The first Siam Art Fair this week is a chance to see how it's done and learn what to look for
The inaugural Siam Art Fair tomorrow through August 8 -
with more than a hundred pieces from 40 galleries - is intended
as a shot in the arm for the Thai art market.
Her Royal Highness Princess Chulabhorn opens the fair at
4pm tomorrow at the Crystal Design Centre on Ekkamai-Ram
Indra Road. The Culture Ministry is the host.
The artwork is coming from, among other locales, the Ardel
Gallery of Modern Gallery, 100 Tonson Gallery, Art Republic,
the Jim Thomson Art Centre and the Bangkok Art and Culture
Centre. There will be paintings, sculptures, prints, photographs
and some mixed media and conceptual pieces.
Thavorn Ko-Udomvit of the Ardel Gallery expects the fair to
become an annual opportunity for artists, collectors and his fel¬
low gallery owners to meet and exchange ideas and hear from
the general public.
Thavorn converted his home-studio into a gallery to show
works by Thai and foreign artists, and he also has Ardel's Third
Place Gallery on Soi Thong Lor, and the DOB Hualampong
Gallery and Rose Garden Gallery in Nakhon Pathom.
All of these places give aspiring artists a boost. Thavorn has
assisted Pachcharapong Meesilp, Metta Sudsawad and
Reargsak Boonyavanishkul and at this week's fair is highlighting
the work of award-winner Lampu Kansanoh.
Fairgoers will be able to see Yayoi Kasuma's polka-dot fan¬
tasies and, from 100 Tonson Gallery, Ek-Anong Phanachet is
showing works by Japan's Kasama and Yuree Kensaku, both of
whom have built reputations overseas.
"I'm very excited because it's not very often that gallery peo¬
ple from across Thailand can get together like this," Ek-Anong
says.
Art Republic will have abstracts by Somboon
Hormtienthong, Somyot Hananuntasuk, Thaiwijit
Puengkasemsomboon and Kade Javanalikikorn.
Sales aren't the main objective for the fair, says Warisara
Chantachum of Art Republic. The main intention is to bolster
art appreciation among the public. To this end there will be
seminars, demonstrations and workshops.
The Thompsom Centre will have pieces by Apichatpong
Weerasetthakul and Montri Toemsombat. The latter's exhibi¬
tion "Breaking Out of the Cocoon' Growing Out in Rice" has just
opened at the Thompson.