CHOM ON THE ROX

MYSTERIOUS ORDINARY

2011-11-18T12:12:00.030+07:00

The last months have been a whirlwind, an exciting blur that is as enchanting as it could have been destructive . . . depends on how you want to take it.

For me, finally, I have a moment, to breath after this full force collision.

What to do with these pieces/fragments of these collisions? That is the fun of it all, how to make it coherent, how to make them matter, not just to myself but beyond myself. This blog has enabled me to pull together my thoughts, what I see and express them. I wonder how many of these things matter to others. I hope they do, a little, there is so much beauty in the world and at the same time so many problems and issues that it enables us to ask questions, attempt to find answers/solutions and ask even more questions. Such is life. The question comes up after 2 1/2 years of Chomontherox as I ask myself what is next. Venice inspired this blog and in a way Venice has inspired me this year, to move on. It is funny how the same city of meandering canals and water can inspire such different things at different times. Recently I have started to contribute more and more to printed newspapers and magazines, these too take time, it even takes time to go out and buy a copy.

This is NOT a farewell but rather a beginning . . .of something new, called Mysterious Ordinary. Whilst I prepare to launch that to the world, you can find me on Tumblr at Mysterious Ordinary Journal which has been in the works . . .quietly, for a while, it is my moodboard.

Here are some flashbacks of the last few months . . .

Film on the Rocks Recce - to come in 2012, curated by Apichatpong Weerasethakul and Tilda Swinton produced by Nat Sarasas and Mysterious Ordinary (me!).

P'Joei and N'Teem in the jungle

my partner in crime, Nat Sarasas

the rocks

the village

A day and night with Rirkrit Tiravanija and Pette for 2 Mag . . . (Super limited 2 Mag x MYSTERIOUS ORDINARY Edition Art Issue and more widely available 2 Mag Art Issue at good newstands in Thailand, Singapore and HK)

Tangmo on the run

P Rirkrit

Dean, P'Ruay, Lynn, Me, P Rirkrit, Pette

please compare this to the published version

P Rirkrit and Lynn

the kitchen

Tangmo = watermelon

the cover shot

Paris SS '12

Betak magic continues with Viktor and Rolf and Galliano. . . .

The Brigettes at Viktor and Rolf

Galliano post-Galliano

Bill (not John)

a bit of nature

Chanel underwater

stripes while waiting at the Bar du Marche

Patsri et Moi

Valentino

See even in Paris, they get that Chanel in the day time and Valentino at night is ideal . . . it would be perfection. Well for me at least anyway, especially now with how very cool Valentino has become, defo not for big haired ladies, elegant, minimal but still totally glamourous. I loooooved it.

OLT

Cleo

me with Le Tans

Miu Miu was monumental

it was as if I had entered Metropolis

amazing.

and back to Bkk in time for more Frenchness . . . Apichatpong's speech upon receiving his Legion d'Honneur

then from Palais Royale via Tokyo, Corto came to visit me in Bkk. What a treat.

Pette with Corto and a bright red Susan

Lynn, Corto and Jane

Corto and Ti Foster at Mahanakhon for 2 Mag shoot

and more

Corto

Not only Corto was in town but one of my favourite persons in the world, Stephanie Betant and her mum, who I will see in a few days in Beijing.

Then a few days after that was the 2 Mag Art Issue dinner . . .

hosted by Lynn (editor-in-chief of 2 Mag and my BFF), Pette, Ying (the publisher) and me. We decided not to call it off even though it was very much the height of flood hysteria that weekend. It did not flood . . .

Atmo . . .

chairs that walked home with us.

Dinner was to launch this . . . . this is the real version. There are 60 Fake Limited versions floating around the place too. With outtakes and posters.

2 Mag Art Issue Oct/Nov 2011

Finally. . . it is always kinda fun to visit a new place or to visit an old place in a different light. Bkk the last few months has been a very strange place indeed, human error that led to what should not have happened and created a crisis, flood hysteria, melancholia and actual severe damage. I decided to become a flood refugee for a week and it was amazing how light it felt, to not feel victimised or so helpless. Singapore, usually robotland was fun this time around, and a breath of fresh air. I also did a small detour to KL where I have never ever been. It was interesting. . . especially to see the possibilities of an empty lot, an old building recently demolished next to the Petronas Twin Towers to be the canvas of B uro Ole Scheeren's first building, Angkasa Raya.

the floating building will take the place of the empty lot on top

Skyscrapers, especially ones like Ole's make me think of The Fountainhead. It then makes me wonder how possible it is to actively create or at least attempt to create what you believe in or that you love and continue to do so when there are so many obstacles. I guess I've been kinda lucky in that those I encounter in their own mysterious ways, do this . . . constantly and yet make it look like it is the most ordinary thing.

This is not farewell, it is platform migration.- Doy Moreau

See you very soon.

www.mysteriousordinary.com

Return to Venice - Part III - memories

2011-09-07T08:55:00.001+07:00

Venice is but a distant memory, it was 3 months ago but there are somethings that have stuck to me and continue to inform some of the things that I have been thinking about. This is particularly so with TRA, the exhibition at the Palazzo Fortuny. Curated by 4 curators with the big standout name of Axel Vervoodt. Sure it felt like INFINITUM of 2 years ago and the show he did 2 years before that, after all his signature is so strong but the completely seamless juxtaposition of old and new, cold and hot, soft and hard, the collection is nothing but perfection. Brilliant.

I loved the ground floor of Italain and Japanese abstract painted panels that felt like Pollock but predates it all by 3 decades, of ancient Buddhist statues and a video by Araya, of her singing to 2 corpses. Perfection. Dark, cool perfection. I still want to live in a place like that, to be so effortless yet so perfect with still some room for surprise.

Not to mention that the Palazzo is next to one of my fave restaurants in Venice. My favourite restaurant in fact. Delicious lunch of pasta and meat and too much wine, and accidently and lovely catch up with Waan and P'Eric (have not seen them since their wedding, they are in Venice as Jim Thompson foudnation is one of hte patrons of th eThai pavilion) a boat ride away from the Giardini for P'Navin's opening.

What a perfect opening, at that golden hour of 4 pm on the roofdeck of the Gallery Paradiso with beer, champagne and snacks. There were too many people there to actually have a look at the art (good sign) but the pha kao ma bags on the guests on the roofdeck with the most brillaint view of the sea under the shade big trees, that is what an openign is all about. So happy to see Eric and WAan, and joined by my new friends, the Visionaires + Patrick Li and Ole before he left Navinland for Neverland (china).

Polly
Ole
Navin

Waan and Eric

We then trudged on to the Fondazine Prada opening, talk about a traffic jam at the entrance! We then thought we would walk from there to our favouriate cicchetti place near the Accademia, when we go there after a 40 minute walk expertly navigated by Chris Bollen, it was closed because it was an Italian holiday that day and it was too much work to stay open. Yes, that's Italy for you. We settled for simple sandwiches near Accademia before going to Big Bambu by Michael and Doug Starn next to the Guggenheim. Patrick Li worked on this as it was by Manifesto magazine, a magazine Gucci has commissioned Stephano Tonchi (of W) to guest edit. It was fantastic. The Big Bambu was actually 5 times the size at The Met in NY last year, reduced in size but defiitely not in impact. Especially when the bamboo would crack and walking up, to catch a glimpose of Venice in a Bamboo shelter could be life threatening, though it was not really. When we go up, total surfer vibe, cushins music and everythinbg divine. I considered stating a sponsoring Chomwan to sleep in Big Bambu innitiative, Patrick even asked the artist but it did not happen. Really it was just spectacular, I loved it. Felt like home, maybe this is what it was like to live int he make shift bamboo fort last year in Bangkok. Who would have ever though this would be considered art when after all bamboo is in a way of life, but there is no denying its ability to shock, shelter and in this case to stun and entertain. Way to go Starn brothers! If I were to create something from bamboo, I would recreate that fort, or simulate that same sense of danger, community and anger smack in the centre of venice. or not. Loved the view

View
artist
Cecilia and I

Then on we went to the Bauer for Dasha Zhucova's Garage CCC oepnign of Commercial Break curated by Neville Wakefield and supported by Post Ipad mag which is Xerxes' mag. GREAT turn out, the biggest turn out probably in Venice. London was in full effect, with very little of the "art" world, so no it was not "serious" but then again past midnight, what is? It was absurd and shocking to also see grown adults fight at the door, perhaps part of some kind of installation, or real life? Props to Nadine Johnson who totallly kept it under control.

twins

me and Cecilia

me and Patrick

Jason and David

I was happy in our little corner that Dee Poon and I discovered away from the crowd with our smuggled alcohol. The NY crew left earlier to search for food but we struggled on. It was hard to see the little breaks as their original intention of breaks on boats did not happen. By the time that Jefferson got on the decks at B-bar all I wanted to do was go home. It was after all 4 am and I knew that I still had the Arsenale to wander the next day.

Remake Remodel London

2011-09-05T15:00:00.003+07:00

Better late than never, a whole month after the event . . . though perhaps timely as my piece in the Bkk Post about Remake Remodel was just published the other day . . .this would be the behind the scenes if you like.

One week on from Remake Remodel which took place on August 2nd - London was burning, I was already back in Thailand. Time is such a strange thing such that within a week, so much can change . . .it has been within doubt one of the most tumultuous months I can remember. I remember getting ready to leave for London to Remake Remodel (more on the this later) and that same weekend, starting it, was the passing of Lucian Frued, then the monstrosity in Oslo and later that night the tragic death of Amy Winehouse. An eventful weekend indeed. Later in the week, I found myself back at "home" or whatever one might call a city wher I have spent half my life, this time, not back to live but for a Show, one which Lynn and I had the pleasure of being involved with in the capacity of communications and pr, Remake Remodel.

Remake Remodel was a showcase of 3 ready to wear and 1 accesoreis collection by 4 Thai young designers living in London using silks and woven textiles from the Silapacheep Foundation which took place at the Serpentine Summer Pavilion designed by Peter Zumthor.

walk through

Lynn

So new generation kids working with old school Thai textiles that in many cases have been lost as their creator/weaver have long passed. The point of the SUPPORT Foudnation's activities is to create supplementary income for village weavers and silk clusters, thus there are stock piles of such textiles ready to be used for future generations, should they organise themselves to do so. After working with these amazing designers, I realised that my PhD research is not at all redundent and it will be worth finishing it off as it is not just about supplmentary income but in fact the creation of value from cottage industries and the organisation of such clusters which can then become part of a real production chain equipped with quality control and standards. This is not to say that it will lose its soul or "aura" as there will be system created but that some organisation and long term vision that organises and manages rights inherent int he work should be key in preserving and evolving traditional know-how into the future. Theory aside as I am not sure how far the Foundation has economics or IP concerns as driving elements, the show was wonderful.

backstage

Fresh and completely different from anything anyone would have seen lately. Much of the credit must go to Peter Zumthor for his serene and singular pavilion, one which let's natural light, the flowers that of course take a life of their own and the materials he chose do the talking. The pavilion seemed to get along with Remake Remodel as the dialogue between the space and clothes was seamless. A few delicate English wild flowers, a few lights and an abundance of silk, what more can one ask for . . .oh and of course the motley crew of VIP Thai officials and big fashion names and our friends. This is where Lynn and I really have our friends to thank, they all showed up. Then there were the new garde of Pun Sarasas' designer friends from CSM, this is the new crop.

A lot of times, pictures speak lounder than words . . . and from Sorada's collection to Boat's to Pun's, one could never ever mistake them for each other, their characters unique and the worlds they exist in tottally their own. These are my outakes . . .I positioned my self next to the DJ Gun so at the end of the run way, the narrow side of the pavilion wher ethe view was not so shabby.

Sorada

Boat

Pun

There was something rather democratic about the Pavilion, the seats next to the walls and the little seats in front, everyone was arm's length from the models. Rudi's shoes from the dominatrix booties on Sorada's beautiful nymphs, to Boat's gladiators to Pun's rock and roll Venice beach boys in transparent clogs . . . there was humour and elegance.

It lasted 18 minutes. Who would have thought that silk from rural families and weaving clusters would make it to the Serpentine and thrive. Then again, we should not expect any less!

me, Paula Goldstein and Caroline Lever

Caroline Issa and I with Fab in the background

me and Lisa

And after that . . . well, that was just the beginning. Or so we hope so. See you next year Serpentine Pavilion.

The rest of our time was a whirlwind, I'm happy to have caught up with my old peeps and reminded of how it feels like to come back somewhere that is so close yet a completely different world. Let's not forget how fun it was to get to make new friends, well done to the team at Remake Remodel and thank you for including us. Remake Remodel 2012 . . see you then. xx

R.I.P. Lucian Freud

2011-07-22T11:05:00.001+07:00

It would not be too grand a statement nor an exaggeration to say that Lucian Freud was without doubt until a couple days ago one of the greatest living painters of his time and also our time. For decades he has captured raw emotions and people, his friends in a way that is his and his alone. I was mesmerised early on by the late Francis Bacon, Freud's friend an contemporary. It grew to become an obsession one fo my best friends in school at the time, Ria Kirby who is also a viciuosly talented artist was inspired by Lucian Freud.

Many years later, I bumped into Ria and Mr. Freud at the Wolseley, she was his art handler at the time and later sat for him, all this from a chance meeting. It reminded me that art is a living thing and someone who has contributed to the history of art in the way that Mr. Freud has will be remembered, and his paintings will always be around and loved.

R.I.P Lucian Freud

8 December 1922 – 20 July 2011 (88 years old)

A Shanghai Showdown

2011-07-21T15:09:00.016+07:00

A Showdown it certainly was when Miu Miu decided to host a big party in Shanghai in one of the world's tallest hotels and create an entire Miu Miu world out of it.

Sebastian Suhl invited me to go along for one night in Shanghai, literally. I got on the red-eye arrived in Shanghai at 5 am and was escorted by a Miu Miu girl to my car. I was deposited at the Park Hyatt, where there was construction taking place. I wish I wasn't so groggy and took a picture as it was not any normal construction but Prada construction, a huge backdrop where the 1940's was starting to appear in the form of smoky facades, mirror cut silhouettes and big lights just for the night. No one had told me this, well, Seb certainly did not, that Hotel was actually closed to the public for Miu Miu.

It is without doubt one of the best hotels in the world, my 84th floor room with a Bund view was spectacular. The fact that I was greeted by a big pink Goody bag which contained a next season Miu Miu purse, the invitation and a letter from Sebastian AND breakfast would prove that!

View from my room

breakfast, bed and prezzie

As I was in Shanghai, I was adamant on getting myself out of the Park Hyatt to do a little bit of exploring and eat Shanghainese dumplings. One absolutely cannot go to Shanghai without having Xiao Long Bao, true there this now a din tai fung in most capitals including Bangkok but there is nothing like having them in Shanghai. I thought I would find the perfect ones at at Jia Jian Tang Bao, however when I got there, it was closed. I was saved by the other dumpling I read about, Yang's friend dumplings across the street.

CLOSED!

saved by Yang's Fried Dumplings

The cheap fatty neighbour Yang's was a good fix and after devouring them understood the queue for them. I popped along to Xin Tian Di as it is so pleasant and there is a branch of Din Tai Fung there.

dumpling perfection

When I was last in Shanghai it was freezing and hailing, so I missed the Bund walk, touristy as it is, it is very cool. I also managed to squeeze in a little visit to 18 Gallery where there was a street art show, beautiful restored building 18 on the Bund.

JonOne at 18 Gallery

The Park Hyatt is in Pudong, it is on the other side of the water . . . not the most convenient for site-seeing but I suppose the new buildings on Pudong side justify it, they too are spectacular.

The Park Hyatt, notice window cleaner on left

Topped off my exploration day with a swim in the pool at what has got to be the highest indoor pool I have ever swum in. Then at 7 pm on the dot, my Sebastian friend arrived and we went straight down to the lobby of a spectacular 1940's NY hotel that just happens to be in 2011 Shanghai on the 87th floor of the Park Hyatt overlooking the Bund. I met the Thai contingency, P'Ann is absolutely lovely, she's Prada Thailand. And also P'Aaew and P'Vicky who are the Prada landlords as they own the malls Prada are in (Miu Miu will open in October). The drinks in the "lobby" was only the beginning.

before in Sorada and Miu Miu

lobby of skycrapers and mirror palms

The party was to take place over 4 floors in different room with different themes and different activities. Dinner at the very private Supper Club was wonderful, I felt like I was sitting in a pod in the clouds, the idea was to see the view but that did not happen but it gave it a certain mystery being literally high in the clouds.

supper club

I was on the table with Sebastian, my date for the night (and also the Host), HK actress Cecilia Cheung and Taiwanese actress Terry across from me and on my right Tanny Kea, an amazing lady from Singapore.

The AW 11 Miu Miu show took place literally, next to us. The shoes were definitely the high lights, I have three different pairs on my wishlist and also the backless black dresses with the fur shoulders. Please excuse the blurry pics, Seb did keep saying I was incapable of taking a clear pic, well, I would agree in this instance as we sat so very close it was impossible to focus! The backdrop was Metropolis with a dash of Jetsons

Cecilia Cheung and I

Miu Miu AW 2011 in Shanghai

Next up was the dash to lifts to get to the next activity . .we went to a quiet "Sparkle Club" to realise that it was too early and we needed to be on the top top floor for the Cabaret. The Park Hyatt's highest view point was turned into a dimly lit, 40's style cabaret, totally risque, totally fun. We sat on super low velvet seats and so close I thought the lasso guy would hit us. I was next to beautiful actress and MTV vj Zhu Zhu. We loved the lasso guy and also the funny looking hula hoop guy. Let's not forget the super hot hostess.

Me, Tanny and Sebastian

Next was a performance by Florrie in the Sparkle Club. Perfect for Miu Miu in the Sparkle Club. . .cheeky girly, totally a pretty doll but full of surprises. I mean, no one expected her to starting banging on the drums like she did. The club was filled with porcelain versions of all the things that girls love and like floating from the ceiling with a sculpture in front.

Sparkle sculpture

Mimi Xu (aka DJ Misty Rabbit)

Florrie

Next we back down the freight elevator (the fastest way) to see Dan Lywood play and hang in the lounge, by this time I had lost track of what floor we were on and where we were going. I just know that it was fun and Nadia, Seb's friend from HK who manages the Gagosian HK was awesome.

Next, I found myself in the Moonshine Room, made myself some new friends and met the set designer Karl Sprague who did the ridiculously amazing sets, no surprise that he works in film and on Wes Anderson's Royal Tenenbaums. Definitely cinematic. Then back it was to the Sparkle Club where Mimi Xu was rocking the dancefloor so hard with her final set that non one wanted to leave.

What FUN! If there is anyone hows knows how to throw a big fat bash and still make it feel like it's a big family party, it's gotta be Prada. It was so intimate and fun that I really did not want it to end, it was like one minute it was 7 pm, the next 2 am and the lights were coming on. Intimate 1940's everyting in a roaring metropolis set way above the clouds - how's that for a contradiction? I am sure I will soon find myself in a Miu Miu store swooning over the shoes I mentally noted and buying them, just to remind myself of the magic of Miu Miu in Shanghai. Thank you Sebastian for inviting me, it was amazing. Until the next Prada memory . . . xx

Miu Miu girl the morning after waiting to put me in the car

Exit to the North

2011-07-03T17:40:00.012+07:00

Any excuse to go up to Chiangmai is a good excuse and MTV Exit's invitation to Chiangmai to stay at the Four Seasons Mae Rim and do the backstage interviews at the MTV Exit, Live in Chiangmai concert definitely fits the bill.

Despite the rain and the gloom, the Four Seasons is still lovely, we had a really spacious pavilion overlooking the rice paddies. The view onto the rice paddies is sublime, it is a very manicured rice paddy but they have kept the little wooden rice huts in the distance and buffaloes roam around. It is like living in another time with the comforts of the Four Seasons, I could probably get used to it! Especially as the food is rather good, I had a bite of the Club Sandwich, defo not a traditional one, a little bit Italian inspired but still good and I loved the gnocchi.

room

view from room

gnocchi

water buffaloes Tong and Tae x me

MTV Exit is MTV's campaign vs. human trafficking. MCOT happens to be their media partner for the campaign with the documentary premiering tonight! July 5th at 11.45 pm on Modernine. It is an informative, honest and very well made documentary about human trafficking, it raises awareness as to how shattering and widespread the crime is, especially in SE Asia and is hosted by Ananda (who is the ambassador for this campaign). The concert was an awareness raising event coupled together with major entertainment with the finale being the Korean phenomenon Super Junior M. It was pretty amazing what the turn out was considering the fact that it rained and rained all day and that the stadium is outdoors. We are talking 20,000 people in blue ponchos watching shortfilms made about the perils of human trafficking by students from Chiang Mai universtity and around the region between sets from ETC, Thaitainium, Slot-Machine and Kate Miller-Heidke.

Lee, Ananda and P'Jeab backstage

Thaitanium, Southside and I

the audience during Super Junior M set

Super Junior M paparazzi shot

There is this kind of craziness that comes with Korean pop stars, this idol worship and devoted fan behaviour which until that night I have never seen. I mean, properly, fans running through the rain to get prime spot, fans fainting, fan club gifts, this obsession. The managers are able to safeguard the artists' personalities to the point that they are untouchable, that probably adds to their appeal. I got a tiny little glimpse . . . then got thrown off the side stage, then went to hang out with the cops on the other side stage. I kinda get it but not really. Oh well, not gonna fight against millions who just love them to ask why. The concert special (with my little backstage interviews) will air on Modernine TV too, on July 17th at 21.30. Should be fun!

The next day, we just hung out, it's nice to be in the mountains, grey skies, and that kind of forest jungle feel. It's sleepy and calm. The little Wawee coffeshop and gallery on the hill is really nice, there were brother and sister cats hanging out in the little shrine too.

And its nice to know that you can walk out of the Four SEasons grounds to get a little bit of local action. The local action on that day were fans, lots of them, plotting a way to enter the Four Seasons to meet Super Junior, talk about determination. We witnessed a fan who was able to convince the security guard to take her bouquet of flowers to Super Junior. Sweet.

Back to the Four Seasons.

The weekend ended with a lovely wrap party at Ratree bar by the pool (the MTV crew all ended up in the pool, I did not) nicely done and thank goodness for the 24 hour room service.

K Yanisa, Ananda, K Titiya, Kate Miller-Heide and Ruici

Then finally time to leave, short little northern escape, without going to North Gate and Huanpen! I think that warrants as an excuse to go back very soon.

Return to Venice - Part II

2011-06-14T14:02:00.010+07:00

Day 2 was all about the Giardini, the Giardini is where the permanent natinal pavilions are. Navin's Paradiso di Navin was right at the entrance, in the a paradise of calm (more on this later).

I have formed a system in my Biennale wanders, for the Giardini, I prefer to start at the Grand Pavilion which is the International Exhibition curated by a certain curator. This year Bice Curiger under the title of Illuminations. I then make my way around the country pavilions. Upon entering the Grand Pavilion, what struck me hard was the Colombo lazer beam room, genius especially in its distortion of physical space, kind of sci-fi. Jack Goldstein's video and the big big room of Tintoretto. Three Tintorettos were on loan to the Biennale by Venice, a classical painter of light in a sea of contemporary.

Strange especially when you look around and realise that there are pigeons everywhere. For a moment you think the pigeons might move and you think, yeah, they invaded the Pavilion, then you realise that they are dead and stuffed and Maurizio Cattelan's trick.

They are a menace yet you cannot avoid them as you make your way through the Pavilion. I loved how they were on the pipes and loomed above Jakob ahd his invisible installation (again). My faves were the Polke paintings the Fischli and Weiss installation. There was an interesting room of coloured panels by a young artist but to me it was so obviously about light and colour that it was a bit much though entertaining. I suppose with a theme like Illuminations, one cannot avoid the discussion fo national dialogue, space, borders and literaly, light, even if after a bit of time it seems a bit cliched.

Fischli and Weiss

Susan and Lara where my lunch dates at Da Franz, Andrew Glenn and Jonathan were around too. Another handy Giardini favourite, great food, a twist on the Venetian faves. Literally next door to the Giardini. I had my bacala fix and venetian bigoli with anchovy paste. To die for.

We went to all almost all the countries in the Giardini, except for England, Germany, Japan and Israel. I wanted to kick myself for not going to see England the day before as it transpired that Mike Nelson's installation created queues hours and hours long. High lights were the Nordic Pavillion and USA.

America's Gloria by Allora and Calzadilla was a glorious celebration of what is America with an undertone of darkness and criticism of authority and recent policy. Sponsored by Hugo Boss (this was very clear, the fashion invasion, more on this later too)

singing ATM

I also liked Korea and France. It was how they really seemed to "capture" a nation, their nation, or at least what the nation appears to be, their obsessions. There was no denying the monochromatic nihilistic world of France's Boltanski. Nor the pop subversiveness of Korea's Lee Yangboek. Sweden was serene and stunning and included Pia's Borderless Bastard that was sprinkled around other pavilions a very clever and "dialogue" between a national artist and Pia's statues (recorded on audio guides).

Sweden

Korea

The Swiss pavilion made me so uncomfortable and was just so in your face it was THE low on my Pavilion list though I can appreciate the effort. It just seemed a bit ridiculous that a country that is neutral who should not engage much should go out of its way to make such a grand (obnoxious) statement about the "Crystal of Resistance" that forms in countries that have been ravaged by both man-made (political) and natural disasters. Sure it was hopeful, after all, crystals are positive and light and beautiful and they form as a result of a struggle, however, it was slightly self-riteous and terribly voyeuristic when your nation does not actually engage but is a safe haven. Perhaps Hirschorn was trying to criticise his country's position, not sure but I know that cottonbud kryptonite and bits of glass poking from chairs and bubble wrap tried a bit too hard.

A corporate space but a very nice one was Fabrizio Plessi's Plessimari supported by LVMH. I had gone to Plessi's Guidecca studio two years ago with Arnold Can and Yves Carcel and Fabrizio showed us the blueprint. The blueprint was now alive iwht tilted life sized boes with "water" projections. Peaceful yet dramatic and very beautiful though definitely somethin that could never be commissioned by a nation unless that nation was a fashion conglomorate like LVMH.

Going through the Giardini with Lara and Susan, joined later by Norbert and Juanita meant that we properly did the Giardni, I ususally take my time but in this case, we saw almost everything. Even popping over to James Putnam's collaboratoral event next door.

Susan and Lara

By this time my legs wanted to drop and all I wanted to do was sleep, we had an apteritivo at Bauer and Susan made me promise to meet her at the White Cube party. I remember the jetlag that day was so unbeareable, I skipped the Pinault party and made a fuss about getting back up to go to the Monaco Hotel for Christian Marclay's party by the White Cube. I finally did and it was worth it.

The ballroom of the Monaco is stunning. Caught up with Masoud and was introduced to Ole Schereen, the star architect and awesome guy. He had great stories about living in Bangkok in the late nineties, right after our economic crash. Sadly I missed the right night screening of Marclay's The Clock, the 23.59 hrs. was apparently amazing.

Me at the Monaca in thatwasBoat's toile

Arnold then rescued us to take us to Maurizio Cattelan's Toilet Paper (his new mag) party, it was a rave, in a school in the Isola San Savorola. Far and could have been cool if we got there earlier. So Arnold rescued us again with his boat and we landed at the Bauer, us and a few buckets of champers with the motley crew we collected plus Gabe, Xerxes, Erika and Julian Solmes.

Arnold and Ole

Lara, Erika and Hannah

Oh Venice, how we love you. Especially when there is space for us to sit on the Bauer terrace after a day like that one.

Return to Venice - Part I

2011-06-10T17:25:00.007+07:00

My return to Venice for the opening week of 2011 Biennale di Venezia is also a return from blog oblivion and marks 2 years since my first posts which were also about Venice. In fact it was what I saw in Venice which inspired me to document and share so it's rather nice to go back.

ILLUMInations is my 4th Biennale, as usual, Venice was wonderful, always nice to catch up with old friends, make new ones, return to my fave restaurants and obviously see and experience an abundance of art (and go to parties too of course).

The first day was full on, to pick up my press pass meant going through the Arsenale, if it was not for my lunch date at Corte Sconta with Hannah Bhuiya I would have taken the time to indulge in the empty corridors and immerse myself in the James Turrell room without queuing (the first day is the pre preview). I did manage to get a glimpse though of pieces that I would go back and gawk over. In particular, the Birdhead piece and the Bruno Jakob invisible painting. What I did not know then that I know now is that I also got to see GELITIN pre-performance . . .

Bruno Jakob

GELITIN

Corte Sconta is worth it, especially as it was my first day and they say you should take it gently, it was so nice to catch up with Hannah, who was my Biennale buddy 2 years ago at Casa Caraccia. Mega highly recommended, we loved Corte Sconta (and the fact that it is a stone's throw from the Arsenale).

After an amazing lunch of seafood that was a surprise from beginning to end we went to the very new Fondazione Prada. In true Prada style, it felt effortless, thoughtful and was jam packed with some amazing works. My faves were the Arte Povera rooms (amazing), the OMA installation and the Louise Borgeouis room in the back. Amazing stuff, I love how they kept it raw and on that day, you could still smell the fresh paint as it was the first unveiling.

OMA miniature mock up new Prada space in Rome

Louise Borgeouis

We had the bright idea of taking a vaporetto to the Palazzo Grassi but after a 30 minute wait we were informed that they were on strike, so on foot we went. The Grassi is the antithesis of Prada Foundation, whereas Prada is subtle and breathtaking, the Grassi is brash, glossy and breathtaking. It is the collection of Francois Pinault (PPR, owns Gucci and many others), the character of the collection is very different, bigger and more colourful, not so much to my taste but glad I got to see it. I loved how the show mixed old and new, very new, my faves were the Matthew Day Jackson room, a young French artist who made me think I was in a vampire flick with a clever distorted version of a dark Venice, Cyprien Gaillard's projection (so much better than his beer label photos at the Grand Pavilion), and Pennone leaf room. I spent a bit of time at the Grassi two years ago and had a real look at the collection which apart from about 40% remained the same. The main installation was fun, colourful and really did lay its roots all around the palazzo but I found it slightly obviuos especially when there was a giant pink Koons dog staring at it. I suppose there is a market in that.

Then we made a dash to my hotel, to freshen up a bit before the night, next stop was for San Giorgio island for Anish Kapoor. The Isola di San Giorgio and its cathedral is usually the home of the Prada Foundation except as you can see above, Prada has found a permanent home. The church was thus given to Anish Kapoor for his site-specific installation. Hannah and I bumped into Pierluigi Tazzi, the curator who has also published several books on Kapoor. It was not our imagination that the turbine and the wind was not yet "perfect" the moving tunnel which was to look like a vortex was still adjusting, he confirmed this. You still get the "picture" but it would have been good if we went back when there were less people and they get the wind level right. Luckily, my camera caught it but unfortunately, has since been erased (weird).

the only picture left from first night :( en route to San Giorgio

We continued to sunset drinks at the Bauer terrace where I met Jefferson Hack who is lovely and remet Virginia Damsta of Riflemaker. Very much the London crew. From there we went to Angela Missoni's boat for a candlelit dinner. I loved Florian, one part of GELITIN, I would see more of him later in Some Like it Hot. After seeing that performance I am adamant that they must come to Thailand. From there we went to the Bauer, first night at the Bauer . . .where most nights would end up as per every Biennale I have been to so far.

A small note, my hotel was right around the corner near San Marco Square, the location was so perfect I will not ever stay anywhere else again even though Dorsoduro is terribly charming, San Marco/Castello is extremely strategic.

Day one over, 5 more to go!

Navinland, Venice, Italy

2011-05-27T11:41:00.005+07:00

"This year, will be Thailand’s fifth participation at the Biennale and will present for the first time a pavilion whose reigning artist, Navin Rawanchaikul was invited by the commissioning body, the Thai Ministry of Culture’s Office of Contemporary Art and Culture (OCAC) rather than being a winner of the Biennale competition which the Ministry holds. This initiative is worthy, not only because Navin was awarded the national Silapathorn citation from the Ministry for his accomplishments in the field of visual arts, though the invitation is not directly related to this particular title, but because Navin in fact a big enough force in both the local and international contemporary art world to pull off such an ambitious presentation. Titled Paradiso di Navin, a Mission to Establish Navinland, Navin invites his viewers to enter his world, literally, “Navinland”. A derivation of Thailand and continuation of the themes that he has worked with before, in particular his Navin Party series where he scoured the earth looking for the Navins of different nations to form his “party”, one that lacks borders and nationality, united only by name. It begs the question of what this really means, the idea of nation, fitting with the Exhibition’s theme and also sensitive to Thailand’s tireless divisive political conundrum. So here we look to establish a land of Navin, it is the mission. Can a nation be made up sole of “Navins” irrespective of where they actually come from? Navinland is imaginary but it still has its inhabitants (Navins), its constitution, its manifesto, its political party, even its own food and drinks. After all it will be geographically located in at the Paradiso gallery at the entrance of the Giardini della Biennale, this location made possible by collaboration with the Concilio Europeo dell’Arte. Paradiso is appropriate as it where art-fatigued biennale visitors will come to find sanctuary in food, drink and conversation, this time though, by taking sanctuary they will be entering a para-pavillion, they will be experiencing “art”. This is because the site-specific work will incorporate everyday things; it will be his way of exploring and challenging traditional definitions of culture and also art and where for him “this is not just for art people and the art world but for everyone and then it is somewhere where something unexpected can happen”. The search for the establishment of this new nation is multi-disciplinary in form as it uses a broad area of media including installation, film, performance, mobile galleries, billboards, comics, games, merchandise and even cocktails. His collaboration with silk house Jim Thompson will enable him to style the Paradiso restaurant and bar with Pha Khao Mar textile and also to create souvenirs and memorabilia for visitors to Navinland."

- excerpt from my article in the Bangkok Post, ILLUMInations and Navinland at the 54th Venice Biennale, a Preview published on May 25th 2011.

The Venice Biennale Opening week is from May 31st - June 3th.

The Venice Biennale, ILLUMInations 2011, will run from June 4th - November 27th 2011

Surf's up

2011-04-27T11:54:00.003+07:00

and this time it's Cindy Crawford shot by Patrick Demarchelier, styled by Grace Coddington . . . in Alaia in 1991 . . .that's right.

I want to go surfing!

Surfer Girl

2011-04-25T13:35:00.005+07:00

or more like the girl, in this case Kate Moss, who hangs out with hot surfers, especially ones getting into their boardshorts by the side of a car . . . a la Bruce Weber.

I love this picture.

A vision of the future

2011-04-22T11:58:00.003+07:00

from 1997, Prada fall/winter by Glen Luchford. Clean yet smokey, sharp yet so mysterious. Mrs. Prada you have always remained so true. Stumbled upon this by accident, was reminded that I will forever and always be a minimalist.

Rather fitting with the way we are now, starkly modern yet with a primitive touch, a rawness. The 90's had something right.

Big Number

2011-03-29T16:11:00.012+07:00

30 is a big number, well, I have always thought of it as a rather big number, age-wise that is. The pressure of throwing a big 30 bday bash was rather large but in the end I opted for dinner and a little street party RMA* style where I celebrated turning 30 with good friends and loads of food and alco. It was definitely the combination of P Ing's sweet and addictive pineapple mojito, P'Oun's porksticks, Bo of Bo.lan's salads, noodles from P'Oh's fave noodle spot, Sai Oua northern sausage that P'Joei and Teem hooked me up with that made for such an enjoyable night.

Bday portraits. . . .

Other highlights were homemade cupcakes by Jelly Jan, all 31 of them with separate candles (extra one for good luck), my second cake which was Pette's victoria sponge and third which was Pim's peanut butter cheesecake! 3 cakes, that really should last a whole month.

As the month of March draws to a close, I look back and think, maybe it is just a number but a really great excuse to celebrate (and on a more serious note, grow up).

*RMA Institute is Piyatat Hemmatat's (P'Oh) space, it is sort of like my second home. It is here that P'Oh has an office - secluded and calm oasis of dim light, great sound system and a wonderful record collection that he passionately adds to with the help of Amazon. It is also home to a wonderful free space where artists can show work, performance artists can perform and filmmakers can screen movies with the wonderful projector. Outside is the garden cafe where Bo and Dylan of Bo.lan throw together fresh ingredients for brunch and lunch everyday except Mondays. I am addicted to their truffled poached eggs and their mega creative salads. Bo made this amazing fennel and orange salad for my bday. Last but not least, let's not forget Dukdik, the resident Princess, a true Cinderella of a Thai pup. Love her.

Hong Kong Hero

2011-03-25T16:42:00.006+07:00

Uncle Boonmee (though he is no longer with us) was the first person Apichatpong Weerasethakul thanked as he accepted the Best Film Award for Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives, at the 5th Annual Asian Film Awards in Hong Kong last Monday night.

P'Joei has been globetrotting around the world with very little time to rest for the success of Uncle Boonmee has been just phenomenal and as he said on Monday night, for such a small film, it has come so far and he is very proud. A hero in HK with his small film against big budget Chinese ones, this should give us some hope. I believe that it does.

There were some especially memorable moments that night with the speeches made for Japan, in the light of earthquake, tsunami,and nuclear catastrophe. It is always seen as somewhat decadent when a natural disaster hits or political turmoil is rife for entertainment awards to go on, in this case, the Japanese contingency showed their resilience and strength by being there. I found the speech by Thomas Yoda, the director of the Tokyo International Film Festival to be sincere and most touching. The Chinese blockbuster Aftershock which was about the aftershock of a huge earthquake in China was a tale about the human spirit and the human will to survive, this was somewhat appropriate and relevant that night.

I went along to the Award Ceremony and was very lucky to have been taken care of by Norman Wang and his friend Helen so I had a pretty good seat and could see all the action pretty up close. Apart from P'Joei's win which was certainly the best monment of the night for me there was an awesome performance by an Indian band called Indian Ocean, sensational, so fun and a bit of exoticism to what would otherwise have been a rather grand, quite formal Chinese affair . The band won best score for an Indian film called Peepli Live. I did like how these big blockbusters sat alongside small indie productions and both were recognised. Rather refreshing. It was nice to have a brief catch up with Harvey Weinstein, in a rather jolly mood, I would be too though if I had the victories he had for his recent films, The King's Speech and not to mention The Fighter and the reception Blue Valentine has had. I will forever agree with VF that Harvey is probably one of the last cinema impresarios, love or hate him, I find him rather inspiring.

The AFA after party was quite fun, especially as dinner was served (the award ceremony took HOURS and we were famished)and in true Asian style, the big sponsor, Audi was in full display with a vehicle placed in the centre of the room. Nonetheless, I did enjoy seeing P'Joei congratulated and applauded as he did the rounds at the party:)

Me and P'Joei

Lee and I

The AFA was a highlight though I was actually in HK for Filmart which is this humongous film market that is part of Hong Kong's annual entertainment expo. It was my first time, not so different from Art Fairs and I suppose Fashion Salons but this was a whole different ball game, films were being bought and sold. I saw a brilliant documentary about Sir Norman Foster called "How Much Does Your Building Weigh Mr Foster?" and the short films commissioned by the HKIFF Society. The Malaysian short was great, cheeky, funny but still quite dark and I liked Apichatpong's M Hotel for its imagery and mood, again, dreamy but this time a bit grittier. At first I was a little confused and after some time it just sort of sucks you in.

It is customary to have a press junket for the best film winner the next day and I had the chance to sit in to watch P'Joei answer many questions in the most fluent and thought provoking way. In the background was a poster of Ananda Everingham, this too was part of what was being unveiled that morning. His new project, a film that he will be producing, Lee Chatametikool's film, the name has been changed from Past Love to Concrete Clouds and will be starring Ananda and Jane, the film will also be produced by iconic filmmaker Sylvia Chang, Thai producer Soros Sukhum and Electric Eel. Lee is P'Joei's frequent editor (also award winning editor having won best editor at the AFA twice) but this will be his directorial debut. I am bit excited (an understatement really, very excited). The movie will be set in 1985 and 1997, the earlier years as flashbacks and the present in 1997, the height of the economic meltdown in Thailand where a tragedy brings back the hero from NYC to deal with "home", and what he left. Lee is particularly poignant when speaking about monuments which are what these characters search for, monuments of their youth which might or might not be there anymore. All the while he searches and goes back to find that the monuments are faded and like the big empty abandonded skeletons of bangkok, they are empty. This echoes the writer/director's own experience as he returned home to these stark lonely buildings resembling concrete clouds. The hero's story is mimicked by his younger brother, 18 years old and discovering things for himself, building his own monuments. I do like the title, it captures the slow heart break as well as the physical and economic reality of that time, these concrete clouds.

P'Joei and Lee with legendarly filmmaker Yonfan

Film festivals, fashion weeks and art fairs have in common many elements, hard work being one but there are also the parties to lok forward to. The Japan party was sweet but my favourite was the Hollywood Reporter dinner at a stall on the street just off Stanley. Street food a la Hollywood. So cute.

Kay, P'Juke, Yuni and friend

It was also fun that Jane decided to join us (she will be co-starring in Concrete Clouds), straight off the plane with her giant silver Rimowa case that the lucky chap she was with wheeled up and down the hill. It was HK after all.

Jane and I

Jane, Lee and I

We went to Lily and Bloom for Penicillen cocktails and corn bread and a surprise meeting with Ivan Pun whom I seem to bump into everywhere. HK works well like that, surprise encounters, all very transient, always fun. My last night was about intoxication vs my first, a catch up with Dee Poon who took me to Kiku where I had a special Kiku roll that knocked the socks off Honmono in Bkk (and tripled my cholesterol leval for sure, it was all uni, toro and egg) and then to get my ears candled. Strange strange way to spend a Sunday night but after all it is HK and for such a straight place, it always has its way of surprising, in a good way.

Island Love

2011-03-04T13:45:00.013+07:00

The final installment of the beginning of a new Act in a beautiful love story, the marriage of Waan and Eric. This time on the beach, at the Amanpuri.

A day of fun in the sun, Lynn then stressing over her speech for Waan as the best man P'Kamthon had since September to prepare his speech, and Lynn, since our arrival in Phuket, that morning.

Pasri and Nagara

The Amanpuri is still the epitomy of elegance, Ed Tuttle's design is timeless. The wedding started by Cocktails on the private deck . . . familiar faces, as P'Puoi puts it, deja vu to Bali perhaps, we then descended upon the beach.

Me (in homemade "Chomwan"), P'Opas, Waan (in gorgeous vintage Halston)

The way that Freddy, the manager, and his beautiful wife Lisa set up the "tent" and the entire evening, art directed by the ravishing Pasri Bunnag (Eric's mum) was spectacular. Subtle yet perfectly done. One is greeted by a sea of soft light, hundreds of candles on the beach then strands of orchids blowing in the wind, attached of to a frame but it was dark so it looked like strands of fresh orchids softly lit in orange swaying in the wind and floating in darkness.

Harry and I

The speeches were brilliant. . . Lynn's sweet and touching as the bride's friend and P Kam's speech as best man, witty and very funny. My favourite line was, "Men are like floor tiles, if you lay them right the first time around, you can walk all over them". Whether or not that is true, you tell me. . .

Lynn and Waan post-speech

P'Kamthon

Waan

Pasri and Bill Booth

Khun Yai Pasri and P'Puoi

Fireworks went off in the distance as the speeches finished, almost as if they were planned especially for Eric and Waan. It is bizarre that this occasionally happens and so timely.

Me and Pasri

The crew of Mahapetra with the bride and groom

Drinks and dancing under stars on the beach, gossiping with the parents listening to them recount old stories until they ushered us upstairs for more celebrations.

Pasri and Jean Michel walking away to sleep

The "procession" where we lined up to toss flowers to the bride and groom was so sweet and the throwing of the bouquet.

Then as the party moved elsewhere on the property, we went to send off the bride and groom to the dingy to get on the MahaPetra, Khun Yai Pasri's and Jean Michel's wooden boat where the couple would sail into the sunrise. It felt very Armani/Calvin Klein to me, champagne, linen shorts and long flowing dresses, straight out of a Peter Lindeburg shoot, romantic and gorgeous. Old fashioned romance.

Next day recovery, I had to have the customary club sandwich (as I do when I stay at a hotel), there is no disputing that the food at the Aman rocks (the wedding banquet testament to this), especially with their healthy touch. The Club was off the menu, very good, very fresh and manages to be elegant of sorts though it's really the gazpacho that rocks my world.

black pool

I decided to decamp to Phuket town to stay in one of those little boutique spots that I have so long wanted to experience. It was not a disappointment as I loved the little Casa 104 . . .

Casa 104

A morning breakfeast of more yellow curry (after the night before's feast at raya) then onwards to the sea once more, this time to Yao Noi.

Me and Corto sombrero (last images as hat is gone - sobs)

A little taste of island love . . .Phuket island love . . .

What memories. I think this is what people mean when they say memories are made of these. . . LOVE.

From Esarn with Love

2011-02-25T11:53:00.007+07:00

Last weekend, Powpow and I went on a road trip to the northeast, to Pakthongchai to be exact to Eric Booth's and Waan's wedding on the Jim Thompson farm. P'Eric greeted us at the entrance, the handsome groom, looking the part in a safari suit and pa khao ma. Me in my Pa Sin pleated skirt and an updated version of a krachao top, matching crescent Corto bag and flip flops, Powpow in chinos and a sarong as belt. What all the boys wore.

What P Eric said was that this would be unique, the old Esarn way. We entered a world which I have only seen in films, of the past, of Esarn, the entire Jim Thompson family (weavers, villagers, families, staff) were out to celebrate their union. The Esarn wedding ceremony is a unique one and involves lots of dancing, a procession through the fields and the groom buying the bride with gold and cattle. Quite a sight.

dancing at the Groom's house

procession of bananas, bird cages, people

Bride and Groom at Bride's house

Friends and family were all there, everyone in casual traditional garb, Khun Yai Pasri, my inspiration looking as ravishing as usual.

Powpow

P Harry, P Manit

P Rai, P Eric, P Sri

After the blessings which were songlike, we all gathered on the lawn to watch the sunset and the band play, luk thung of course to a backdrop saying Thanks Waan and Eric in Esarn dialect.

Food was delicous, drinks plentiful, P Rai and P Sri have their very handsome boys very well trained to fill up our makeshift ice bucket. Luk Thung and Molam. . .speeches, including one in Esarn by Eric's father, a touching moment by the bride and more music. It was like stepping into an Apichatpong film, perhaps Syndromes and a Century, with the lights, the stage, the music. It was a big village ceremony and party, 1000 people dancing.

Powpow and I left after some time for the long roadtrip home and as we we entered Bangkok, we realised that we had stepped into another world. We felt rejuvenated and very happy for the cutest couple ever and hugged by the simple romance of it all.

Congratulations Waan and P'Eric. xxx

R.I.P. Leroy Grannis

2011-02-08T14:45:00.006+07:00

Dubbed, by the NYT as the "godfather of surfphotography". Leroy Grannis was legendary for what he captured of the surf scene in the 1960's and 1970's and is the stuff of legends, iconic. It is from his pictures that the romance, the adventure, the fun of surfing was revealed to me. It is not just a sport, it is a lifestyle. It is beautiful.

"There's surfing royalty, and he was one of the kings," his son said. "He inspired so many big-name photographers that consider him their mentor."

1969, California also cover of his book published by Taschen.

1969, LeRoy Grannis surfing Hermosa Beach with his Calypso amphibious camera, invented by another aquatic legend– Jacques Cousteau. Photo by John Grannis.

RIP Leroy Grannis. 1917-2011. Thank you.

Bananas and Monkey, Stripes and Sequins.

2011-01-26T11:40:00.002+07:00

Prada Spring Summer 2011 show in Beijing. Not just any ordinary trunk show, (the Show was in Milan in the Fall)but Prada's special version for Beijing. Exclusively. I love that last year I was in Korea for the Transformer and this time in Beijing to see a show. What vision.

On a very cold Saturday night, Beijing descended upon the new CAA, Centre for Art. One is greeted with an organised queue, not the kind of riot you see at fashion weeks in the fashion capitals, then a corridor of bright green palm trees (it was -10 degrees celsius)and followed by a cameraman . . . every step of the way, not had that before, a man, literally, shadowing my every step.

Once inside you are greeted with people, dressed in black, fur, coats, Prada and an air of anticipation in a dimly-lit museum foyer.

Arnold lit the space, by that, I thought he meant the show, what he meant was he transformed the normally neon space into a glowing interior with brighter coloured lights shining through at certain points in space.

Stephanie and I followed Arnold to see the pre-show set up. The set was identical to the show in Milan. Prada had literally rebuilt everything.

After more drinks downstairs, we climbed up the ramp to the show. The little orange plastic seats made me think of big football pitches and the tremendous lights that shine on it . . . there had to be connection.

After a wait, in this case for the ravishing Gong Li to arrive . . . the show started with a brightly clad model . . . all sharp lines, bright colours . . .classically sporty and minimal yet so quirky. The music which accompanied this suggested as much the colours a throw back to exotic Mexican, Latino vibes and the jungle, the monkey clasp on the purses an exotic tough. Then the banana print blouses. My fave look was the neon sequined stripe dress with the platform brogues, silver platformed brogues with pink rubber and rope braid. It was such FUN. So noncholant . . the boys too in the same brogues, bags with the varsity logo. The bits I also loved were the striped sombreros and fur stoles. Then there was that added maximalist quirkiness. The looks felt a bit toned down but we were informed before that they were specially made for China and would be available the next day - China-wide.

my fave look

It was like they were walking on the panels that enclose those giant neon lights. It was an ELECTRIC show.

Going back down stairs to dinner (I loved the mud chicken - chicken wrapped in leaves and buried in mud), I realised that it was seamless, the look, the feel. . . tropical cococabana meets Mexicana in a high tech super future rave set at a neon lit football pitch with monkeys in the audience throwing bananas and perfectly coiffed 1950's socialites laughing away. Litteraly, the place felt like this though the blasts of mega freezing cold air destroyed this illusion from time to time.

mud chicken

Then the next moment we were all waiting for. . . The Petshop Boys. So appropriate, so Prada - quite amazing that aesthetically, it felt completely compatible. The colours, the vibes. A slick, quirky, geeky camp-as-hell performance. I loved it.

A bit cliched but really, Go West with Chinese Gymnasts in the background was tremendous. So glad they are still around, a revival! And the crowd DANCED.

Go West

New York City Boy

King of Rome

Mrs Prada

After-party and more drinks, lofting around and taking it all in. I loved bumping into the Thai crew :), Ed and Victoria Tang who I had not seen in AGES and also making some new friends.

I was completely mesmerised by the graphics on the huge screen, by 2 by 4 from london, genius coming to life of the show's moodboard . . .seamless editting of Josphephine Baker, the Caribbeans, the three Caballeros, Prada models dancing and being a bit sily in a very strong graphic manner. Fab. The dj who spun as this visual feast went on was this guy Dan Lywood that Jan Kennedy brought from London, what he played went perfectly with that moving moodboard. I loved it.

I thought the night would end when the lights came on and but as we were getting into the car, Sebastian was leaving too and there I was confronted with whether to retire or stay out . . .and seeing as Beijing is just so HOT, I went along with Sebastian, the Prada crew and Mrs. Prada herself (she is an amazing, an amazing woman) to another new Beijing hot spot - D-lounge.

What fun . . .what a weekend . . . Maison Boulud recovery with Carol, Arnold and Alan Yau then off back to Bkk.

As Ed Tang said, thank you Prada for bringing us all together.

What next . . .I just hope those silver brogues are available soon . . . :)

798 Art Zone, Beijing

2011-01-25T13:43:00.014+07:00

Low and behold, there is a cool contemporary side to Beijing . . . this was confirmed by a visit to the 798 Art Zone. I was not quite sure what to expect. Stephie warned me that it is not like Chelsea in NY nor the Design District of Miami and has become very commercial. It was exactly that, a lovely commercial art district with numerous galleries, an industrial complex of ex-factories, Soviet built, Chinese run, a sturdy compound of bricks, pipes and unmistakably sturdy interiors. That was cool.

red dinosaurs by resident artist

The scene stealer and highlight was the Ullens Contemporary Centre for Contemporary Art.

The Ullens are big collectors, I was only familiar with their name being associated to a beautiful sailboat that was in Venice at the Biennale last year and also recognised them to be big big patrons of art, the biggest collectors of Chinese art nonetheless. Their art centre was well worth the trip, the head curator there is none other than Jerome Sans and for me, he managed to strike a great balance between slightly low brow hype which is very accessible to the young fickle generation, something a bit in between, and then last but not least one of the most substantial and holistic solo shows I have seen in a long time. He then managed to make all these shows sit together and work together. In truth, I know very little about Chinese art, sure I am familiar with the masters like Cai Quigong and the new guard comprised of Cao Fei and Yang Fudong, that is quite limited so getting thrown in deep at 798 and particularly at the UCCA was a great introduction.

First room by Yang Yong titled Lightscape reminded me of what Urs Fischer did for PPR last year in Venice, cool, fun, lights with pics of fashion, fast life, luxury. Good looking hype that touches upon and comments on the new generation of materialist superficial chinese (the world) obsessed with gloss. It was definitely good looking but too disposable and trendy for my taste, which was probably the point!

The next was room was interesting and guest curated by Rong Rong, Qui and Ren Hang's Inner Ear. Contrasting 2 photographers one from the rural contryside showing rural Chinese life, the other a Beijing hipster who explores eroticism and urban life. The contrast was great . . . on their own they might too fashion-like where you have young photoraphers referencing Araki or Cartier-Bresson but put in this context of modern China and placed next to each other it had weight and relvance.

The next room was interesting, another contemporary Chinese master, Ling Jian's Moon in Glass. Beautiful chinese women in mirrors reflected off mirrors. I liked it, though it feels pop-like the theme was interesting and that whole Dorian Gray thing going on, reflections, moonlight, highlights. . .tears and smiles . . . things not as they seem.

Last but not the least, a show commissioned by Jerome Sans and designed specifically for the Centre by Liu Xiaodong, called Hometown Boy. The museum officer did good to force me to enter the right way as it was truly a journey. The show is by one of the most prolific of Chinese contemproary artists. I did not realise this till much later. What I did realise and appreciate from early on was his thought process and his sincerity. The fact the as an artist he acknowledges the conflict between expressing himself as an artist and being a professional artist how the paradox exists. The show was about his homecoming. After 30 years, he decided to go home, a rural China which is far removed from the fast life of Beijing and everywhere else he presides as a very famous individual in the art community. He wanted to go back to capture moments, his past and what to him is a China which is disappearing.

The way the show started with extensive diary entries and pics, from the initiation of the project and his talks with Jerome Sans to the end. We are invited to go with him through time, it was like reading his script for Hometown Boy.

In a way it was a script, as for him as a painter, he painted throughout his friends and family iconic Taiwanese director Hou Hsiao-Hsien godfather of Taiwanese indemependent cinema and a prolific filmmaker documented the process. There are layers and we were invited to join the show and become an audience before the "show" (film) even started.

It was walls after walls of sincere anecdotes, pictures, and thoughts. One reaches the last picture, the last day at home where Liu is pictured with his parents, their dog and contemplates preparing to grow old in the way that his parents have.

We then see character studies where he draws his friends in a in few phrases comments on their qualities, their uniqueness. It was lovely.

The black walls then open up to vast space with high ceilings, the "script" becomes paintings.

Liu captures a moment in time, freezing it forever but having shown us the story before. What was refreshing was that the paintings were beautiful, classical in composition, modern in technique and contemporary in its feeling. He has a cute voice, sensitive and but cheeky and not for a moment condescending. It felt the whole way that he was in touch, there is a sadness but an appreciation. Not for a second does the nostalgia feel forced.

Home, 2010

Next, the documentary . . . by this point, in my mind I had accepted that Liu is able to use different mediums to create his own world, perhaps what Jerome Sans says is true, he approaches art as a filmmaker, yet, he is a painter, that is what he does, he has left the filmmaking to a filmmaker. I love that this is possible, he admits that as a painter he captures a single dimension, one angle but in cinema, you can capture almost all.

My Egypt, 2010

Until that day I had not heard of Hou Hsiao-Hsien, I did not know how famous he was or what he had done, what I did know was that the documentary I watched felt like he captured not only what Liu talked painted but real life. It was that other dimension that Liu mentioned at the beginning of hte film. It felt seamless. I really loved how the paintings literally came to life and you see the longing, the sadness, the hope, quite simply a glimpse into the daily lives of a group of people dear to the artist, of whom he believes will be left behind as China's past as the country goes through speedy urbanisation. The music used to accompany the story was classical . . .fitting, as it gave it a certain grandeur, the dialogue natural and I liked the faded tinted shots that were interspersed throughout to give it a feeling of a fading world, but a valuable one at least for the artist. It was hard to believe that in some parts that the documentary was made last year and not 50 years ago.

What then happened to me was that the documentary made me go back to"watch" the paintings again, at least now that I know who some of the people are more. The oil on canvas becoming more than just paintings but life, captured in time.

The UCCA was not all, the Zone, like all of Beijing is large - what I was curious to see was some of the big galleries with the blue chip work. There were other smaller galleries around the palce but they felt derivative and I guess a bit commercial.

Originality Square

I liked Faurschou Gallery that had an exhibition curated by Jeffrey Deitch with 3 big American artists paying tribute to the BIG American painting. David Salle, the late Robert Rauchenberg and Micahel Belvilacqua.

Next was Continua Gallery, a cheeky show by Nedko Solokov.

All in all the fact that it exists, 798 is evidence of a market for art that exists and an indication that truly, this is just the beginning. For such a tightly controlled country, the fact that this market should be able to exist, let alone grow sheds light on Chinese pragmatism (Stephanie's theory but she has her whole team at HSBC in corporate banker is only none Chinese person there). They are able to see that the "market" for Art is big and not only that but a very lucrative one. It is also those weird markets that have very little relation to reality and a piece of work can be priced just so because the people who drive market say so. So if one is pragmatic then will realise that if he can create then control and drive the market, he will be rewarded. Unfortunately what this has also created is very commercial hype, the recession a few years back highlighted the real deal and the derivatives so at least there is some balance. On the other hand, one can see it as the country actively investing to improve and develop, to own for themselves these fragments of frozen time if one believes that art captures certain moments it time, it freezes it, there is value in itself..

Liu raises this point about art for the community and the art market, the value of art in itself and the monetary value. In Hometown Boy, he is painting his old friends and family, he is a professional artist and those paintings are worth something in the market. He explained that he did not want to "use" his friends and his home as he is a professional artist, he raises this paradox between art and the art market. He then goes on to explain that his friends do not feel this way, that they are being used for commercial gain that hey are happy to contribute, to spend time with HIM even if it meant sitting for him. They are removed from the art market and to them, Liu's art means that he is working, happy and they get to spend time with him. I wonder if life in China, despite its hardships and poverty can continue to be so simple.

Many questions . . . not many answers, was completely inspired by what I saw.

My introduction to this side of Beijing would be further explored that night at the Prada show where the new Beijing would come out in full force.

Beijing is HOT . . .

2011-01-24T15:31:00.007+07:00

even at a constant -10 degrees celsius. By "hot" I mean that it is sizzling and exciting, some of that hype about China in all fairness, is well-deserved, it was to me, what I expected and more.

The Prada SS '11 show in Beijing was my reason to visit the Chinese capital, a perfect little excuse provided by my friend Sebastian Suhl of Prada who invited me and also Arnold Chan, my mentor the lighting guru. A long overdue visit as well to old friends. The Prada extravaganza was on Saturday and was to comprise of show, dinner and a concert, more on that later. Before Prada, I already had my hitlist of to do's given to me by Stephanie Betant and old friend who is living there and LUXE Beijing guide (perfect for a short city trip, I managed to Sharpie dot many places on the guide).

First lesson re Beijing is that everyone seems mean and rough but actually they are not, they are nice and have a bit of a sense of humour. It sounds like they are complainign but they are not and once you get used to the tone, the beauty of the Mandarin language is revealed.

My first place to visit was the Forbidden City.

frozen moat

This is where the emperors, empresses, concubines and eunuchs spent their days. It is grand. Full stop. The vision the emperors had back then was spectacular, almost crazy. The attention to detail, the grandess, the stories and the rituals. My talking GPS guide was extremely useful.

This is the house where the last emperor Pu Yi studied. These are the inner courts, the inner life of the palace, you can almost imagine everyone in their outfits a la Xang Yimou's Hero dancing in silk with swords. Surreal.

where Emperor Pu Yi went to school

hill of accumulated grace

I visited where the Empress used to hang out and gossip with the court ladies. There was one Empress who was extremely clever and she managed to get her son to succeed to become emperor and effectively was the force behind a certain era. It was in Hall of Balance and Equality that she used to hold her court.

Empress style

There is a hall where the emperor and his empress would be locked in over 3 nights on the night of their wedding.

The most spectacular of the them all is the Hall of Supreme Harmony. . . this is the grandest of them all and where the Emperor would hold court and discuss affairs of the state, later on it was the ceremonial hall used for weddings and coroniations. This was also where emperor Pu Yi was coronated when he was merely three years old. Apparently the grandeur of it all terrified him and he burst into tears. He father soothed him by saying, do not worry, it will be over soon. Well, there might have been somethign prophetic about that as Pu Yi was the Last Emperor.

Hall of Supreme Harmony

Let's face it though, the Palace and the Forbidden City symbolises a China of myths and legends and in the way that it was been preserved especially as a World Heritage site should be informing the new generation fo China of the power that China once was and is perhaps a little glimpse as to what it could be. Amazing preservation of history and curiousity of it considering they were so good at eradicating it all.

Upon exiting the Palace you get the Gate of Tiananmen, and then a spectacular setting with Mao in his full glory still with guards surrounding his image and just across the street was Tiananmen Square. In its full glory.

Goosebump material.

I found myself after my 4 hour walk for food, I ended up at a Peking Duck institution having steamed duck as Peking Duck was on the menu for the evening. I also managed to find Capital M, part of a chain of restaurants that exists also in Shanghai and in Hong Kong, lovely view, rather nice space and yummy Ginger Toddy.

I had to get the subway back to the hotel as traffic in Beijin is just silly. I was not prepared for the rush of people. How many people live in the city becomes clear when you get into the train. Terribly efficient though.

Dinner was at Duck de Chine . . . Peking Duck in a lowly lit sexy space in a courtyard. Trust my friend Stephanie to pick the "it" spot that also has great food.

We then fought the cold to the Apothecary where I bumped into my friend Carol who I was suppose dot meet up wiht anyway. So for as big and sprawling a metropolis as Beijing is, it's rather small. Love it. This was my classical red hot itinerary, the next day would be another side of Beijing.

Art Farming

2011-01-13T16:39:00.017+07:00

When one thinks of a farm, one does not often expect to see perfectly kept fields of sunflowers, polite and demure buffalos, a miniature Esarn village and lastly, an exposition by artists, left to their own devices on the farm to leave behind installations for vistors to see. Then again, not every farm is a Jim Thompson farm and not many companies are Jim Thompson. We drove 4 hours (should have been 3 but our driver insisted on taking the longer, windier scenic route - yes, we got lost) from Bangkok and were to meet P'Jeab Grithiya at the big pumpkin. There was a big pumpkin at the entrance, and a perfect photo opp for the many Thai visitors who were there that day. It had a touch of Disneyland, especially as it was the weekend of National Children's Day, but it did not for a second feel that it was driven by a corporation. The day before there were a total of 6000 visitors and P'Jeab mentioned that on that particular Sunday we might have hit 5000 or so.

In any case, Doy, Pette and I had the best guide ever, P'Jeab did after all, initiate the Art on Farm project and curated the artists that were on the sight. The first curiosity were the little trams themselves, I think we went on the Eggplant tram, they were made by hand by a university professor who works also on the farm and from objet trouve. Too chic. I loved the pink strawberry and the brown one with the painted horse's bum. As we oohed and ahh'ed at the first sunflowers, I was as distracted by the little ducks on the ceiling of the tram that were also rather cute. The sunflower fields were just a taster as the girl with the megaphone who expertly memorised not only Jim Thompson's story but also information about Art on Farm, how it came about, the idea of community art and how the artists came up with their work.

The first installation was of turned over "flowers", giant silk turned over flowers that looked like oversized sombreros, from the air they would dhave been giant flowers. Upon closer inspection they were made of left over silk threads and silk bits, what is found on the factory floor and the artist picked these up to create her own work. Colourful giants, that nature did not ignore as in some parts grass grew through the brightly coloured strands.

P Jeab explained that the artists who were from all parts of Thailand were let loose on the farm and in the silk factory, to get to know the region, to learn about silk and where it comes from and I guess to an extent get back to nature somehow. It was rather fascinating the different interpretations, the context infused with their own background and the medium they chose to communicate through.

The pumpkins were less an art installation than a whole lot of fun. I felt like Dorothy. . .

Then we came across a huge field of cosmos flowers and at the end was a little garden with the brightest pink flowers ever. As you ascend upon the garden you realise that they are not real, it is a fake garden, a manicured garden with a real bronze but fake bamboo bench in the middle of a living flowers. here the artist juxtoposes the manicured garden of real and fake plants in the vast fields of real delicate pink flowers, that do have an expiry date. Visually beautiful, and begs the question as to what is real and fake and their co-existence. Does it matter, if the fake ensures that beauty can last forever? As the plants shed their leaves, their plastic partners will remain, though might fade a little with time.

Then we get to the first Esarn house, what a beautiful house. "Simple Esarn people" as they are known to city folk have mastered the art of using directing windflow for ventilation and temperature control, so as to regularise how much wind flows through and keeps their wooden stilted houses cool, in most cases from the cracks in the floors. The wind coming through the floor cracks enables them to keep their windows very small to protect their daughters' dignity (or the family's whichever way one wants to look at it, there is no Romeo action possible in those neighbour hoods). The artist in the house was Kornkrit Jiandipinan, a site-specific work that felt very ,modern, very now, as he juxtaposed pictures of local people and created a nostalgic (not corny) collage of their lives.

He came across hammocks and was particularly taken by the image of the solider on a hammock that part of the installation he created a rest area for visitors below the house with many hammocks.

hammocks on the ground

Boonlun the buffalo

farm lunch where convo centred around food and the the statement "Korat is where it's at!"

After a lunch of Esarn food . . .we continued our tour. I was especially impressed with the use of objet trouve where bits and pieces which would otherwise be worth very little was converted into meaningful items. I believe this is what value-added creation is about, ingenuity into value. To me the little greeen chairs is not rocket science but do have design value in itself. The little stools were made by the resident-architect. I would totally buy them for the house.

The next installation was about sound, by a young artist from the region. She wrote a book of dialogue in the Esarn dialect and in the dimly lit room were lamps made of traditional woven shades but decorated with strips of leftover silk. Again, creating something visually pleasing and interesting in the most simple way. The room was adorned with sound, messages from mother to daughter. A room of talking voices recorded in little silk dolls that floated around. She asks you to engage in the floating dialogue by recording your own contribution in the dolls. It was fun but at the same time mysterious as you hear voices in thin air something which creates a rather haunting quality, sounds in space from strangers speaking a foreign dialect that sounds familiar and like "home" but is not.

What I also rather liked is how these works, which are rather conceptual and derived from a thought process by the artists still allowed the kids and their grandmas and grandpas enjoy being there. It was inclusive, if you did not like the art you could appreciate the other bits and acknowledge that art can be part of your existence, that it has its role too and is accessible. The musical grandpas, the mini free Isan film festival, the little pogo sticks and wooden carts, the silk demo station. There is consent to becoming part of the community when one enters the farm, it is not passive as the activities ask you to engage and enjoy. I really think that there was something for everyone, even the most jaded and cynical.

My favourite piece on the farm was by a young artist called prachaya phinthong, from Ubonratchathani. It was very clever but at the same time so simple and to me captured something which feels futuristic as recordings of radio shows heard in his hometown ran on a loop and was projected into space where the speakers were stuck in a tree that stands at the end of a bridge in the lake thus pentrating through air, time and space. It created what to me felt like a vacuum in time as one stands on the bridge and listens to the radio, totally out of context but merging sounds of esarn with the reality of standing a bridge over the water. You are invited to engage again by speaking into the microphone, your voice forming another layer over the recording. I found the single microphone in an empty white room itself rather futuristic, a single instrument in space. A great example of a site specific work.

Another piece which was immaculate was the room with "beds" of cocoon and dead mulberry leaves. The artist who is also a designer took so much care and was absolutely meticulous in the way that he presented the life of the silk worm. You are invited to lie on a bed of wired racks where below lies a bed of dead mulberries leaves and on top of silk cocoons white and yellow in a woven habitat - it is here where they grow. The artists used black plastic piping as a way to reuse the material which was available. As a viewer, one is literally alive between the dead and almost dead. Next you are invited to literally go into a cocoon as the small lower room which would have been used to keep mulberry leaves when the factory was still in use became a cave of silk strands. A bit spooky, kind of alien like. In the last part in the adjoining room, you are then invited to lie down on the floor on pillows to watch a projection of images of nature, the world surrounding the silk worm perhaps. Probably the most work intensive of the installations, a work that requires more time to sit and engage and explore a singular world of the silk worm.

The last of the installations was by Montri, breaking out of the cocoon. The installation of labyrinth created from old silk looms and ricea nd silk was first at Jim Thompson house. I found the work to be much stronger in its urban sitting, the contrast more interesting. It felt almost too much at home here where as at the art centre it felt foreign and more menacing. What was very effective though was the barbed wire of books and rice grains in the low room. That worked as the barbed wire dips underground creating another dimension to the work.

Alas, the actual artists residences. Next winter this will become a tiny little boutique resort, all concrete in the jungle in a kind of Soviet manner. Minimalist bliss bunker ex-silk factory. Can't wait.

Of course, any visit to a farm in Thailand needs a shopping area to make it all complete, the museum shop if you like. Here the "museum shop" is the farm's factory outlet so JT silk products, bits from the Art on Farm including limited edition tiffin bento boxes by Kan the artist, little microphone dolls and the Farm Shop. I bought a purple chill tree (that now has one or two bright red chillis) and pumpkins. I had no idea how many different types of pumpkins there were! We liked the bar coded mini squash.

The sunset over the farm as the day came to an end was quite surreal.

Despite being stuck in Sunday night traffic back home, all I remember thinking the next day was, "please take me back to the farm".

I like it there - a lot.

Art on Farm

is located at the Jim Thompson farm in Pakthongchai, Korat. The Project along with teh Jim Thompson Farm Tour and the Isan Film Festival has been extended till April 13th, 2011, WEEKENDS only . . .HURRAYYY

Celestial Lights

2011-01-04T16:44:00.008+07:00

or an Earthly version thereof is what I witnessed as the clock struck midnight to welcome January 1st 2011, or 1/1/11. The fireworks display on the Chao Phraya river was magnificent, esepcially when on our boat was right next to the launch pad.

Nanda, Barto, Jeremy, P'Mook and Jack together with our foam takeaway from Taling Pling and my big bubbles blower docked at Saphan Taksin a rather large wooden boat that James, Prom and Joni organised. Floating up river is always joyous, to come back down and wait for the light show that rings the new year, even more so.

How can one get sick of fireworks - ever?

It is brilliant I rather liked being right underneath the lights, almost like golden lightdrops on our heads.

And they can be kind of cute as well, a contrast from the golden drops - the psychedelic scribbles in the sky. The golden drops were The Oriental's . . .to be expected I think - golden. The colourful doodles against the dark dark blue of night The Shangri La's.

What fun. Happy New Year!

FYI, Bangkok during the holiday season is blissful - no traffic, cool weather, friends in town from wherever en route to somewhere else in Thailand. I think I am not hallucinating but Thailand seems to be where it is all happening at the moment . . . it's not perfect but is rather exciting at the moment. Let's see what 2011 has in store for it.

Mahakad

2010-12-27T13:43:00.009+07:00

Mahakad - Epic Arts in the Market is the brainchild of Navin Rawanchaikul, true to its title, the scale of the project was epic the subject matter being the community of the oldest market in Chiang Mai, Kad Luang or Wororot Market. Mahakad celebrates the centennial of the market and its community, a rich melting pot of different cultures that P Navin grew up in and this celebration, as a "son of the market" is a way for him to give back to the market of his youth. As an artist what he has created community-art or communal-art, for the public and community to enjoy. To kick off the celebrations, there were speeches, speeches and more speeches but as the opening reception was held at the charming Anusornsathron Residence, a beautiful compound from the Rama V era complete with grounds, garden and old Rover from the early 1900's, it was rather nice. The the ribbon cutting ceremony which officially opened the celebrations opened the doors to an exhibition of photographs taken by members of the Anusornsathorn family from the early days of Chiang Mai. An idyllic and pastoral of Chiang Mai, a past long gone.

Navin at podium

P Puoi and P Jeab

an old coupl

My Mahakad buddy was Doy, and after finding our own little corner to feast on northern market food we ventured into another room next to the photography exhibition. This one was mysterious with dim lights, a video, a large mural to the back and a glass case of old pictures in bottles. The video captures the personalities, the murals captures the community members both past and present and the triptych is completed with glass bottles in a glass case. The latter resemble coffins as old pictures of the market families' ancestors are preserved forever in the confines of the glass bottles. There is something disturbing about this, but at the same time deeply touching that we can preserve our ancestors within a glass frame so they can be a part of a community as it is today. Surreal and haunting yet juxtaposed with a black and white mural of personalities with oversized heads and the uber-real faces it felt complete and not sad.

Next up was a private tour by Navin and Uncle Preecha, a member of the Anusornsathorn family who is the photographer of many of the pictures of Chiang Mai we witnessed in the exhibition. The market and its vicinity was explained by Navin and Uncle Preecha, the old opium dens pointed out, the buildings that no longer exist in their old form now that they are 7-11.

Navin

We arrived at the market, might I mention that it is Christmas day so there were Santa Clauses galore and upon entering it, the first intervention/collaboration with the market is in full sight. Navin has blown up old photos taken by Uncle Preecha and hung them throughout the market, they are at once decorative and at the same time more than that as their size and placement throughout the narrow market lanes are engaging, you cannot help but look. It made for quite a sight, especially with the voice over and the music, P Navin said a collaboration between himself and the market.

Next stop after the market was the Philatelic Museum more commonly known as the Postal Museum. Here we see a collaboration with Dow Wasikiri and the market. It was fun, did not take itself too seriously as it compares the market of old with market of new but has a shot at social commentary and is too well composed to be just kitsch. Dow has a way of capturing a moment, I think that is called a good eye, especially for detail and the unexpected. It was humorous but at the same time subtle as he pokes fun at market folk as they were and what they are now. I loved how the moving cardboard cut outs and kitsch plastic backdrops make their way throughout the market and play a part in them.

Dow S.

the couple from the photography exhibition

breasts

P Navin, his dad and little Navin from the past

Doy and I were then adopted by P Jeab and P Puoi and we had the wonderful privilege of a preview of P Puoi's new art gallery/space. P Puoi has an art collection, not just any collection but a blue chip one which he started out of pure passion years ago. He is a collector in the true sense of the word, and like him, what he collects is warm, refined, in parts challenging, always beautiful and relevant. It is a well rounded collection of art and he has found a home for it in Chiang Mai, the space retains a sense of being in Chiang Mai and will provide a back drop to the Thai contemporary superstars and at the same time providing a contemporary setting fit for the likes of Sherman to Hirst to Neshat. I wish there were more P'Puoi's around. Next we went to the CM University Gallery - not a bad space, rather nice actually. There was once piece that I was drawn to this one . . .

I realised later that it was Araya's work, I always like her work. It is feminine and soft yet at the same time wretchedly tortured and complex shown int eh simplest, no nonsense form.

That night we chowed down on more market food at another Mahakad extravaganza where an alley was closed down for more celebrations, performances from children and traditional Lanna guys and girls and food food food. I was exhausted and t had to retire before the movie started only because it was Christmas and I could not not go to Northgate for x mas drinks. What an enjoyable night that was.

Next day was a trek with P Kong Rithdee, Jane, P'Ing and P'Manit from their Doi Suthep home up the doi to the temple. I imagined a little walk, it was not, it was an actual trek. I wore a white jumpsuit, it was wonderfully comfortable and I was able to move and we all decided that it worked for the purpose but really, white? The Boyy Oscar converts to a backpack THANK GOODNESS. Lunch of kao soi, chicken and sticky rice was blissful before we entered Temple Disneyland, apart from the temple there is nothing blissful about the temple, it was a circus and not a nice one. I am not sure how the ecclesiastical council allows little tribal girls in mini skirts to dance to blaring music in front of stupa. An oxymoron no?

P Ing and P Manit

Jane and P'Kong

The rest of the day was spent at P Ing's mountain retreat - that was blissful. I made friends with Hanuman, the puppy.

More Mahakad followed with a small closing party at the Hotel which is right next to the MASSIVE walking street. I made some new friends and was very happy to see Reinhart Frais again, another passionate collector not only of arts but textiles. A wonderful energy he has and his madras jacket was top! we went to the Moroom hotel, an artists-curated hotel with 12 rooms by 12 artists in accordance to the chinese star signs. I was obviously drawn to Rooster, weird that aesthetically I should be drawn to it right away. P'Rirkrit designed the Ox. The brainchild of this project is P'Mitr, an artist who Pier Luigi Tazzi refers to as one the 1st generation of Thai contemporary artists, they include Rirkrit, Navin, Surasi, Araya, so the big guys basically.

private dining room of Moroom, P'Mitr's paintings hanging

It sounds over designed but being in there it was not - it was a like James Bond Villain style with raw concrete and lovely details. Would be rather nice to have all 12 rooms to myself.

My night time venture on a scooter with Mandy meant that I was not fit to spend another day in the northern kingdom and returned to Bkk to rest. It is clear that the Christmas Weekend Getaway as P Navin called the Mahakad opening was action-packed and exciting and not just for a visitor like me as 500 store vendors and market community inhabitants showed up the next day (Sunday) whilst he was at the Mahakad symposium at his dad's fabric store asking to meet him. This was not to complain but rather to express their wonder and curiousity and meet the man who is celebrating their community and made art out of it.

Navin's way is energetic, it is fully charged and it requires interaction and a dialogue. This is his way of giving back and at the same time creating his works of art. The works created are to be collected and will be in the hands of his patrons and collectors, but in the meantime, from now till February, Chian Mai can enjoy the market and Navin's Mahakad. Without doubt, he showed that he is part of the community and this time, the coummunity whether they know it or not, are part of his work.

N.B. There are another five other sites with art throughout the market vicinity that I did not get to see, you get to stamp the little Mahakad map upon entering, it is like a scavenger hunt. Even the local police joined in . . .

HO HO HO HAPPY HOLIDAYS . . .

2010-12-24T16:00:00.001+07:00

DUDE SWEET . . .I'm 8 years Old!

2010-12-21T11:59:00.013+07:00

Congrats to DUDESWEET and it's founder Note and his peeps for 8 years of fun fun fun . . . it's 8th bday was celebrated on Friday 18th, a night of unexpected cool breeze in Bkk at Club Culture in the old part of town.

For me, the night started off at Blue Velvet with the Bangkok FAshion Society's annual x mas bash. The theme this year was super heroes. It was kind of funny. I was catwoman/bunny rabbit/hooded villain of some sort. P Rong's all white gi joe get up was awesome, as was A's actual talking Deceptacon.

On Doy and I went to Ratchdamnoen to the new Club Culture near the Democracy Monument, I took the scenic route and we enjoyed the lights - to Dudesweet (I suppose the parties have become a bit of an institution after 8 years since it's very humble guerilla beginnings with Note djing from his cd's) . . . I felt like I was at a giant house party/club in the East End. BUT BETTER. Note was playing old tunes from the last eight years on the ground floor, Maft Sai and Chris Menist on teh 2nd with luk thung and funk, and the 3rd floor was some crazy heavy bands with body slammingand mosh pits. So fun!

I forgot to take a pic but there were even little "make-out" tents or what what supposed to be secret rest tents . . .very cheeky.

Here, pics probably speak louder than words . . .oh and as it was Dudesweet's 8th bday . . there were balloons and confetti!

I was guilty of throwing a few balloons down before the final countdown though I think Note asked for them for atmo though the culprit who throw the whole lot down was definitely not me and Doy. Hmmmm. I know that I saved a red balloon for Lee for a very long time, it was annoying that it popped though finally.

When it was time to go home, I was gutted. My phone was lost and found. Gene showed up in lace shorts. What a night!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DUDESWEET!!