Art is a bit of a mystery to me, so as a general rule of thumb, I avoid art galleries. When I look at a canvas of colored streaks and only see colored streaks, I feel like a philistine.
Cultural imperatives are seldom at work when heading to the Khao San Road area, and not many people seem to have actually checked out the National Gallery of Thailand, which is located nearby.
Even on a Sunday afternoon, when nearby streets bustle with backpackers, there were only two or three other people in the entire gallery, which meant a guided tour from one of the keen employees.
Being a National Gallery, I wasn’t expecting any boundary-pushing expression or controversial subject matter, but rather a showcase of Thailand’s history and some of its best known artists. Sure enough the first few rooms showcase paintings by and of the royal family throughout history. Two rooms feature art of King Rama IV, another features royal portraits and bronze sculptures are found in a third.
Well within the bounds of expectation, but just around the corner in the main gallery things get more interesting and contemporary with Arts Exhibition 2013 Connect : Expand+, an annual exhibition by Burapha University, and a Toshiba-sponsored display.
Exhibits included a beautiful collection of ceramic fallen leaves on the floor, a neon-lit dress, manga-style paintings and art you can interact with from a smartphone app. As you’d expect from the National Gallery, the flavor is distinctly Thai, with installations drawing influence from traditional Thai architecture, wats made from textiles, and even several pieces referencing the recent demonstrations’ Guy Fawkes masks.
I’ve no idea how art curation is supposed to work, but the juxtaposing of life-like portraits with sequin-studded kinarees and paintings of Donald Duck and Minnie Mouse was random. But I found it constantly engaging. Who doesn’t love a beautiful, colorful explosion? We do choose to live in Bangkok, after all. Every room held something that either made me sad, confused, want to touch it or hang it in my room. It was a beautiful jumble and a lot less staid than expected from a National Gallery.
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The National Gallery of Thailand
Phra Nakhon
Entrance: THB200
