Several officials from the Culture Ministry and experts from Thailand attended the meeting in Mauritius.

Meanwhile, a similar dance style in Cambodia, called the lakhon khon, was inscribed as an Intangible Cultural Heritage “in need of urgent safeguarding” on Wednesday.

Lakhon khol, a court dance, was added to the Unesco Representative List in 2008.

Lakhon Khol’s successful Unesco registration was thanks to government attention, the efforts of leaders of the Ministry of Culture and Fine Arts, support from actors, organisations and civilians in the fine arts and culture sectors and encouragement from the public.

“Tangible and intangible heritage of our country have helped Cambodia to become well-known on the international stage and they are important players on the world heritage stage.”

“The decision to include Lakhon Khol in the world heritage list is a new pride for our nation,” the ministry said in its announcement.

Cambodia requested the registration of Lakhon Khol in the world heritage list on March 31 last year, and the committee approved the inscription during the 13th meeting on Wednesday.

The Cambodian delegation attending the meeting included Minister of Culture and Fine Arts Phoeurng Sackona, undersecretary of state of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Ket Sophann, government expert advisers Helen Jarvis and Teruo Jinnai and five Cambodian representatives at Unesco.

Lakhon Khol began in the early Angkor era. In accordance with bas-reliefs on Angkor temple walls, it is believed that the genre was first performed in the ninth century.

According to the book Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Cambodia, Lakhon Khol was developed as an entirely male version of Khmer classical court dance.

The only story specifically performed by Lakhon Khol is the Reamke, the Khmer version of the Ramayana, an ancient Indian epic poem.

Performances include storytelling accompanied by the traditional Pin Peat orchestra.

In the past, there were eight professional Lakhon Khol troupes but they were disbanded during the war and the only remaining troupe is that of Wat Svay Andet, 15km from Phnom Penh in Kandal province, where knowledge has been handed down from one generation to the next.

Two new troupes were formed since the war, in Kampong Thom and at the National Theater. Today, Lakhon Khol forms part of the curriculum of the Royal University of Fine Arts.

FOURTEEN giant bronze sculptures by British artist Damien Hirst graphically charting the moment of conception to birth greet patients arriving at an $8-billion (Bt263 billion) hospital in the Gulf state of Qatar.

The vast open-air installation, named “The Miraculous Journey”, shows a |foetus growing in the womb and culminates with a 14-metre naked baby just after birth.

The monumental work is the centrepiece of an impressive modern art collection at the Sidra Medicine Hospital, officially opened this week in Doha, that would be the envy of many galleries around the world.

Workers operate on “The Miraculous Journey”, an art installation by artist Damien Hirst outside the Sidra Medical & Research Centre in Doha./AFP

“We believe it reflects very much the mission of Sidra, taking care of the healthcare of woman and babies,” said Layla Ibrahim Bacha, art specialist with the government-supported Qatar |Foundation, which owns most of the artwork.

“I think it’s perfect for the location, as you can see a lot of people are taking pictures, I think its becoming iconic.”

Among the 65 works at the speciality facility for children’s and women’s health are pieces by high-profile international names and artists from across the Arab world, including Qatar.

A fourth-floor outpatient clinic is decorated with a neon installation entitled “I Listen To The Ocean And All I Hear Is You” by Tracey Emin, one of Hirst’s ground-breaking contemporaries from Britain.

Bacha says the art was chosen with “very specific themes” in mind.

“They are not meant to be decorative, they are meant to be more creating debates, helping the patient to keep calm,” she said.

Syrian artist, Jaber al-Azmeh, whose pictures hang in the hospital, said it makes him “smile” to imagine his photographs on display in a place where new lives are starting.

Sidra began receiving its first patients in January and last month successfully conducted Qatar’s first conjoined twin separation surgery.

Energy-rich Qatar has become a major buyer of contemporary art.

It is seeking to portray itself as one of the most progressive states in the region against the backdrop of a bitter standoff with Gulf rivals led by Saudi Arabia.

But that does not mean there has not been some controversy over the Damien Hirst works towering outside the |hospital.

The sculptures were originally unveiled in October 2013 but then covered from public view until recent weeks.

The official reason was to protect them from ongoing building work on the hospital, but they were concealed after a social media outcry.

“We are not expecting everyone to like them. We are not expecting everyone to understand them,” said Bacha.

“This is why they are there to actually create this element of debate, this element of thinking.”

LAUDED for his artistic direction and costume designs for the acclaimed film “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, Tim Yip has over the decades left a deep imprint on art, culture and performance across the globe.

His first solo exhibition in Hong Kong, “Tim Yip: Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory”, is on display at the HKDI Gallery until March 31, capturing the evolution of his work across three decades, including his collaborations with renowned filmmakers.

“Tim Yip: Blue – Art, Costumes and Memory” showcases multidisciplinary works by renowned art director and visual artist Tim Yip. /courtesy of HDKI Gallery 

Curator Mark Holborn boasts a portfolio of leading artists including Annie Leibovitz, Issey Miyake and Daido Moriyama.

“Blue” is his fifth collaboration with Yip following “Silent Passenger” (Beijing, 2013), “In Parallel” (Amiens, 2016), “Reformation” (Shanghai, 2016) and “Migong” (Chongqing, 2017).

The installation titled “Blue” plays on ideas and symbolisation, from the nature of the imagination to the depths of the subconscious mind, from collective history to human memory.

“In the essence of time and space flows a sense of consciousness,” Yip says. “No matter where I am, deeply imprinted memories are constantly evolving. They never disappear. Like the expansive ocean, my memory deepens with time.

“There’s only one colour that can aptly represent it – blue – dancing in the eternity of an alternate universe.”

Costumes for the role of Yu Xiulian in the 1999 movie “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” /courtesy of HDKI Gallery 

Part 1 of the exhibition features 21 costumes from Yip’s films and original creations, including the original outfits created for Oscar-winner “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”, “Red Cliff” and “The Banquet”.

“Sights” offers one of the six sets of costumes inspired by time and space. Combining interpretations of ancient Chinese history and abstract artistic expression, the masked face is a representation of the artist’s imagination and his hope for the future that people who “live under the veil” will be able to return to China’s traditional culture.

“Sight”, part of the installation series “Timeless Time”, has one of the six sets of independent costumes inspired by time and space. /courtesy of HDKI Gallery 

Another centrepiece is “Shaping”, a Gothic corseted dress in black and grey adorned with 100,000 crystals commissioned by Swarovski in 2016. The second and the third parts of the exhibition focus on Yip’s ongoing muse “Lili” – a wigged mannequin seen in several of his works. Representing separate reality, she is presented as “Robot Lili”, speculating on the future of collective memory and artificial intelligence.

“Shaping”, a Gothic corseted dress with over 100,000 crystals that Yip designed for Swarovski /courtesy of HDKI Gallery 

Lili resembles a stereotypical 16-year-old Chinese woman. She nearly always wears dark glasses and has a variety of wigs and costumes.

Other highlights include “Outdated Magazines”, in which a photomontage of Lili is substituted on the covers, and “Blue”, in which he revisits his hometown through Lili for the first time, in his most personal film to date.

For details, visit http://www.HKDI. edu.hk/hkdi_gallery.

AS PART of their preparations for a month of marathon three-hour performances of the khon masked drama “The Allegiance of Phiphek” continuing this week, young art students recently underwent a spirit-boosting sacred indoctrination ceremony known as khrop.

Classical performers and the youngsters learning the craft need to be steeped in a profound knowledge of their characters and the skills needed to bring them to life. On completing the intense training, though, they don’t merely receive certificates. Students and teachers bond even more deeply with one another in a ceremony in which homage is paid to the “master”.

Students who attend the khrop ceremony are expected to be respectful and show gratitude to the masters.

It is the master of khon who is revered as being responsible for all of the lessons imparted over the course of many generations.

The episode of the Ramakien chosen for this year’s performance, “The Allegiance of Phiphek”, was selected because of the nobility displayed by the main character, Phiphek. A fierce demon exiled by his older brother, the great demon king Tosakanth, Phiphek joins Phra Ram’s army and earns Phra Ram’s trust with his honesty.

In his grand demonstration of allegiance can be read the loyalty of Thais towards King Maha Vajiralongkorn, as well as the importance of honesty and morality, virtues that are instilled in khon students.

That’s the stirring interpretation by the show’s director, Pramet Boonyachai, a khon artist himself. Before the show debuted last month, he took students and his performers to pay respects to the masters at the Salaya campus of the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute in Nakhon Pathom.

“The full ceremony in which we pay homage to the masters of khon, lakhon and traditional music includes the sacred indoctrination ceremony called khrop, which has held great importance ever since the olden days,” Pramet says.

“The masters honoured are not only the teachers but also every deity involved. There are the old masters and performers of the past who earned fame in every aspect of specific performances.

“This practice of paying respect to the masters is continuously exercised from generation to generation.”

Khon masters perform a traditional Thai sacred ceremony to indoctrinate the performers.

An elder master presides – usually male and always senior and morally virtuous. He reads the designated text of homage and invites the gods to attend. In the appointed venue are a Buddha image and the masks depicting Ganesha, Rishi and Phra Phirap.

According to legend, the Rishi mask is a personification of Phra Bharata, who composed the original treatise on the art of dancing. In the epic poem the Ramakien, Rishis are both masters and patrons of all the characters.

The Phra Phirap mask is the most important for music and drama performers. In King Rama I’s rendition of the Ramakien, Phra Phirap is a demon deity who looks after a mountainside forest where a tree issues golden rose apples.

Empowered in his duties by Phra Agni, the god of fire, and Phra Samud, the god of the ocean, he strikes terror into the hearts of angels.

The khrop ceremony begins with the presentation of auspicious offerings – jackfruit, banana and sugarcane and the desserts thong yib, thong yod and foi thong. Ritual music is played, followed by the recitation of verses and prayers for the success of every performance.

Afterwards, the chairman anoints the students’ foreheads with oil and places the masters’ masks on the crowns of their heads.

“Students are only indoctrinated once they’ve passed basic instruction and reach age 16 or 17, which is considered mature enough to do what is right, to do no wrong, and to be capable of becoming an artist,” Pramet explains.

“There’s also the sacred khrop kru ceremony for advanced learners who’ve already been performing for some time and are moving on to the master level themselves. The khrop ceremony is essentially for the performance students, who until then are considered immature.”

Students who attend the khrop ceremony are expected to be respectful and show gratitude to the masters. 

In this season’s khon Performance, Yarnawut Traisu- wan, 21, a fourth-year student at the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, has the lead role of Phiphek.

This is the fourth khon performance he’s been involved in and he firmly believes that paying respect to the masters will bring him good fortune on the stage.

“I’ve been learning about khon since I was in Grade 7 at the College of Dramatic Arts in Nakhon Si Thammarat and I’ve always been drawn into the demon character, who to me is very interesting,” Yarnawut says.

“He has a key role in the epic because he’s the one who causes the war.

“But in playing the demons and monkeys, which wear full masks that hide their facial expressions, you have to convey your character’s feelings to the audience using only highly refined dancing and gestures. In this episode, Phiphek has a big scene that involves showing his sadness. I have to get that across from behind the mask.

Yarnawut Traisuwan, left, as Phiphek

“I like it that Phiphek is the virtuous demon. His movements are more discerning and graceful than those of the others, yet they’re still bold. But I’m also grateful for everyone else’s efforts – the amazing scenes, the narrators and musicians – everyone contributes to a successful show.”

The Support Foundation has in the past decade presented seven episodes of the Ramakien. Her Majesty the Queen is the official patron and guiding light of the annual performance.

Khon is universally regarded as Thailand’s greatest form of theatre and the performances each year ensure that the exquisite craftsmanship behind the masks and costumes, as well as the wonderful traditions in dance and gesture, are preserved for future generations to enjoy.

>> The Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques (Support) is presenting “The Allegiance of Phiphek” Tuesday through Sunday each week until December 5 at the Thailand Cultural Centre.

>> Seats cost Bt420 to Bt1,820 (Bt200 for students) at Thai Ticket Major outlets, (02) 262 3456 and http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

>> Find out more on the “Khon Performance” Facebook page.

THE COOPERATION between the Embassy of Israel in Thailand, Friends of the Arts Foundation’s International Dance Festival (IDF), now in its 18th edition, and Bangkok Art and Culture Centre’s (BACC) Performative Art Festival, now in its seventh incarnation, has resulted in many memorable performances over the years. So it comes as little surprise that the IDF has chosen to open with Jerusalem-based Kolben Dance Company’s “On the Edge”.

Performed by the entire company, “On the Edge” was created to commemorate Kolben Dance’s 20th anniversary

Based on the experience of living in Jerusalem, the city of peace which ironically has never had one peaceful moment in its entire history, “On the Edge” is described as “a poetic and energetic journey that brings the audience closer, literally and metaphorically, to an embracing and kicking dance experience”. Even before the start of the performance, the dancers put the audience and themselves “on the edge” with their direct interactions.

At another moment, dancers, coming from different countries and with diverse dance and movement backgrounds, talk to the audience in their mother tongues.

“On the Edge” promises to be an occasion where we make endless attempts to reach out to the other, an anonymous other, who stands on the other side of the abyss that separates us. It is a tireless effort that gives hope for the victory of real, warm human desire.

Amir Kolben, dean of the Dance Faculty at the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance and founder of Kolben Dance Company, explains why this work is making its Southeast Asia premiere this week: “I love travelling, I love sharing my work with audiences all over the world, and I love communicating, or at least making the effort to communicate with people from various cultures. These are all good reasons to come with my company to Bangkok. But the decision to bring ‘On the Edge’ was made in collaboration with the festival director [and founder] Vararom [“Khru Tip”] Pachimsawat. She thought this piece, which deals with the tensions and opportunities of life on the edge, are very relevant to people in Bangkok.”

“On the Edge” was previously seen at Sibiu International Theatre Festival in Romania and China Shanghai International Arts Festival among others.

“Audience response to this piece proves how similar human beings are all over the world, despite all rivalries and differences,” Kolben says. “Since the piece is mostly presented using movement language, it crosses borders easily; and crossing borders, by the way, is one of the most present experiences in this piece. And people everywhere want to be close [to one another], avoid dangers, like being entertained and want to see things they’ve never seen before. And this is what we give them in this work.” And as for how Bangkok audiences should prepare for “On the Edge”, he says: “Another common response to dance in general, and contemporary dance in particular is: ‘I don’t like it because I can never understand it.’ Give yourself a chance and come to see this performance. I’m sure it will change the way you see this art form. And be careful: You may want more of it.”

That’s why “On the Edge” is the 18th IDF’s curtain raiser, and more contemporary dance performances, workshops and competition will follow in the subsequent weeks.

Edgy Energy

>> Kolben Dance Company’s “On the Edge” is at the 4th floor studio of BACC (BTS: National Stadium, exit 3), on Wednesday (by invitation only) and Friday at 7.30pm.

>> Tickets are from Bt700 to Bt1,800, at TicketMelon.

>> Find out more at Facebook.com/International

DanceFestival and http://www.KolbenDance.com.

HIS MARILYN Monroe paintings and oversize soup cans are cultural icons, but in an exhibition that opened Monday, New York’s Whitney Museum hopes to paint a new, more complex picture of Andy Warhol.

These days, few dare to tackle the king of pop art: he has already been the subject of hundreds of exhibitions and retrospectives.

But under the guidance of chief curator Donna De Salvo – who worked with Warhol before his death in 1987 – the modern and contemporary art museum is doing just that.

A woman looks at paintings from the “Flower” series against a backdrop of “Cow Wallpaper” (1966) by late US artist Andy Warhol at the exhibition 0” at the Whitney Museum in New York.

De Salvo believes America’s last Warhol retrospective – in 1989 at New York’s Museum of Modern Art – “changed much of our thinking about Warhol but also left much unanswered.”

Now the Whitney, located on the banks of the Hudson River in the city’s Meatpacking District, hopes to seduce both experts and newcomers – “no easy task”, according to director Adam Weinberg.

From Campbell soups to Coca-Cola, Andrew Warhola – to use his birth name – played with the icons of his time, while tirelessly documenting his own life and work, to the point of becoming a brand himself.

Spanning three floors, “Andy Warhol – From A to B and Back Again” will present the silver-wigged artist’s career as a whole, from his early advertising illustrations to his abstract explorations.

And although the exhibition shows off his love of vibrant, repetitive screen printing, it also presents Warhol as far from a one-trick pony.

Even if that style was key to his success, his films, collaboration with graffiti prodigy Jean-Michel Basquiat, and his journey into the abstract – such as his epic 1978 series “Shadows” – all act as proof otherwise.

It’s a multidimensional experience of a multidimensional artist: a designer, painter, photographer, videographer, producer and magazine editor – not to mention curator of his own exhibitions.

“Ethel Scull 36 Times” (1963) 

A significant part of the exhibition – which boasts over 300 works, from 100 institutions and collectors – is dedicated entirely to video, a medium Warhol used to create documentaries, experimental films and even commercials.

It portrays a Warhol in constant creative motion, hungry for experience – and reminds visitors that behind his aesthetics is a distinctly political artist.

“The themes that preoccupied Warhol – mass media, celebrity culture, entertainment and politics – these shape our life even more directly than they did during his lifetime, making his work not only more |prescient but more relevant,” Weinberg |said.

At the centre of it all are concepts of power and representation: a reflection built on Warhol’s experiences in advertising during the 1950s. “Warhol is especially an artist of our time and I would argue even perhaps for all time, especially in this selfie generation where everybody is the star of their own photograph and movie,” Weinberg said.

He sees the overarching message as one of “a more complex and arguably more powerful Warhol than previously understood”.

After the exhibit closes in New York on March 31, it will head in May to San Francisco, and then to Chicago from October 2019 to January 2020.

The exhibition will be rotated every two months and her artworks, which depict people and animals sleeping, are on view at the Baan Borneo Club and Louie’s Tiffin Grill from Friday (November 16).

Suwannee has won several awards for her works, including the top prize at the second UOB Painting of the Year in Thailand, a Special Mention Award at the 30th UOB Painting of the Year in Singapore and at the 2010 International Watercolor Competition in Rome.

Her works are also a part of collections at the National Gallery of Thailand, Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) Bangkok, Ministry of Culture Thailand, UOB Bank, KrungThai Bank, and the National Gallery Singapore.

“Without my family I would not be an artist. My father was a carpenter and when I was a child, I drew pictures, using his carpentry pencils while he worked beside me. He would often show me how to draw simple shapes and animals such as dogs, cats, chickens and other farm animals,” Suwannee said.

Family and friends became the focus of her works when she began drawing and painting with oil on canvas. Her new works illustrate a child sleeping in the arms of his or her parent. It is the epitome of the love. Without a family or friends, they are adrift in a sea of anonymity and despair.

“When my parents divorced, I realised the importance of family members’ affection towards one another. The family became extended, in my mind, to include my friends. This affection for and memory of family and friends became my primary subject as I matured in my artistry,” she added.

A silent auction will also allow collectors to bid for Suwannee’s portrait of the late King Rama IX until December 5. Part of the proceeds will go to the Chaipattana Foundation.

Find out more details at (02) 079 7000 or visit https://137pillarsbangkok.com/en/events/art-rotation-suwannee-sarakana/

THE BANGKOK Art Biennale might be drawing visitors to the Thai capital but it has plenty of competition from the southern province of Krabi, which has turned itself into an art wonderland for the first Thailand Biennale.

Running through February 28 and featuring 50 international artists from 25 countries along with four of Thailand’s national artists and three new-wave stars, the Biennale offers the visitor more than 300 specific-site contemporary artworks on the pristine beaches and in the turquoise waters of the Andaman Sea.

Designed on the theme “Edge of the Wonderland”, all artworks have been specially created for the location to portray the rich nature and charming cultural context of Krabi. Organised by the Culture Ministry’s Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC), the Biennale is a collective collaboration between government agencies, artists and local residents to promote tourism and generate income in local communities.

 “Ghost Island” by Map Office can be found on Nopparat Thara Beach.

“We expect the Thailand Biennale to become a legend in its time and serve as a model for showcasing specific-site art installations. We have focused on sustainable displays to ensure there’s no impact on the environment,” says lead curator Jiang Jiehong.

“We started by sending proposals to more than 100 international artists by email and invited them to submit their ideas for artworks about Krabi. We then picked 70 of the submissions and arranged three site visits to help artists develop their ideas. Now, we have 50 artworks on view. They represent history, local life and nature,” he adds.

The festival is spread over 12 venues ranging from national parks to mangrove forests and islands, and piers to historical sites. With some of works still being installed, we take a look at the sites already drawing attention from art lovers and tourists.

Nopparat Thara Beach

Norwegian artist Anne Katarine Dolven has joined with local architect Bancha Ma to build a small blue house called “Did You Leave Your Island?” between two rocks at the end of the beach.

She greets her guests with the voices of Thais reading a poem in English and Thai. It is an abstract work reflecting on the places they leave behind and the new destinations they travel to and settle in.

Anne Katarine Dolven and Bancha Ma’s hamlet “Did You Leave Your Island?” is on Nopparat Thara Beach and welcomes guests every day.

“I was inspired by a conversation with a Thai woman I met on a flight from Norway to Krabi last year. She moved from Thailand to Norway and she was returning home to collect 200 books for a Buddhist temple in Kristiansand. We talked about why she left and why she likes Norway,” Dolven says.

“This house is a sculpture with sound. Inside, you can hear six Thai voices speaking about their experiences and lives.”

Anne Katarine Dolven and Bancha Ma

Made from local materials, the fisherman’s cottage is accessible only during low tide. Three windows overlook the sea, sunset and the green landscape.

“We’ve used wood, nipa leaves and zinc to build an easy-to-move house. It resembles a painting of a house on the island when you look at it from the shore,” says Bancha, a watercolour enthusiast.

“This is a good chance to promote tourism in Krabi and educate local residents about art. The Biennale allows us to share ideas and work with international artists.”

“Ghost Island” by Map Office can be found on Nopparat Thara Beach.

A short walk from Dolven’s blue hamlet, Map Office from Hong Kong has built a towering six-metre Ghost Island from fishing nets to represent the geology of the surrounding island and raise awareness of the environment. Recorded voices of the fishermen on Koh Lanta and Phi Phi come from within.

 Ao Nang Beach

Thai artist Kamin Lertchaiprasert and renowned architect Suriya Umpansiriratana have created a groundbreaking conceptual art series called “No Sunrise No Sunset” based on the fantasy romance between Yai Sa and her husband Mr Krabi.

“When I first came to survey the town, I discovered this popular spot where local lovers watch the sunset. I’ve plotted a fantasy love story of Yai Sa and Mr Krabi – a cartoon-like mural on the cave walls in Krabi – to link to the biennale’s theme,” Kamin says.

“No Sunrise No Sunset” by Kamin Lertchaiprasert and Suriya Umpansiriratana is at the end of Ao Nang Beach./Courtesy of Kamin Lertchaiprasert

His idea is based on the tradition that a Thai man needs to be ordained at age 25 before he can get married, with his Mr Krabi leaving his hometown to seek the truth of dharma and Yai Sa faithfully waiting for him to return.

“People go their individual ways and become one when the love melts the heart. It’s like a horizon that connects the sky and earth. We’ve used reflective materials so that the surroundings are mirrored on the surface of the artwork,”  Kamin explains.

“Our work is also a bridge between truth and illusion. We look at the sun and imagine that it’s rising or setting. In fact, the sun doesn’t move – it’s the world spinning on its axis.”

Kamin Lertchaiprasert, left, and architect Suriya Umpansiriratana

Made from aluminium-composite steel tubes, the container-like cave is home to the fibreglass figure of Yai Sa standing on a pond with the Andaman in the background. The walls are covered with graffiti symbolic of love in the modern world.

“This spot is usually out of the sight of casual walkers but it’s the best place to see the sunset,” Suriya adds.

Than Bok Khorani National Park

Nine art pieces dot the trail from park entrance to deep jungle and a herd of mythical creatures created by Vietnamese artist Richard Streitmatter-Tran and local sculptor

Visarnsak Savangkaew is on hand to greet the visitor.

The Anima series features two-layered statues of a tiger, bear, peacock, money and deer. The outer skin is coated with clay that when washed away, transforms the creatures into kinnaree, the mythical half women and half bird.

“Anima” by Richard StreitmatterTran and Visarnsak Savangkaew serves as the guardian of Than Bok Khorani National Park.

“This work is about the relationship between humans, animals and the environment. I once watched a traditional dance performance about Kinnaree and I loved it. I want people to realise that we shouldn’t be destroying the environment and making our wild animals homeless,” Streitmatter-Tran says.

“My works have two layers. When the layer of clay washes away, you will see the kinnaree inside. She represents the goodness that is hidden inside.”

Rikou Ueda’s “Letter” is on view at Than Bok Khorani National Park.

Nearby is “The Letter” by Osaka-based artist Rikuo Ueda. Based on the concept of anticipation, it features a wood frame with two giant wings – one holding a paper and the other a pen – and uses the wind to create a ghost drawing.

“This is a private installation for my wife and me. My wife passed away last May then I came to Krabi last November for Thailand Biennale. Back then I used a leaf and the wind to create a postcard and send it to my wife. This artwork is for my wife to send me a message back,” Ueda says.

Rikuo Ueda

Hong Kong artist Zheng Bo offers an eye-catching botanical installation inspired by Thai farmer/activist Jon Jandai’s talk “Life Is Hard. Why Do We Make It So Easy?” The artist modified Jon’s statement to point out another aspect of the ecological crisis.

“The artist thinks that life on earth is not easy and is supposed to be hard. For example, pines have a lot of pinecones but only a few survive and grow into a tree,” says Ajjana Wajidee, coordinator of the curating team.

“The artist plays with words from the artwork’s name, using local orchid species that bloom from November to February.”

Khao Kanabnam

New-wave Thai artist Chulayarnnon Siriphol turned a cave into a theatre to screen “Birth of Golden Snail” – a short film based on the history of Khao Kanabnam during pre-historical and World War II era – only to see the film banned and a request from OCAC to cut some erotic scenes.

Using 16mm black and white film, the 20-minute movie goes back to the origin of humankind through a fantasy love story of a Japanese soldier and a high-school student, who gives birth to a snail.

 Chulayarnnon Siriphol turns a cave into a theatre for a screening of “Birth of Golden Snail”. It’s at Khao Kanabnam.

“It’s really not an ‘R’ rated film. Khao Kanabnam is a historical site, where ancient human bones were discovered and which was a camp for Japanese troops during World War II. So, I wanted to offer a story that takes visitors back to the origin of human life while also looking at local history,” Chulayarnnon says.

Chulayarnnon Siriphol

“The film has a two-minute scene that reveals a woman’s breast, back and belly. It’s artistic and is not designed to provoke sexual arousal. The character wearing a student uniform is also under discussion.”

The “Giant Ruin” series by Tu Wei-cheng is at Khao Kanabnam

In the main cave, Taiwanese artist Tu Wei-cheng presents the Giant Ruin series, which explores the boundaries between the realms of the real and fictional to rethink history.

Displayed alongside a permanent exhibition of imitation artefacts, his installation has artificial human bones, antiques plus some information boards that relate the past and popular beliefs around Krabi.

LOTS TO SEE IN KRABI

Thailand Biennale, Krabi 2018 continues until February 28. All artworks come with a QR code so visitors can learn more about the concepts and the artists.

Find out more at http://www.ThailandBiennale.org or http://www.Facebook.com/ThailandBiennale.

NOVEMBER promises to be a busy month for all those who love the performing arts, with the 15th annual Bangkok Theatre Festival (BTF) already underway, the 2nd annual Bangkok International Performing Arts Meeting (BIPAM) running from Wednesday to Sunday and another annual event, the International Dance Festival (IDF) getting underway next week.

And there are also performances outside of these festivals, with 18 Monkeys Dance Theatre’s “Party Animal” and “Piazzolla and 18 Monkeys” proving that contemporary dance theatre still exists in Thailand, despite its very few works.

Choreographer Jitti Chompee, founder and artistic director of 18 Monkeys, tells XP: “It seems like we’ve disappeared for a while but that’s actually not the case. We had our production of ‘Red Peter’ on tour to the Netherlands, South Korea and Chiang Mai last year. Plus I was working on [curating] the [international multi-disciplinary arts festival] ‘Unfolding Kafka Festival’ last year, which doubled in size from the first edition.

Party Animal /Photo:Jitti Chompee

“At the beginning of this year, I started the creation process for a new work ‘Party Animal’ with dancers from Germany, Lithuania and Canada in addition to 16 extra performers – dance and theatre majors from Srinakharinwirot and Suan Sunandha Rajabhat Universities,” he continues.

“Initially, I auditioned about 100 of them and 16 have been taking my workshops and rehearsing this work for five weeks to make sure that their physicality fits. It’s been tough going to two universities every week to teach and rehearsing with them. However, they’re very inspiring and I’ve enjoyed spending time exposing them to this conceptual art work. I believe that performing arts can make a strong impression on young people while offering an alternative way for them to learn. Finally, we’ve found some talented students who I’m sure can pursue contemporary dance in the future. Also, I could see what these students needed and actually what dance education [in Thailand] needs. It’s good research for me as I’m developing the ‘Unfolding Kafka Festival for Dance Education and Performing Arts 2019’ as well. By doing so, I hope to contribute to changing Thailand’s image by making it a destination for the contemporary arts.”

Party Animal /Photo:Jitti Chompee

For “Party Animal”, Jitti has been inspired by Louise Bourgeoise’s pink dolls, intrigued with the abstract architecture of bare human bodies in Berlinda de Bruyckere’s sculptures, and fascinated with Berghain, Berlin’s mecca of electronic music, and how people behave differently by day and by night.

In this new work, he is discussing with his audience cathartic behaviour in contemporary society, the psychology of space as well as gender and identity issues.

“Piazzolla and 18 Monkeys”, on the other hand, reveals the latest progress of his company’s most recognisable work – the title of which went on to become the company’s name.

Jitti explains: “This is a recreation and 80 per cent of the choreography has changed. Having been invited to work with the jazz band Escalandrum, led by Daniel Piazzolla or Astor’s grandson, ‘18 Monkeys’ was reworked to premiere at Teatro San Martin, Buenos Aires in September 2015. So, now, for this special occasion, four dancers including Anucha Sumaman, a principal dancer at the National Theatre, and Canada’s Benjamin Tardif, Lithuania’s Dovydas Strimaitis and Germany’s Sukadeva Joshua Horn will share the stage with a live music trio, including the award-winning Argentinian bandoneonist Daniel Ruggiero and Pro Musica musicians, Tasana Nagavajara on violin and Panyaphat Wongwechwiwat on violoncello. It will be a rare opportunity to listen to Piazzolla’s melody performed live with bandoneon and strings and is the most extensive Astor Piazzolla’s music repertoire ever in Thailand.”

Piazzolla /Photo:18 Monkeys Dance Theatre

Both works will be staged at Bangkok’s Neilson Hays Library and Chiang Mai’s Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum.

“Staging my works in unusual spaces away from the traditional theatre stage is a concrete way to make people become more engaged in my projects as it allows them to experience arts in a more personal way and better understand its importance. The library itself is beautiful and is a perfect landscape where I can put my choreography composition to fit into its architecture,” he says.

“The Neilson Hays Library, which reopened this year following renovations to its historic 96-year-old building, is aiming to find new purposes for its space while bringing the community together.

Piazzolla /Photo:18 Monkeys Dance Theatre

“There will be two charity performances—’Party Animal’ this Friday and ‘Piazzolla and 18 Monkeys’ on November 27—the proceeds of which will help cover the library’s educational and cultural activities, as well as the maintenance cost for 2019.”

As for Maiiam, Jitti was already there with his Unfolding Kafka Festival last November and notes: “It’s an empty minimalist space so any performance can nicely fit in. We have to be more concerned with its acoustics and lighting design, but with our previous experience, we’ll be able to better manage them this time.”

Two Capitals

“Party Animal” is from Friday to November 19, 7:30pm, at the Neilson Hays Library, on Surawong Road, and at Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang Mai, on November 23 at 7pm.

“Piazzolla and 18 Monkeys” will start in Chiang Mai on November 24 at 7pm, then come back to Bangkok on November 26 and 27 at 7:30pm.

Tickets are Bt1,000 (Bt400 for students in Bangkok; free for students in Chiang Mai).

nTo purchase tickets, email 18MonkeysDanceTheatre@gmail.com. For more information, visit http://www.18MonkeysDanceTheatre.com.