To forget for an afternoon the horrors of the Great Shrinking Pension we took in the new Thailand Cultural Centre in Bangkok the other day. Foolishly expecting loads of Thai silk samples, dancing ladyboys and 8-year old grainy films of Patong Beach and Phi Phi we walked instead into a quite beautiful 7-story spirally cathedral of modern Thai art works of all description ... from (arguably ~ to the faitnthearted) blasphemously stylized Buddha images, through sexy 20-yr old photos of of Muay Thai dudes, to delicate Japanese-influenced filmy paper kites casting eerie shadows on sublimely white walls.
Grabbed a chance shot of these etheral shadows gracing a porthole window juxtaposed against one of those optical illusiony things all bathed in a lovely orange light. Caneletto did wonders with this stuff a long time ago, but some Thai artiste inspired by an afternoon nap in the rice-fields-with-clouds accomplished the same idea in shiny teak wood.
The main central stairway is a bit of an obvious Frank Lloyd Wright/Guggenheim snatch away, but probably more likely a celebration of the idea instead of theft. The spirial stairway goes up to the roof ... and looking over the rail is one of those testicle-ascending moments.
Not sure what's up with my love of porthole windows, but this one was hard to beat with it's all-vertical antidote to the infinite roundness.
This place gives a thousand little opportunities like this one, around every corner, and every curve. As it should be I believe ... packed with art, or nothing at all.
These delicate paper objects were hung loosely and flowing gently in a gentle breeze in a narrow hall all their own. The movements created terrific shadows on the wall ... difficult to capture on film, and thus much more impressive in person. Religious and Disneyesque influences all mixed up together made them all the more delightful.
This huge and exquisitely coloured mural ran the gamut from death, destruction, human suffering on the aggressive and darkly blue end all the way to the golden peace of the giant lying Buddha at the other. The story of man's worldly denigrations juxtaposed against the perfection of Paradise runs through most religions in one stylized way or the other, but the message is the same . . . as is the art. The story in this mural is repeated in the stain glass of Chartres and Reims and Salisbury, and with a similar colourful heart.
Mr Pot needed a new head and a little better humour after the car ride to Bangkok cost him 200 baht in police bribes. Highway 35 in the vicinty of Petchburi is an area best detoured around ... but we end up taking a chance, to no avail. "Fucking polit" was mumbled more than once after the second stoppage, but the Cultural Centre ended up being the perfect antidote to a bad temper.
"Giving head" the Smiles way. A typical touristy kind of thing to do, but this babe had eyes for me ... and was imminently approachable.
More spirals, parallel lines, little circles, odd angles. I enjoy this type of observation, despite the Testical Effect. The Centre has a mine field of opportunities such as this one ... the hallmark of good design.
I have a Joan Miro painting hanging on the living room wall at our condo, and quite coincidently, the placement of lines and circles are remarkably similar ... and as pleasing.
I think this shot says all about this terrific place. Odd groupings, floating on air-ish-ness, surreal lighting ideas (the bed frame encloses a series of flourescent light bulbs), ironic colour choices (the red white and blue with the American political elephant thing going on) . . . the Centre is nothing if not free of Thai cliches.
Could not help but include this last shot of Suphot and myself stuck up in front of a stark orange wall. The only item which would have made it even better would have been both of us wearing long pants ... but it was a terribly sticky Bangkok afternoon, with thundershowers all 'round.
I have very few good ones of us together ... usually one of us has his eyes closed, or looking dumb, or ~ more often than not ~ him looking handsome and me the ugly duckling. But this is one I really like, and one which might just end up in a frame above the bed.
Bangkok Art & Cultural Center is conveniently located at the National Stadium Skytrain Station directly across the road from the MBK Mall. The building (and exhibits inside) are relatively new, so I would think the place will only get better with time.
Highly recommended if you're in the mood for a few hours away from GoGo bars.
Cheers ...
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Originally Posted by fattman
