makes her escape.

Kaan then enjoys a temporary respite from fighting and finds himself part of the proposal ceremony involving six foreign princes who have come to compete for the hand in marriage of the pretty princess from the story “Sangthong”.

But his adventures soon continue when he dives into the underwater kingdom of the crocodile king Chalawan and helps Kraithong to beat the massive beast. For his final mission he moves to the realm of the “Ramayana” though in a “Transformers” version where Thotsakan transforms himself into a gigantic steel-animatronic with countless weapons.

The deft hands of the filmmakers are evident in bringing film to a thrilling live show. The mapping technique is awesome and the audience can clearly see the giant crocodile’s head coming out from the screen while his body continues to move inside it. It’s a show that combines the talents of the actors with special effect, synching them with a terrific music score and scenes showing on the gigantic screen behind.

“Being a filmmaker is to control everything, pick the best scenes, edit them then combine them as a finished work on screen. This live show is however uncontrollable, it’s fresh and live and as the performers are human beings, mistakes get made. My job is ensuring the direction is there for them to cling to when needed and carry the show through to its end.”

Though the show is intending to draw tourists, the director admits that those who know the stories – and that means mainly Thais – will find it more entertaining, as they’ll be fascinated to see what the characters they have grown up with have become.

All the characters are designed by well-known cartoonist Ekasith Thairath who collaborated with Paween on such movies as “Body Sop 19”. The music is put together by Chatchai Pongprapapan.

“It is much more difficult than composing a music score, but it’s challenging and fun,” says Chatchai who has spent two years working on this project. Music in this show is pivotal to driving the show forward as it’s non-verbal. “It is full of details. In film, we don’t need a music score all the time but for this show the melody works like the storyline. For me, the 90-minute ‘Kaan’ is like a three-hour movie and at the same time, the audience is probably not aware of it, so taken up are they by the action on stage.

Paween says that they are still working on improving the show even though it has already opened to the public.

“It’s actually very stressful. It’s a burden. Making a film with a Bt30 million budget was stressful enough but it can’t compare to working on a Bt1.2-billion million project that will use my visions as a director to please the audience and get it right. I never thought about pulling out, though. Despite the stress, I enjoy working everyday,” he says.

He’s also pleased that “Kaan” is opening opportunities for young talent.

“Some of the acrobats and, B-boy dancers can now pursue a serious career and not just show off their skills for fun,” he says.

CINEMATIC LITERATURE

– Kaan is now daily except Monday at 8.30 with additional 5pm performances on Friday through Sunday.

– Tickets cost Bt2,500, Bt3,000 and Bt4,000. Special promotions are available. For more information, visit http://www.KaanShow.com or Facebook.com/KAAN Show/ or call (02) 029 0092.

After a long absence from the local art scene, Narissara Pianwimungsa makes a welcome return with a solo show, “A New Interpretation of the Paradoxical World”, at Nova Contemporary Art gallery off Rajadamri Road.

Narissara is known for her figurative paintings of a mysterious lady with large eyes full of wonder, which appeared in Yuthlert Sippapak’s 2003 drama “February”.

While away from the exhibition world, Narissara has been expanding her artistic skills to include other forms ranging from poetry, a book compiling her often unsettling thoughts and working with street artist friends. A turning point in her career, this is her first solo exhibition in six years.

Embroidering on calico cloth and adding acrylic colours, Narissara Pianwimungsa renders subconscious images of widelife, on shown in detail here. The Nation/Korbphuk Phromrekha

At first glance, the new and feminine collection is reminiscent of her signature paintings of figurative animals like wolves, deer, peacocks, insects and butterflies, all boasting big eyes. However, a closer look reveals that needles, not brushstrokes, have shaped these richly textured animals. The artist has embroidered them using tiny stitches in black, white and red thread, finishing their eyes with black acrylic paint. Cute rabbits made of raisins sit in an installation on the ground, their feet decorated with red thread.

Like her signature painting of the mysterious lady, Narissara’s animals have big eyes and a lonely, sad look about them and reflect, she explains, her feelings following the loss of her beloved father three years ago.

The 43-year-old artist says she began exploring the technique of embroidery on painted calico – the fabric Thai-Chinese use for the mourning costumes at funerals – after her father died.

“I discovered this technique while making the clothes for my father’s funeral. According to Chinese tradition, the daughter is in charge of sewing up the pockets of the clothes when a parent passes away. She dresses him in funeral clothing and seals the pockets to prevent the deceased from taking cash into the next life that should be left beind for the children. The body is then given a second set of clothing, this time made of calico.

“The belief, shared with other cultures, is that no one can take material possessions with them when they die. Besides showing my gratitude to my dad, I also found that the process of making these clothes was a therapy in itself,” the artist reveals.

Instead of using canvases for her artworks, Narissara quilts small pieces of calico into a huge frame, then sketches the outline of the work and carefully embroiders the animals. This technique creates textures that look like animal fur and, interestingly, the stitches make her animals lively. They are finished with little touches of acrylic paint. This collection took her nearly a year to complete.

The centrepiece “Dream” portrays a lifesized deer, which took months of sewing on quilted calico. The Nation/Korbphuk Phromrekha

The physical sewing draws on her subconscious and her animals reflect the spectrum of her inner feelings. The centrepiece entitled “Dream” is a giant deer measuring 3.20 metres by 2.15 metres. White acrylic paint covers the antlers, stomach and tail. A peacock spreading its tail is given the name “Ceremony”, while “Myth” is represented in an owl. An insect fashioned in red thread is named “Red Silence”. And the work depicting the wolf with sly eyes is called “Shadow”.

A video that explains her process in creating the art and the concept of the show can be viewed at the gallery’s mezzanine.

“My observations from films, music, poetry and news brought home the unyielding perplexity, desolation and unhappiness that underpins human thoughts and emanates through holes in men’s hearts. This is particularly true of urban dwellers. I suppose it’s because of the unceasing flow of information from all directions, which makes it impossible to separate truths from lies,” she explains in her video.

Narissara is seen with “Double”, depicting a wolf couple in red and black. The Nation/Korbphuk Phromrekha

“Perhaps these are the conventional feelings of the 21st century. I once asked my dad whether he felt lonely or restless during difficult times and he said not that he could remember. I think the older generation was much more secure in the way they thought. The new generation is filled with anxiety, displeasure and unkempt thoughts, like a tangled thread. “In a traditional Chinese funeral there’s a belief that all the pockets of the deceased must be sewn up. As the daughter, I sewed every single pocket myself and that was the most painful embroidery I had ever done, because I didn’t have the chance to talk to him before he passed away. Therefore, his last thoughts and wishes remained untold, resembling the sealed pockets. That forever changed the way I see embroidery,” she reveals.

The video also includes a quote by South African author and activity Olive Schreiner, which asked: “Has the pen or pencil dipped so deep in the blood of human race as a needle?”

“Although this exhibition is fabricated from my experience, I do not only convey the pain from my loss, but also the hope and healing that embroidery brings. I am trying to express modern feelings in a different perspective; so I draw them through needles and stitches in my contemporary embroidery without outline patterns.

“I express my work through animal form as I don’t want to represent any specific individual. Humans and animals have a long history and they are embedded in our subconscious. I believe everyone has dreamed of animals whether as pets or monstrous beings associated with people.

A fantastical peacock, offers its full meaning in “Ceremony”. The Nation/Korbphuk Phromrekha

“Each piece is unique and will be interpreted differently by the viewer depending on his or her past experiences. I believe that a work of art starts from an individual but I do hope everyone will share experiences from my work,” she adds.

The show, which marks the gallery’s first anniversary, aims to promote and support Thai female artists. Nova is also now representing Narissara.

“This year I want to focus on female artists. Narissara has not been active for a long time. I feel that she has the potential to come back stronger than before. She is a very shy person and I want to help her express her words and emotions to the viewer. I discovered her works [‘Paradoxical World’] at Silpakorn University when she received the Silpa Bhirasri award in 2016. I feel like her work is very personal and the embroidery technique is something that attracted me,” says Nova founder and director Sutima Sucharitakul.

The works are selling well too. Half the works in Narissara’s collection – priced between Bt45,000 for a small piece (30 cm by 40 cm) and Bt550,000 for the largest – have been purchased by Thai collectors, many of them young.

Sutima, 28, is optimistic about the contemporary art market in Thailand.

“A growing number of people are visiting the gallery daily, both art enthusiasts and potential buyers. There are more galleries who are bringing interesting international artists to Bangkok, which is a refreshing change to the scene. And more public and private museums will be opening soon. It is very important to educate and attract young people to the arts at an early stage in their life,” she tells The Nation.

Sewn into the subconcious

– “A New Interpretation of the Paradoxical World” runs through May 31 at Nova Contemporary Art gallery off Rajdamri Road, a short walk from BTS Rajdamri station.

– Find out more at http://www.NovaContemporary.com.

If Buddhada Bhikkhu, Thailand’s most respected monk, were still alive, he would be happy to see that his engaged Buddhism is flourishing throughout Thailand and beyond.

“Buddhism is a universal religion, It can be put into practice by everyone, of every age and era,” the venerable monk wrote in his popular book “Handbook for Mankind”.

Had he lived beyond 1993, Buddhadasa Bhikkhu would be turning 111 this Saturday, May 27, a date his followers will commemorate with a weeklong series of international seminars, mediation and arts both in Bangkok and at his spiritual temple-home down south at Surat Thani’s Suan Mokh.

Veteran painter Sompop Budtarad’s portrait of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu is now on display at Suan Mokh Bangkok near Chatuchak Weekend Market off Vibhavadi Road. Courtesy of Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives

Walking into the Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives (BIA) at Suan Mokh Bangkok, Buddhist practitioners are greeted by the |striking portrait of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu in impressionist style created by veteran painter Sompop Budtarad. The remarkable image is rendered with paint made from soil. Entitled “Buddhadasa: Monk who lives on the Earth”, the massive 2 x 2.5-metre portrait has been created mainly out of soil – sand, clay and farm-grade dirt – mixed with water collected from 11 places (mostly temples) in and around the Kingdom, notably from the place where the monk was born, where he was ordained and practised and where he died.

The 60-year-old painter, whose works explore Buddhism and Thai culture, has been studying Buddhadasa’s teachings since he attended Silpakorn University four decades ago. After graduating, he lived and worked for a time in London. He and National Artists Chalermchai Kositpipat and Panya Vijinthanasarn created the elaborate mural at the Buddhapadipa temple there in the mid-1980s.

Sompop became known for his soil-based portraits in his solo show “Born from the Earth” held last year at the National Gallery. Among the Thai icons showcased were the late King Bhumibol, venerable monks Prayudh Payutto and Phra Paisal Visalo and social activist Sulak Sivaraksa.

Yet despite studying Buddhadasa’s works for almost all his adult life, this is the first time he has painted the late monk.

“I read more of his writings when we were doing the mural at Wat Buddhapadipa in London. However, I had never painted his |portrait. Now that we are marking the 111th anniversary of his birth, I seized the |opportunity to pay homage to the late master,” Sompop says.

Sompop holds the monk’s photo in one hand and his brush in the other. Courtesy of Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives

The new portrait is infused with Buddhist teachings that are “hidden” within the texture of the face. In place of beauty you see the wrinkles of the master delineated in the monotone of the soil. Just as for the previous show, the artist asked BIA’s members to collect soil and water from various places related to the monk’s life to mix with his acrylics. The soil has come from holy temples including Suan Mokh where he practised and spread his teaching, and the water from Sok Cape and Angthong Island in Surat Thani, where his ashes were scattered.

The pigments are a mix of sand, clay, glue made from sticky rice and a latex adhesive. After mixing his paint, Sompop projected the monk’s portrait onto the canvas to draft the outline. He then painted in quick strokes, using a palette knife and twigs to build texture.

“Painting with clay requires intense concentration and quick strokes in an impressionist style. While I was painting, I automatically entered into a peaceful state of mind – like meditation,” says the artist, adding that he would spend the whole day painting the huge portrait.

Buddhadasa Bhikkhu was named Unesco’s great personality in 2006. Courtesy of Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives

And this week, the portrait will greet dozens of Buddhist scholars from around the globe who are coming to Thailand to share their research on “Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Society” at Suan Mokh in Bangkok and in Surat Thani’s Chaiya district. The main aim is to promote the study, research and development of Buddhist knowledge that can be applied to sustainably solve the current problems of societies, and to keep alive the legacy of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu.

Buddhadasa (1906-1993) gained international renown for his innovative reinterpretations of Buddhist doctrine and Thai folk beliefs, fostering a reformation in conventional religious perceptions in Thailand as well as abroad. In 2006 Unesco named him one the World’s Great Personalities. Followed the late master’s teaching, nowadays Suan Mokh Bangkok has become a centre of education for both Thai and foreign Buddhist scholars and practitioners.

The seminar is being co-hosted by the BIA, Mahachulalongkornrajavidyalaya University (MCU) and Rajabhat Surat Thani University. The Bangkok session will be conducted in English at Suan Mokh Bangkok on Wednesday and Thursday.

“We are holding an international conference on the main topic of “Dharma and Society” with four subtopics. The first one is “Mind and Spirituality”. The second one is “Economics and Sustainable Development”. This is a very serious problem for every corner of our Earth. The third one is also very serious as it examines the political path we should follow. So, the third subtopic is “Social and Politics”. The last is the “Works of Buddhadasa and Legacy of Buddhadasa”.

“We have invited colleagues and friends everywhere, not only the students, researchers and monks, to take part, as well as world leaders to give the address, says Bunchar Pongpanich, director and secretary of the Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives Foundation.

The opening remarks at the Bangkok session, which has the official title “8th International Buddhist Research Seminar”, will be given by the Venerable Dr Phra Suthiratnabanpundit, director of the Buddhist Research Institute, and the opening address by the Most Ven Dr Phra Brahmapundit, rector of MCU.

Keynote speakers on “Economics and Sustainable Development” are Phra Shakyavongsvisuddhi, the World Buddhist University’s acting rector, and Phra Paisal Visalo abbot of Wat Pa Sukato in Chaiyaphum.

A talk on“Mind & Spirituality” will be given by Ajahn Santikaro, a dharma teacher and author at Liberation Park in the US and Dr Roderick Bucknell, associate professor in Studies in Religion at the University of Queensland.

On Thursday, American author Christopher Titmuss and Dr Tomomi Ito, associate professor of intercultural studies at Japan’s Kobe University will talk about “Social & Political Perspectives”, while “Works & Legacy of Buddhadasa Bhikkhu” will be presented by Dr Chenhuang Cheng, director of the Mahayana Buddhist Institute of Chingchueh Sangha University, and Dr Louis Gabaude of the French Institute of Asian Studies.

Saturday, his birthday, will be marked by daylong dharma practise at Suan Mokh, where the grounds will resonate with his voice and teachings. Courtesy of Buddhadasa Indapanno Archives

Following the two-day seminar in Bangkok, the organisers will head to Suan Mokh in Chaiya, where events will be held on Friday and Saturday.

At the 2nd International Conference on Buddhadasa Studies a roundtable discussion, “Dhamma and Society”, led by Ajahn Santikaro Upasaka, Ven Zizhuo Shi, the director of the Luminary Research Institute, Dr Martin Seeger of the University of Leeds, UK and Dr Bucknell will be the focus on Friday morning.

The afternoon will feature “Flashback Buddhadasa Bhikkhu”, a journey back in time from the late monk’s birthplace in Phumriang, Chaiya district to his practise at Wat Photharam, Wat Ubon, Wat Trapangjik (the old Dharma Hermitage) and Wat Phra Borommathat Chaiya Ratchaworawihan.

The event will wrap with live music from Tanes Warakulnukorh and his band and a “Dhamma sharing with Buddhadasa Bhikkhu” session.

Saturday, his birthday, will be marked by day-long dharma practise at Suan Mokh, where the grounds will resonate with his voice and teachings.

Buddhadasa, the name he chose, means “slave or servant to the Buddha”, and throughout his life, the revered monk was known to be just that. Few have worked as hard to fulfil the Buddha’s legacy as this devoted servant.

 WORDS OF HOMAGE

– The seminars on “Buddhadasa Bhikkhu and Society” will be held in Suan Mokh’s Bangkok branch on May 24 and 25 and in Chaiya on May 26 and 27. Admission is free.

– Dharma practise will be held at Suan Mokh Chaiya from May 28-30 and at Dipabhavan |meditation centre on Koh Samui from May 31-June 2.

– For more information visit http://www.Bia.or.th.

Any Thais who happened to lose a shoe or two while visiting South Korea might be able to find them again in a 17-metre-tall art installation unveiled outside Seoul Station on Saturday.

“Shoes Tree” is made of more than 30,000 well-worn shoes and, since its unveiling coincided with the opening of Seoullo 7017 – the city’s first roadway- turned-pedestrian park – it’s probably intended to get people walking.

Modelled after New York’s much-admired High Line park, a re-purposed railway, Seoul’s strolling park stretches for about a kilometre and links to surrounding areas, including Seoul Station and Namdaemun Market.

“Shoes Tree” at the centre of Seoullo 7017 was designed and installed by environmental artist Hwang Ji-hae. Flower seeds have been planted inside each shoe.

Environmental artist Hwang Jihae’s “Shoes Tree” is a towering art installation made of used footwear. Photo/The Korea Herald

“We invited Hwang to install it here to demonstrate the meaning of ‘urban restoration’,” says Choi Kwang-bin of the city’s gardening department. (Yes, Seoul has a gardening department.) “Both ‘Shoes Tree’ and Seoullo 7017 are given new life with new meaning, reborn as creative upcycled art and a unique park, respectively.”

Hwang made his tree out of shoes to pay tribute to historic Yeomcheon-gyo, a street long famous for its purveyors of handmade shoes, which is right behind Seoullo 7017.

Seoullo 7017, begun four years ago, makes use of the disused overpass of a highway that once connected western and central Seoul. Citizens wanted the overpass removed after it was classified as dangerous in 2006.

The “70” in the new parkway’s name refers to 1970, when the Seoul Station flyover was constructed, while the “17” alludes to the number of walkways connected to it, as well as this year.

“Shoes Tree” will be in place through May 29. Residents were able to hang their own shoes and drawings of flowers on the installation when it was unveiled on Saturday.

Other events involving citizen participation will continue at Seoullo 7017 until June 18.

She’s got us in suspense

Anchalee Arayapongpanich has been watching too many scary movies. “Thriller & Horror”, an exhibition of her fantasy paintings at the Ardel Gallery of Modern Art through June 25, features self-portraits of the artist in the guise of famous actors from her favourite Hollywood blockbusters.

The gallery is on Boromrachachonnanee Road in Thonburi. Find out more at ArdelGallery.com.

Beauty in unexpected places

Canadian photographer Tim Pelling’s Bangkok waterscapes will be on view in the exhibition “Liquid Bangkok” at the Soy Sauce Factory in the Charoen Krung area from June 3 to 24. Pelling captures the unexpected beauty of neglected and degraded klongs around the city. In slow exposures, he highlights the water’s movement in semi-abstract scenes framed by clotheslines, old homes and lonely trees. Learn more on the “SoySauceFactory” Facebook page.

A right Blastard

The exhibition “A Creature Apart” at Yenakart Villa through June 24 has installations, sculptures, paintings, photographs and a video by Filipino -Thai artist Rook Floro. Front and centre is a character named “Blastard”, the artist’s “most recent alter ego”, who struggles to contain his lust and strike a balance between fantasy and reality.

Check out the “yenakartvilla” page on Facebook.

It’s a long story

Frenchman Gilles Rieu makes “One Stop in Bangkok” tonight with a show of paintings that’s toured the world. It’s presented at the Alliance Francise as part of a French cultural series. Rieu paints on 10-metre-long rolls of paper, recalling beat writer Jack Kerouac’s seamless manuscript for “On the Road”, incorporating imagery, graphics, languages and “pictorial gestures”. The exhibition continues through June 11. On Facebook, look for “AllianceFancaiseBangkok”.

For the very first time in Asia, visitors will get a chance to meet Paul, the most advanced sketching robot in the world. Curated by YenakArt Villa, Paul will show off his amazing artistic skills by drawing people’s portraits in three distinctive styles.

Among the participating galleries at the Hotel Art Fair Bangkok 2017, organised by Farmgroup, are Artist+Run, Atta Gallery and Paw Dee Lifestyle, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Bangkok Citycity Gallery, C.A.P Studio + Jojo Kobe, Chardchakaj Portrait Studio & Antique Photo, Claustrophobic, Doo ood Group, Gallery Seescape, H Gallery Bangkok, Jack Poohvis & NEV3R, Lik Sriprasert, and Lyla Gallery. Celebrated art collectors Dr Apinan Poshyananda and Chomwan Weeraworawit will also showcase their private collections.

Vorathit Kruavanichkit, executive of Farmgroup, explains that the objective of Hotel Art Fair Bangkok is to give the public easy access to art and offer Thai artists and Thai galleries a platform to make themselves known to the larger audience. The fair also aims to generate more income for artists, designers and galleries, as the firm believes that the unique talents of Thai artists are second to none.

“The fair is different every year thanks to a new venue and never-seen-before artworks.  Each gallery has its own unique style and always curates new art to showcase, so every year audiences can expect something refreshing and unique,” Vorathit says.

“The fair serves as a loud voice in helping Thai artists move to a wider circuit. Thailand has many excellent artworks and many talented Thai artists who deserve to be internationally recognised. This year I’m bringing abstract paintings by several renowned Thai painters to showcase at this fair, including works by Thawijit Puengkasemsomboon, Somyot Hananuntasuk and Udom Udomsrianan. The selection will also include works by the up-and-coming generation of artists such as Paphonsak La-or from Chiang Mai,” adds Chiang Rai-based artist Angkrit Ajchariyasophon from Artist+Run.

The opening reception is on June 23. Find out more at (02) 119 7278 or visit Facebook page “Hotel Art Fair”.

The 1982 “Untitled” of a skull-like head in oil-stick, acrylic and spray paint on a giant canvas was the star lot of the auction season this May, which wraps Friday with more than $1 billion in sales.

Sotheby’s said it was snapped up by the same Japanese entrepreneur, 41-year-old Yusaku Maezawa, who set the previous Jean-Michel Basquiat auction record last year, dropping $57.3 million on a self-portrait.

The $110.5 million price tag was a record for any US artist at auction and the highest at auction for a post-1980 artwork, Sotheby’s said.

“I am happy to announce that I just won this masterpiece,” Maezawa wrote on Instagram alongside a picture of himself with the picture.

“When I first encountered this painting, I was struck with so much excitement and gratitude for my love of art. I want to share that experience with as many people as possible.”

Cheers and applause greeted the sale, which almost doubled the previous Basquiat auction record of $57 million. During bidding, the auctioneer offered occasional moments of levity and encouragement.

“It’s a great masterpiece at $98 million dollars,” he said to laughter in the room. The $110.5 million price tag includes the buyer’s premium.

Basquiat, born in Brooklyn to Haitian and Puerto Rican parents died in 1988 of an overdose aged just 27 after a fleeting eight-year career.

“Untitled” provoked a tense 10-minute bidding war in the room and on the telephone, before ultimately going to Maezawa via telephone.

The canvas had been virtually unseen in public since being bought in 1984 for $19,000. It was valued pre-sale in excess of $60 million.

– ‘Pantheon of greats’ –

========================

Sotheby’s announced that the painting will be housed eventually in a museum based in Maezawa’s hometown of Chiba, Japan.

The house parted with a total of $319 million worth of post-war and contemporary art at Thursday’s evening auction, one day after rival Christie’s sold $448 million at its own version of the same sale.

The subject of much of Basquiat’s work — ordeals endured by blacks in America — is finding renewed resonance in the wake of nationwide US protests since 2014 about the shootings of unarmed black men by police.

Christie’s sold Basquiat’s “La Hara” — an acrylic and oil-stick of an angry-looking New York police officer — for $35 million on Wednesday.

“Breaking $100 million for a work which is that recent is definitely extraordinary. I think it just speaks about the talent of this guy,” said Gregoire Billault, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art.

“I’ve never seen so much emotions in such a painting,” he said. “He’s bringing something never seen before.”

“Now he goes into the pantheon of great, great artists,” said Oliver Barker, chairman of Sotheby’s Europe. “It’s as simple as that.”

Christie’s announced Thursday that its impressionist, modern, post-war and contemporary sales this week totalled $842.5 million, which it said was up $220 million over its sales last season in November.

Sotheby’s concludes its week of sales on Friday.

Sotheby’s also sold Roy Lichtenstein’s “Nude Sunbathing” for $24 million Thursday and broke records for Keith Haring, Blinky Palermo, Mira Schendel, Wolfgang Tillmans, Jonas Wood and Takeo Yamaguchi.

This season saw a majority of art either coming fresh to market or being offered at auction for the first time in 20 years or more.

Pablo Picasso holds the world record for the most expensive piece of art ever sold at auction. His “The Women of Algiers (Version 0)” fetched $179.4 million at Christie’s in New York in 2015.

It was a powerful statement for our digital age: More than 300 people from 23 countries, all involved in children’s books, gathering in Bangkok to discuss what the future holds for their craft and for print in general.

The third Asia Oceania Regional Congress of the International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) was held from May 9 to 12 at Central World’s Thailand Knowledge Park.

IBBY has more than 70 national associations around the globe. ThaiBBY was the host for this conference.

IBBY president Wally de Doncker said the board works not only to promote reading and try to give kids everywhere the same chances to enjoy reading, it also fosters mutual understanding among the world’s peoples.

And, he said, in an age when the line between truth and lies is increasingly blurred, being well read and able to think critically has become all the more important.

The theme for this session was “Read = Life: Reading in the Digital Age”. Writers, illustrators, publishers, storytellers, teachers and other specialists in the subject of children came from as far away as Uganda, Canada and New Zealand.

TK Park acting director general Rames Promyen noted that the digital age has significantly changed people’s ways of life, and meanwhile children’s stories have moved to digital platforms. Questions arise. How important does reading remain for people today? Should children’s books be any different in the digital era? How can parents and other adults continue encouraging children to learn through reading?

“We had talks and workshops running in parallel in four different rooms, on many interesting topics related to the changing world of children’s reading,” Rames said. “We looked at cultural diversity in children’s books and many other aspects.

“As digital lifestyles take over, learning to adapt to the new media is a challenge. Efforts to find a balance between digital and printed material will continue – we have to learn how to use every format to enhance the value of reading among children.”

Takaaki Kuroda, chief editor and general manager at Japanese publisher Gakken Plus, gave a talk about “fusing” books and technology.

Sharing the latest innovations seen in Japan, he said it was found that digitised textbooks are no match for printed ones. So the idea was to mix the two, beginning with a “Music Study Project” series with synthesised Vocaloid “characters” singing songs about history, physics, mathematics and chemistry.

Vocaloid software, which renders the human voice more robotic-sounding, has proved highly popular among Japanese youth and produces star performers.

“Digitising printed books as e-books isn’t always good for children, so we’re trying to use the best points of both technology and paper, fusing them and making them attractive and easy to use,” Kuroda said.

“Our goal is to make learning more enjoyable and increase the number of children who can actively learn on their own.”

TK Park executive adviser Dr Tatsanai Wongpisethkul and children’s book editor Rapeepan Pattanawech talked about “Diversity through Picture Books”.

The “Local Knowledge Book Series” available at TK Park, with titles from every region of Thailand, provides an example of how local content can be created even in remote areas. The project started in southern Yala province 10 years ago, amid tremendous local support, when a branch of TK Park opened there.

“The key thing is to maintain the local point of view while sharing ideas, stories and information about culture, religion, race, language and tradition, and then connecting them to the outside world,” Tatsanai explained. The picture-book series is available at 34 TK Park-allied libraries in 34 provinces.

Thomas Merrington, who handles the Peter Rabbit brand for UK-based publisher Penguin Random House Children’s, described how he goes about building the popularity of the most beloved of Beatrix Potter’s animal characters.

Beyond Peter Rabbit’s perennial appeal in the classic storybooks, he said, bringing the character to more young parents and their children involves licensing, retail product, animated appearances and – the latest development – a full-length film scheduled for release next year.

Among the workshops at the conference, the Mokomoko Group, the Japanese pioneer in “paper theatre” picture books fashioned from cloth (an art form known as kamishibai), had a member of the International Kamishibai Association of Japan showing folks how it’s done.

Susana Maria Notti from Argentina led a workshop titled “Techniques for Promoting Children’s Literacy”, and the Tokyo Children’s Library had one on “Storytelling in the Digital Age”.

To celebrate the success of the congress, several tour-outings were organised for the final day, one of them to the Wat Thatthong kindergarten playground.

Wisdom Playground Foundation president Dissakorn Kunthara came up with the concept, giving youngsters a place to splash in water, climb ropes and watch the world from a tree house. It stimulates thinking and imbues the desire to explore and make sense of the unknown, a concept Dissakorn termed “mind-based learning”.

Vijaylakshmi Nagaraj, an author and storyteller from India, attended the congress with fellow members of the Association of Writers and Illustrators for Children.

“It gave me an opportunity to meet and listen and talk to delegates from various countries,” she said.

“It was interesting to note that many of the issues we face are similar, though the responses are diverse. But we’re all sincere in reaching out to children, encouraging them to read and creating fresh ideas through technology. At the same time, our shared concerns about the adverse effects of technology were also dealt with.”

For a gathering of people who tend to be cautious about electronic communications, there was no hesitation as it ended to cement new friendships by forging links on – what else – the social media. Thousands of Twitter and Facebook messages from now, they’ll be meeting again in person at the next congress, in Beijing in 2019.

 “We are thrilled with the energy and dynamism of the workshop’s participants and guest artists,” said Victor Chen, marketing manager of Monogram Asia. “A much-discussed topic during the workshop was the social role street photography plays in a country’s future and the need for street photographers to document life today for tomorrow’s generations. The picture stories that were told by participants through their pictures during the photo walk were incredible.”

“The event was a huge success and the work doesn’t stop here. We are already planning for the next instalment for 8×8 and our lenses are focused on Jakarta.”

The workshop provided participants an opportunity to gain insight from on-the-street experiences that ended with a critique and review session with the guest artists. A panel of guest speakers, including Eric Kim, Xyza Bacani, Oliver Lang, Bellamy Hunt, Take Kayo, Paul Yan, Brendan Ó Se, Gathot Subroto, Sheldon Serkin, Chatchai Boonyaprapatsara and Rammy Narula, held a series of insightful talks and roundtable discussions.

The workshop embraced documenting a city’s life through various imaging devices, predominantly digital and film cameras and ever-present smartphones. Its primary sponsor, Jaymart, helped bring this concept to life.

Devon Buy from Malaysia said that the speakers not only shared information very freely, but also intimate details about their lives, which helped participants understand why they got into photography and their obsession with their projects. Meanwhile Kitty Chirapongse from Thailand added: “The best part is that you are surrounded by like-minded people so you make friends and connections that help you learn from each other.”

The group will examine environmental pollution due to industrialisation and Kildall will help participants in collecting and mapping data as well as show them how to turn data into sculptures. The goal is to stimulate a conversation around the effects of rapid development and industrialisation.

Participants are expected to attend 20 hours of workshop activity and 40 hours of project development from June 3 – 22. The workshop itself takes place on June 3 and 4 and June 10 and 11, with optional activities arranged from June 6 to- 8. Projects will be developed from June 12 to 22.

American Arts Incubator (AAI) is an exchange programme designed to help local communities address social issues using digital and new media art. AAI is managed by ZERO1 in partnership with Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, the US Embassy Bangkok, and the US Department of State Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA). On June 2, there will be Artist Talk at the Friends of BACC Room on BACC’s sixth floor. The workshops will also be held at the BACC as will the exhibition, which is slated to run from June 22 to 20 in the fifth floor exhibition hall. Admission is free but pre-registration for the workshop is required. Pre-registration is open until May 19 athttp://bit.ly/artsincubator2017

For more information, call (02) 205 4490 or email BangkokPD@state.gov.

Read more about the AAI product at www.AmericanArtsIncubator.org,Facebook.com/AAIThaiand www.Bacc.or.th.