This month, artists Amnaj Wachirasut and Sujin Wattanawongchaitake take centre-stage in the sixth edition of the Art Rotation shows with two contrasting bodies of work.

Primarily painting characters at first, Amnaj now uses landscapes and empty spaces to convey his messages. His paintings take their inspiration from mystery stories, in which he leads viewers to various energies hidden in the artworks.

Amnaj’s paintings

Born and based in Bangkok, the artist began his training in painting as a child and since receiving his Master of Fine Arts degree from Silpakorn University in 2005 has established himself as an accomplished painter.

His paintings are today owned by both other artists and collectors and his exhibitions include “Disappear” (Toot Yung Art Center, 2019), “Glories of Grayscale” (Tadu Contemporary Arts, 2018), “Whisperer” (Gallery Seescape, 2018), and “Preconceived Nomad” (Artery Gallery 2010-2011). His works have also been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum in Manila where he received the ASEAN Art Award (1997).

A talented contemporary artist, Sujin Wattanawongchai works primarily with acrylics and non-artistic tools to create thought-provoking colourful abstracts inspired by travel, reading and current events.

Also based in Bangkok, he received his Bachelor’s from Chulalongkorn University, and a Masters in Fine Art from Fort Hays State University in the USA. He spent a few years in New York before finally returning to Bangkok to open his own studio.

He has participated in number of solo and group shows including, “Now and Here”, Korea (2014), “Flow”, Korea (2015), “Art Take SoHo”, New York (2018), “Art Basel”, Miami (2018), “Visual Field: Senses & Transfigurations”, Thailand (2018), and “Variations”, Korea (2019). He also received the 1998 Touring Award, Kansas Artist Series XXI, KS. USA

Works by Sujin Wattanawongchai 

The “Art Rotation Series Vol 6” show is display at the Baan Borneo Club, and Louie’s Tiffin Grill at 137 Pillars Suites & Residences Bangkok from now through the end of October and is open daily from 11am to 8pm.

Workers at Cham J shop, a vegetarian food restaurant on Sri Bamrung Road, Yala Municipality were seen cleaning up the premises, washing and wiping in preparation for annual event.

Pichit Wilai-anchalee, owner of J food shop, said he had prepared the tables, cleaned food cabinets, chairs, tables, dishes, bowls, glasses and cups, ready to serve those observing the religious practice.

Despite higher vegetable prices, most food stalls would be selling dishes at the existing prices throughout the 10-day period.

Some customers would buy vegetarian food to make merit.

The shop will open earlier at 6 am tomorrow until October 7. After that, there will be a donation campaign for the underprivileged.

Registration for the event is open until Oct. 4 while screenings will unfold from Oct.12 to Oct. 13. What’s more? The National Palace Museum has invited the head of Thai Film Archive, Chalida Uabumrungjit, to discuss Thai film culture. All events will be free of charge.

The film featured in the screening include “Santi-Vina” (1954 ), “The Scala” (2016 ), and “Manta Ray” (2018).

Underscoring the Pleats Please Issey Miyake keywords, this Visual Series chose “rich, playful colours, and lightness”. Our keywords are expressed in diverse and playful images inspired to depict familiar objects and living creatures.

Forest, the theme for this year’s series, began in June with ladybirds and butterflies appearing in dazzling colours. They were followed by beetles and mushrooms in August and owls and acorns in October.

“A forest is a place that nurtures life. Diverse plants and animals cohabit and interact among themselves, protecting the planetary environment as they do so. The forest is also full of surprise and mystery. You may come across plants of brilliant colours or discover a beautiful insect you didn’t know existed. There are so many creatures that we have yet to discover. The theme of a magical forest has inspired the image of a ladybird and a never-before-seen butterfly.

“If you imagine the city as a forest where different people and things come together, your perspective may shift a little. We invite you to wear Pleats Please creations and wonder if it awakens delightful sensations within you that may otherwise lie dormant, said Taku Satoh .

Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev opened the event with some 300 writers in attendance. The aim of the event is to boost the relationship between culture and literature in Asia, as well as support values.

The president also reminded people that Asia was the origin of civilisation, and if we did not have the Arabian, Persian, Chinese and Indian civilisations, humanity would never have developed.

In the speech, Tokyaev also thanked Kazakh writers, saying he will publish their works in six languages to ensure that as many as 2.5 billion readers can read them. He also recommended that a special award as well as an electronic library be created to reward and document the works of Asian writers.

Meanwhile, Thai writers Jiranan “Jeed” Phitphreecha, a 1989 SEA Write Award winner, and Chutima “Toi” Sawikul attended the event and said they were very impressed.

However, Chiranan said Kazakh literature was still very nationalistic, which may change once Kazakhstan separates from the Soviet Union.

Meanwhile, the literary club led by Chiranan signed a memorandum of understanding with the writer’s union to introduce Thai literature to Central Asia and introduce Thais to literature from Central Asia.

Admiral Luechai Ruddit, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy formally opened the exhibition at Iconsiam, with Vice Admiral Jongkon Meesawat, Deputy Chief of Staff of the Royal Thai Navy and Chadatip Chutrakul, director of Iconsiam, then taking the stage to talk about the background of this important exhibition.

Guests attending the ceremony were treated to a special performance titled “Painstaking Endeavours to Honour the King” and a special talk by Captain Thongyoy Sangsinchai, known as “The Poet of Two Reigns” who composed the lyrics for the traditional boat songs during the reign of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great and His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn; and Captain Natthawat Aramkluea who chants the traditional boat song for the Royal Barge Procession.

“To pay tribute to His Majesty the King, the Royal Thai Navy and Iconsiam are jointly organising ‘Art Afloat’to reflect the mastery of the Thai artisans through the grandeur of the Royal Barge Procession, and to provide an opportunity for all relevant units of the armed forces to offer their loyalty to the King through their painstaking endeavours. The public will be able to view at close range the beauty and grandeur of the Royal Barge Procession – considered a national treasure and cultural heritage – before the actual event takes place on October 24, the first time in the present reign,” Vice Admiral Jongkon told guests.

“Iconsiam is not only a new riverside destination that welcomes visitors from both Thailand and around the world, it also aspires to preserve Thai culture and traditions. That is why we have created a space for the public to view this important exhibition that recounts the history of the Royal Barge Procession from past to present. This is a valuable national cultural heritage, unique to Thailand,” Chadatip added.

“Art Afloat” is divided into three sections.

Section 1, “From Battle Vessels to Royal Ceremonial Barges” relates the origins of the royal ceremonial barges, the history of the Royal Barge Procession from past to present, the revival of the tradition of the royal barge procession in 1959 during the reign of King Rama IX, and offers a photographic journey as His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn follows in the footsteps of his royal father.

Section 2: “Art Afloat” reflects the magnificence of the Royal Barge Procession, and the intricacy of the decorative elements of each royal barge as befitting a vessel for a monarch, the format of the procession, positions of personnel in each vessel, and the preparations by each armed forces unit, who have helped to preserve this national tradition in a display of loyalty to their monarch. Gold and silver oars and peacock feather fans that will be used during the upcoming royal ceremony will also be on display.

Section 3: “Furthering the Legacy of Royal Glory” is a video presentation of the Royal Barge Procession to mark the 60th anniversary of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej the Great’s Accession to the Throne in 2006.

Visitors can also admire a display titled “Model of the Royal Barge Procession and Ceremony” featuring models of the 52 vessels that have been meticulously designed, placed in the full Royal Barge Procession formation and accompanied by detailed descriptions of the vessels. This display can be viewed at Icon Luxe Avenue on the M Floor of the Icon Luxe Zone.

Not only is this multimedia exhibition presented in three languages (Thai, English and Chinese), it also introduces new audio-visual technology that makes it different from usual exhibitions. This includes Touch Table, an LED screen that displays the decorative details of the royal barges, Panorama Hologram technology to assist viewers to admire the decorative details of the four royal barges: the Suphannahong Royal Barge, the Anantanakkharat Royal Barge, the Narai Song Suban Rama IX Royal Barge and the Anekkachatphuchong Royal Barge. This will enable the younger generation to learn about Thai history and royal traditions. A section featuring stucco relief patterns taken from the four royal barges with Braille descriptions offers an educational experience for visitors who are visually impaired.

Visitors to this exhibition will receive a programme booklet that contains information about the Royal Barge Procession. Virtual images of the Royal Barge Procession can also be viewed through Augmented Reality (AR) technology in 3-D form, together with all the exhibits via mobile phone cameras. Activities include floral garland workshops by students of the Wat Rakhang Girls’ School, ademonstration of hanging floral installations dating back to 1959, as well as coloured glass ornaments workshops by students of the Royal Craftsmen College. These programmes are open to the public free of charge on Saturday October 5, 12, 19 and 26 from 2-4pm on the 1st floor, exhibition area.

Admission is free and the exhibition continues through October 31. Find out more by calling 1388.

 Presented by The Support Foundation, the show will run at the Thailand Cultural Centre through December 5.

Continuing the royal initiative of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother to present an annual khon masked dance performance and celebrating the United Nations Organisation for Education, Science and Culture (UNESCO)’s listing of Thai khon masked dance as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in November 2018, the performance will once again promote and perpetuate the beauty of this ancient Thai art form for future generations in the form of “Khon Luang” or royal court style complete with elaborate costumes, special effects, and amazing stage scenes.

Participants attending the recent the press conference were given a sneak peak of the action scenes including Tosakanth’s procession, Tosakanth’s Chui Chai solo as he enters the garden, and Hanuman’s fight with Angkat Talai.

This year’s performance introduces several new characters including the bird Sumpatee, the Sea Ogress, Angkat Talai and the giant Yak Pak Lan. Of note are some of the costumes, which are more outstanding than in previous episodes, such as the golden-faced Tosakanth wearing a shoulder cloth and boasting a garland around his right wrist. He holds a folding fan and opens it with a flick of the wrist during his dance performance. In addition, Tosakanth’s Chui Chai dance as he goes to the garden is not only beautiful, but displays the amorous Tosakanth

trying to woo Sida.

Thanpuying Charungchit Teekara, secretary general of the foundation, and chairperson of the production, said: “Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother is truly pleased with the remarkable success of the khon performances. Young people and children have even been taking elderly members of the family to the show, which is quite a new phenomenon and deeply gratifying to see. Her Majesty has therefore instructed that the khon performance should be organized annually, since khon is an important Thai heritage, and Her Majesty wishes to create an awareness of this among the Thai people so they can help preserve this art form for future generations.”

For his part, committee member Dr Anucha Tirakanon stressed the importance of the commitment Thailand has to preserving this cultural heritage in line with Unesco’s listing, which demands that the production be of the highest quality and continue to draw audiences.

“We have khon performers all over the country with 12 Colleges of Dramatic Arts, master creators of khon masks, elaborate costumes and accessories. With the world class production of the Support Foundation Khon performance, we are confident we can carry out the mission to preserve this cultural performance. We always encourage new generations to join and also to come to the shows so that the khon performances will be alive.”

Dr. Surat Jongda, scriptwriter and director, described the outstanding elements of the “Sueb Marga” episode, saying: “This is a fun and lively episode, containing a range of emotions and colourful elements. Backdrops and technical effects have been upgraded from past years,

becoming more of a fantasy to enhance the viewing pleasure. You will see the adventures of Hanuman in various locations on his way to Longka City. There are several highlighted scenes such as the river scene where Hanuman and the simian soldiers find themselves by a wide river, and Hanuman has to use magic to enlarge himself so he can use his tail as a bridge for the rest to cross. There are also new characters who have never appeared before in previous episodes and we have invited National Artists as guest artists to choreograph the dance movements. Most importantly, the pace of the story is tight, the

story moves quickly and is exciting, which should appeal to young audiences. Khon aficionados should definitely not miss this presentation.”

The khon performance “Sueb Marga” is divided into two acts comprising 10 scenes. The highlight is the battle scene between Hanuman and Angkat Talai. When Hanuman was flying into Longka City, the guardian of the air of Longka, Angkat Talai, tried to block his entrance, and was eventually killed by Hanuman. Hanuman also flew over the ocean and

the Sea Ogress, another guardian of Longka City, attempted to block him with magic. She tried to swallow Hanuman who flew into her stomach and cut open her belly. The main love scene takes place in the palace of Longka. Ever since Tosakanth abducted Sida and hid her in the Suan Kwan Garden, he had been obsessing about her day and night. When he

was free from his duties, he ordered a procession to take him to Suan Kwan Garden, and he dressed up in beautiful clothes in order to attract her.

The Support Foundation Khon Performance began in 2007, with a total of eight episodes having been performed since then: “The Battle of Prommas”, “Nang Loy”, “The Battle of Maiyarap”, “Jong Thanon”, “The Battle of Kumbhakarn: Mokasak”, “The Battle of Indrajit: Nagabas”, “The Battle of Indrajit: Prommas”, and “The Allegiance of Phiphek”, all of which were very well received. This year’s performance, “Sueb Marga” is vibrant, lively and full of excitement as we follow the adventures of Hanuman, commander of Phra Ram’s simian army.

Tickets are now available from all ThaiTicketMajor counters, or from www.thaiticketmajor.com. Further information can be found at

www.khonperformance.com or Facebook: Khon Performance.

Binko – real name Phapfah Puttharugsa – is an illustrator who discovered her natural artistic talent while travelling the world. She chose to leave school at age 16 just to “find herself”.

She taught herself to draw, finally realising her true artistic vision when she decided to leave everything behind and explore different countries and cultures.

It gave her a new perspective that led to new ideas and sources of inspiration.

“Places & Traces”, for which admission is free, will feature pieces that are colourful yet have a certain dark mood as she recounts personal memories from her travels.

It has digital illustrations created using augmented reality (AR) technology, whereby the viewer can enjoy the works with movement.

The preview night will be October 2 from 5-8pm at the gallery on the 36th floor.

To view the artworks using AR, download the Android app from the Google store or the iOS application from here: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/artivive/id1188737494

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.artivive&hl=th.

Below is an excerpt from the interview.

The Nation: Please update us on SACICT’s strategy in promoting Thailand as the Southeast Asian hub of knowledge in arts and crafts.

Amphawan: Our present strategy has been applied for the past four years and will continue for some time: to promote the country’s rich heritage in arts and crafts in daily life. By all means, if the handicrafts do not answer and benefit modern lifestyles, they will not sell. Thus, we aim to develop the arts and crafts products by offering experiences so that the local producers will themselves learn how to improve the products, artistic creations and inspirations to suit a modern lifestyle.

Our approach is to encourage them to meet designers and end-users through many activities. For example, in the past when we had organised an event, any producer could join in, but nowadays they have to go through a selection process, according to the specific theme of the activity. Also, even if they participated in the event in January, and they want to join in the August edition, they must show improvement in their new products. Such experience will help them learn to communicate with consumers.

For art masters, we encourage them to create their unique signature – colours or patterns – so that it is instantly recognisable, which leads in building up their status and pride, and in creating a brand. At the end, they can carry on into the future even without us, and that is the sustainable way to promote Thai arts and crafts.

The Nation: How many members are there in SACICT?

Amphawan: We have about 4,000 members, and nearly 400 are crafts masters. As a public company under the royal patronage, we have been positioning ourselves in the international market. We have opened to the market in France, South Korea, Taiwan, Bhutan, Japan, the 10 Asean countries and many more.

Foreigners tend to view crafts as artistic works, thus, we have developed products as gallery and museum pieces and we have expanded collaboration with other networks through exchanging crafts masters, for example. At SACICT, we honour the crafts masters, whom we have divided into three categories: first are the national artists, second are those with very high experience, and both groups will transfer their knowledge to the third group which are the heirs, young generations who will carry on producing the handicrafts and techniques.

The Nation: What have you seen that was life changing for local artists?

Amphawan: It’s priceless. First of all, under the royal patronage of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother, who has tirelessly worked to preserve and to develop local handicrafts, we never exclude ethnic minorities. We want to project Her Majesty the Queen Mother’s perseverance and kindness to young generations, the importance of having such roots and wisdom, and of their being able to generate income from these arts and crafts.

In the past, the handicraft artisans did not really have status. People who buy craftworks did not recognise the origins or did not see the distinctions or signatures of the products. As we honour the crafts master and encourage the transfer of knowledge to the communities, that’s changed their well-being and improved their earnings.

We also promote product development, innovation and creativity, so that it suits the modern lifestyle. Young people should feel “cool” when they carry a hill tribe’s bags. There are lots of workshops and networking. The producers and designers have the chance to share ideas, remain open-minded and try new possibilities. Mainly, we have to promote our rich heritage infused with modern designs and innovations to create value-added, and gradually change the attitude of consumers – and so bring arts and crafts closer to the modern lifestyle.

We also aim to be the Southeast Asian hub of knowledge in arts and crafts through the Arts and Crafts Knowledge Centre, which incorporates a digital search system dubbed the SACICT Archive. We collect knowledge, wisdom and add value to Thai craftsmanship through modern technology platforms using a digital arts and crafts search system. The Centre is the best source of knowledge about handicrafts in Thailand and in the region, and allows Thais from every sector to participate in and access information so that knowledge will be transferred, inspire and ultimately help create income. So far, the outcome has been impressive, our organisation has had a two-digit growth rate every year.

The Support Arts and Crafts International Centre of Thailand is located in Bang Sai District, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya. It’s open daily from 8am to 5pm, and admission is free. For more information, call 1289.

The region’s glamorous high jewellery event was joined by many Thai celebrities to admire the beauty of the collection, including Kalyarat Arkaradejdachachai, Pitak Sapatam and Kim Phornprapha, according to a release from the company on Tuesday.

Cinemagia is a celebration of the Italian maison’s passionate relationship with the silver screen, spotlighting its work as reflecting the same boundless creativity and visionary expertise at the heart of the finest films. Fuelled by the larger-than-life spirit of the “Eternal City” of Rome, the Roman high jeweller once more turns the impossible possible with Cinemagia. Infused with a nearly magical craftsmanship, Cinemagia captures the maison’s demands for unparalleled ingenuity and artisanal craftsmanship. Bvlgari’s vision of beauty always begins with Rome itself and so every Bvlgari design bears Italian “pazzia”, the passion for life.

The artful collection simply highlights one majestic statement necklace, which demands more than 500 hours of work and pushes the boundaries of jewellery design with singular innovations. The result is inestimable; a masterpiece that turns its wearer into a captivating, scene-stealing star. The “Action!” necklace celebrates the groundbreaking invention of celluloid in 1885. Known for its cutting-edge daring, Bvlgari marks the event with its own innovation, the introduction of zirconium with a striking black-silver sheen. A single goldsmith is encrusted with 32 carats of pave diamonds.

Inspired by the Emerald City in the “The Wizard of Oz”, the “Emerald City” necklace features a show-stopping 21.49-carat emerald. Around the stunning stone, rows of triangular prisms, set with pave diamonds and exceptional emeralds, the one-of-a-kind gemstone instils a jewellery design with matchless glamour.

More, Bvlgari’s savoir faire with brilliant gemstones, evident throughout the Cinemagia collection, particularly shines with three spellbinding emeralds: a 24.46-carat octagonal step-cut emerald in the “Forever Liz sautoir”, a 34.73-carat cabochon emerald in the “Gina sautoir”, and a 24.31-carat cabochon emerald in the “Forever Emeralds” necklace. Displaying Roman flair, Bvlgari continually combines hues and gemstones in surprising ways to arouse joy worthy of “la dolce vita”, and the “Colour Palette” necklace is no exception. Amethyst, blue sapphire, pink tourmaline, mandarin garnet and green tourmaline cabochons recall the smooth surfaces of eye shadow and blush; an onyx cutout hugs the base of each stone and evokes a makeup compact. The sizeable stones culminate in a monumental necklace.

With masterpieces as marvellous as a fine film, Cinemagia distils the magic of Bvlgari’s High Jewellery workshop, a one-of-a-kind place that fuses the enchantment of the Eternal City and the power of the star jeweller.