Resistance is futile. Pokemon-Go is coming in six weeks. (File photo)
Here comes the tune. And queue in the guitar solo.
“I want to be the very best like no one ever was. To catch them is my real test. To train them is my cause.”
It’s an anthem of the old Pokemon anime that’s most befitting and most self-explaining of the augmented reality game Pokemon Go, which has taken the world by a storm ever since its release merely weeks ago. Everybody wants to be the very best, no matter what this will eventually cost.
And the cost unfortunately has been high so far. There was a major highway accident in Massachusetts after a man stopped his car mid-road to catch the game’s iconic character Pikachu. Another player collided into a police car in Baltimore while driving and playing the game at the same time. These stunts have since sparked a hashtag #dontPokemongoanddrive on social media.
That’s not where the casualty stops, though. Two men were so engrossed in their Pokemon hunt that they fell off a cliff in California. Another two teenagers hunting for the same virtual creatures at 1.30am in Orlando were mistaken for burglars and got some bullets flying over their heads by the homeowner.
Furthermore, there is now possibly one death associated with the game. An 18-year-old was ambushed and gunned down in Guatemala as he was searching for Pokemon with his cousin. The cause of the attack was unclear, though police speculated that the attackers may have found the two teens through the app itself with its location features.
Aside from the physical harm players could inflict upon themselves and others, not many realised their privacy is also being threatened through the game.
By using the app, all players agree to share their information with Niantic, the company that’s responsible for the game. Their locations and movement pattern are just among many other personal data being collected and handed over. The game also can access the players’ camera, storage, contacts and more. It’s all laid out in the fine print of the terms and conditions nobody cares to read. The worst thing is we have no idea how the company will be using this data in the future, or even right now. What if they sell it? What if the data fall into the wrong hands? The possibilities are scary.
But, even with this knowledge in mind, how many people would actually turn away from the game? Not many. And while you may think we are trying to scare people away by bashing the game, we’re not. We’re excited about the game too. But it is everybody’s right to know fully what they’re getting themselves into. That is how people make an informed decision. They should know their free-to-play game comes with a hefty price tag. Is this a trade you are willing to make? Many will say yes without a moment of hesitation.
While we, the people of Thailand, wait anxiously for the game, we also dread its descent upon us because for themselves and others. The level of recklessness and the length some people would go in order to “catch them all” is unfathomable, as can be seen in the cases mentioned previously. And there will surely be even worse and stranger accidents forthcoming if players continue to glue themselves to their screens and remain ignorant of their surroundings.
For those who will be downloading the game when it becomes available in Thailand, take this piece of advice: be mindful and aware at all time you’re on the Pokemon hunt. Reality must come first, not the augmented one. Don’t throw away precautions, common sense and logic the moment you spot a rare find.
Safety should be everyone’s number one concern. Watch the road. Put away the phone during driving or crossing the streets. Don’t get run over by tuk-tuks. You won’t be able to catch anything if your body is splattered on the asphalt, or if your car is being rammed into the back of a truck.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Thai architecture can feel anonymous and banal — but then maybe we don’t look close enough. The design scene has its share of clever, outstanding or unusual architecture and emphasis on material, location and the environment.
The World Architecture Festival — one of the largest international gatherings of architects — has announced its 2016 shortlist for outstanding buildings. Among over 300 finalists in 32 categories, were five Thai companies who have made into the final list in different categories.
The World Architecture Festival Awards, founded in 2008, attracts professionals across the globe to submit their masterpieces to win top honours.
Representatives from the five Thai companies will have to give their final presentation in Berlin in November before the winner will be announced.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Under the Ficus shade: The Garden at Ad Lib Hotel – Bangkok, Thailand
Category: Landscape Company: TROP: terrains + open space
Before Sukhumvit 1’s Ad Lib Hotel transformed itself into a green oasis, it used to be just plain concrete townhouses within an arid environment. TROP, an exterior architect company that is responsible for this project’s exterior was assigned the duty to brighten up the area.
“We think scenery is one of the most important factors for the hotel. But there was hardly anything here except the ficus tree that stands elegantly at the hotel’s entrance,” explained Pok Kobkongsanti of TROP: terrains + open space. “Instead of cutting it down during the renovating process, we decided to keep it and turned it into the hotel’s prominent feature as well as creating an urban oasis for this neighbourhood.”
The concept was not only to create a pleasant environment, but also to use greenery for reducing heat.
He added that each guestroom doesn’t offer much of a view, so a canopy is used to cover the façade to provide guests with a more environmentally-friendly atmosphere.
The restaurant which was built between the hotel’s two buildings also applied the green concept. Trees were planted along the building creating a semi-outdoor deck.
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Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Baan Huay Sarn Yaw – Post Disaster School, Chiang Rai
The stylish Por dee Por dee building at Baan Huay Sarn Yaw designed by Vin Varavarn Architects is a great achievement by the Hong Rean Por Dee Por Dee Project, which aims to support nine schools in Chiang Rai that were affected from an earthquake in 2014. The project was initiated by the non-profit research and design initiative Design for Disasters (D4D).
“The basic requirement is that it has to be earthquake resistant,” said ML Varudh Varavarn of Vin Varavarn Architects. “We picked steel for the main structure to increase stability while other materials are lightweight such as fibre cement board and transparent resin roofing.”
Local materials like bamboo have been utilised in many parts. For instance, to cover the metal sheet in order to reduce noise pollution and heat, to make rain gutters, and to build flower pot shelves surround the building.
“We wanted to build not only standard classrooms but to create a nice, friendly and secure environment so that it would help alleviate students from bad experiences from the disaster as well as encouraging them to come to school without worrying much about what happened.”
As the building is on a hill, one side of it is attached to the land, while another side has been elevated above the ground. Space under the building can be utilised for students to conduct activities.
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The Commons, Bangkok
Category: Shopping – Completed Buildings Company: Department of Architecture
Among the highly competitive commercial area of Thong Lor, the community mall The Commons aims to be the neighbourhood’s backyard. Instead of packing it with franchise stores, The Commons presents shops with passionate owners and allocates some space for common grounds where anyone can freely hang out enjoying choice activities.
“I like the owners’ concept and was really excited to jump into the project,” said Amata Luphaiboon of the Department of Architecture.
With this challenging brief, Amata realised that ventilation is of utmost importance as people would spend time outdoors. “Bangkok’s heat and unpredictable rain can be an obstacle for an outdoor setting, so that’s our challenge. We selected ‘the atrium’ design in order to ease wind flow. On the skylight, roof fans were installed. Some absorb heat while others blow a cool breeze.”
Apart from the common area, each shop is specifically designed to fit each shop owner’s requirements as the architects and the shop owners worked together in almost every phase of development.
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The Naka Phuket, Phuket
Category: Hotel & Leisure – Completed Buildings Company: DBALP
Located between Kamala and Patong beaches, The Naka Phuket gives priority to scenery.
“We were very lucky that the owner gave us so much freedom for this project,” said Duangrit Bunnag of DBALP. “Basically, we work with the location. We surveyed the area on foot and figured out that the hotel should be built in the form of villas.”
The position of each building was carefully placed in a space that would not block the view of the others. Every room contains floor-to-ceiling glass windows to ensure that guests can experience the best scenery right from their rooms.
The modern-looked villas focus on using natural materials like authentic wood and stone, which blend nicely with the surroundings.
It is perhaps one of the most popular projects that has been in the public eye. The neighbourhood of Charoen Krung fuses modern lifestyle with its rich history, and design is part of its transformation.
Initiated by Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC), Co-Create is a new space that will highlight the idea of Charoen Krung as a “creative hub”.
“Right from the beginning, we conducted interviews with all stakeholders such as entrepreneurs, locals, government sectors and travellers to gather diverse opinions about Charoen Krung,” said Prapan Napawongdee of design firm Shma SoEn
The common desire of all stakeholders was to improve the infrastructure and footpaths to provide easier access to public transportation, to restore abandoned buildings into places for recreational activities and to add more green space to the area.
“We also tested plans by implementing what we have on the blueprint. For example, we put a garden in front of the Grand Post Office [a landmark in the area] for a short period of time to see how people reacted to it. This was to get a glimpse into what it would be like in reality and to see what to add or remove or fix,” Prapan said.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
The unofficial Los Santos Pride mod for Grand Theft Auto V. Stockholm Pride
Whenever we discuss the representation of the LGBT population in popular media, what comes to mind is often the names and faces we see on TV. We fail to look a little further to the nearby screen of our computer, especially into video games that people can spend countless hours on. The lack of diversity, while a shocker, is something to be expected. White male protagonists are leading the pack. And if women find it hard to see themselves being represented in the gaming world, the LGBT community has seen much worse.
Recently, however, there have been increasing attempts by the gaming industry to be more inclusive towards gender diversity. This development notably came last month when the life-simulation game The Sims 4 released an update to free up its gender settings for customisation. Players are now able to alter previously fixed gender-specific details like the Sims’ physical frame, vocal tone, walking style, clothing preference, ability to either get pregnant or to make others pregnant, and whether the Sims can use the toilet standing up or sitting down.
The best part? None of them has to match the social standard or conform to one another at all. For example, a Sim can now be a male, but is also able to have a high-pitched voice, a masculine frame, an ability to get pregnant and still use the toilet standing up. This Sim — who can rock anything from skirts to tuxedos and high heels — is able to engage in a relationship with essentially anyone. Sexual orientation, gender identity, expression and physical appearance need not be either all masculine or all feminine. Everyone has the right to be different, and that is why we call it “diversity”. It was very commendable how the game developers chose to demonstrate this concept in a life-simulation game.
Pink News — a major gay news service in Britain — now calls The Sims 4 “the most LGBT-friendly game of all time”, which is a much-deserved title. The game has always been progressive and open in terms of gender ever since the series’ launch in 2000. Same-sex relationships and marriage are normal. Adoption is also allowed, so long as the Sims are good and responsible parents; their gender is irrelevant. The game has already portrayed how easy, happy and hassle-free life can be for so many people when we throw out prejudice and discrimination. It’s a shame a portion of our society insists to remain otherwise.
While the Sims series remains one of the few games with official recognition towards gender diversity, another game has now made an unofficial nod towards the LGBT communities. Earlier this month, a mod was released for Grand Theft Auto V by Stockholm-based advertising agency Garbergs and fellow GTA enthusiasts to include an LGBT pride parade in the game.
It sounded like the worst idea ever, at first. The GTA series is infamous for its violence. Massive destructions and killings that can be committed in the game have been a point of controversy for years. Especially after the attack in Orlando, inserting a gay-pride parade into a game with raging gunfire seems an insensitive decision.
It wasn’t until later that we learned this mod — dubbed “Los Santos Pride” after the game’s city name — was released by Stockholm Pride Festival, the largest LGBT celebration in Scandinavia, to coincide with its annual parade in Sweden.
“The message of love and equality is always needed and we are happy that players get to host their own Los Santos Pride Parade,” said Christian Valtersson, president at Stockholm Pride. The festival hopes to honour the victims at Pulse nightclub through its Los Santos Pride project.
“We’ve made the parade indestructible. Not to moralise, but rather to show that love will always triumph over hate,” Valtersson further stated. The parade floats and those donning rainbow flags will be safe from all the melee on their path. This mod can be downloaded for free on Los Santos Pride website for PC gamers.
It’s great to see the LGBT community gaining more space in the gaming world, even though it’s just a fan-made mod and not an official release endorsed and developed by the GTA’s studio Rockstar Games. And greater still is Stockholm Pride’s decision to reach into a new audience base with their message.
The Los Santos Pride project made quite a bold move — and an utterly creative one — in choosing to send a message through one of the best-selling video games of all time. A risqué decision, perhaps, taking into consideration the violent nature of the game.
Still, this is what we need — a new way of reaching the people. Pamphlets and pins have done their jobs for decades to help spread the information. It’s now the 21st century, and time to rethink and improve how campaigns are being done conducted the world to create a stronger impact on society.
Games, for example, are one medium that people tend to take for granted. If we could embrace that a game is not just child’s play, but a tool for spreading messages and getting people to engage certain issues, there are so many things that can be done. The possibilities, with the ever evolving technology, are limitless. And diversity in characterisation, of course, is something we all need that will hopefully be improved upon in the future.
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New character creations for The Sims 4. Melalin Mahavongtrakul
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
In the States, its sizeable police forces notwithstanding, millions of people buy guns, often giving the same reason that they don’t feel safe without them. For all the miscreants in prison, there are many more at large. The cops are doing the best they can but are hamstrung by rules and regulations.
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The situation differs in other lands in that only the authorities are permitted guns. Victims in both lands feel frustrated when miscreants aren’t apprehended or get off when they have clever lawyers. Frustrated beyond endurance, they might well turn to vigilantism.
But can they take on the functions of judge, jury and executioner, and get away with it? Novelists have danced around this question for some time. As doing the work of law enforcement is illegal, those in support are walking on eggshells. Nevertheless, several are willing to change it. Irish author Stephen Leather does so in Black Ops.
Best known for his IRA stories, the Peace Process put them on the back-burner. He has since been focusing on the UK’s MI5, its equivalent of the US’s FBI. His literary creation Charlie (Charlotte) Buttons heads it. Dan “Spider” Shepherd is its leading special agent.
They don’t always see eye-to-eye, but mutual respect is their bond. He never fails to carry out his orders — such as furnishing security for visiting Prime Minister Putin, though he personally has no time for him. Less so for jihadists, wherever they may be.
Charlie’s great secret is uncovered by HMG. She’s been hiring hitmen to assassinate/execute/murder those she decides deserve to die. Apart from being forced to resign, her punishment is better than she imagined. In fact, in private employment she’ll need an assistant. Will Spider accept?
They discuss the pros and cons at length. The author eschews numbered chapters. Charlie’s argument are persuasive if short of convincing. Food for thought. Stephen Leather pulls no punches.
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Lots of bodies
Publishers, thinking they are modernising, are changing the appearance of their books. This ranges from eliminating chapter numbers or chapter headings, or chapters altogether, to squeezing as many words as possible onto a page, to designing the covers with conflicting colours.
Black print on a red background is unreadable. However well meaning, this reviewer turns down the lot. They are counterproductive. Like CinemaScope, Vistavision, etc, on the big screen, they have proven to not be improvements. Please return to the standard style.
It would have made The Farm by British author Tom Rob Smith easier to peruse. About an English family — mum, dad, grown son Daniel — it is offered as a chiller. Certainly part of it is. Mum and dad are hard-working English farmers, interested in planting and growing food for self-sufficiency.
But as their products aren’t on the market, income isn’t coming in but bills from the bank are. Unable to meet them, they pick up stakes and move to Sweden, where they manage to acquire a farm. There, mum falls ill. The doctors diagnose it as mental, which she denies. Concerned, Daniel arrives.
Smith introduces us to a batch of Swedish characters, more odd than not. One goes out of his way to disrespect Daniel. The thriller part begins when a girl’s tooth is found. Where’s the rest of her. Come to think of it, there have been disappearances.
Leave it to Daniel to find dismembered bodies in a neighbour’s tool shed. The police are summoned. Then back to the family, mum’s neurosis and the characters talking about some of their problems. The story doesn’t so much end as peter out.
If the blurb is to be believed, Smith is picking up a following. But multimillions?
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Thailand’s independent or art film directors have long faced problems in finding a cinema to show their works. The two major multiplex chains are, perhaps understandably, much more interested in screening mainstream Thai and Hollywood releases that will draw in maximum revenue and when they do agree to screen an indie, it’s usually in just one of their theatres, and with only one screening a day.
There are of course exceptions, with Lido and House in Bangkok regularly giving space to alternative movies but they too have to think of the bottom line and so the films enjoy only a very modest run.
That is all about to change with the opening next month of The Bangkok Screening Room, a 50-seat cinema that will serve not just as a screening hub for alternative films but also as a venue for film lovers to meet.
The Bangkok Screening Room is the brainchild of the Threelogy group comprising Sarinya Manamuti, Nicholas Hudson-Ellis and Wongsarond Suthikulpanich, who two years ago organised the Open Reel Rooftop Festival, a four-day, four-theme orgy of film that presented carefully curated international classics, short films, local video art, and independent films from emerging Thai directors on the roof of W District in Phrakanong. The festival was a success and the feedback, admittedly from a mainly expat audience, was so enthusiastic that Sarinya came up with the idea for a more permanent project.
“We visit Thailand every year and every time we come, we visit museums and art galleries and go to see a movie. But the only cinemas we can find are at shopping malls. There are no stand-alone cinemas like when I lived here 30 years ago,” says Sarinya, who during her years in Australia, has worked for Sydney’s Museum of Contemporary Art, the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, and Museum Victoria in Melbourne.
“We also couldn’t help but notice the lack of variety of the films shown in Thailand. The feedback from our rooftop festival confirmed that there is a need for an alternative theatre and so when we went back to Australia, we wound up our affairs and decided to move to Bangkok. It’s a new thing for Nicholas but we want to do it full time. We need attention,” says Sarinya.
After their return, the three organised a second pop up cinema during last year’s Wonderfruit Festival while Sarinya’s childhood friend Wongsarond, an interior designer by training, scouted for a location for their permanent cinema, finally finding it in Soi Saladaeng 1.
As with so many startups, they turned to crowdfunding site Indiegogo.com and while the contributions fell far short of their target,
they decided to go ahead.
Hudson-Ellis, who worked with the Australian Ballet, is enjoying the challenge. “Often the only place talented filmmakers can share their work is by going overseas and joining the film festival circuit. Young filmmakers generally only manage to show their film at film school or perhaps to their friends and have to make a submission to overseas film festivals to show their work a big screen. We think it’s important to share film with the local communities and the BKKSR is the place to do it,” he says.
“We are well aware that this is a new concept for Thailand and that the BKKSR is a niche market, so we have done a lot of research to make sure that we approach the project in the right way and make sure that people aware of the cinema,” Sarinya adds.
The Bangkok Screening Room has just 50 seats and is far more than an upgraded home theatre. Located on the second floor of a building opposite the U Chu Liang Building in Soi Saladaeng 1 off Rama IV Road, the space is being fully renovated and once finished will be installed with the same level of equipment as a standard cinema. That includes a high-end 4K digital projector and professional surround sound.
The cinema itself is almost finished, Sarinya explains, but they need to wait for the entire building to be completed before they organise the grand opening. Right now that’s scheduled for late August but a soft opening will take place before.
“We can’t set the date right now but we will be running updates on our website and Facebook wall as soon as we are ready,” says Wongsaron
The screening programme has been set, says Wongsaron, who is also overseeing the renovations, “We already have a movie programme that will run for about two months and we will evaluate the timeslot after getting feedback.”
The ticket price of Bt300 is higher than that in a multiplex cinema because the receipts will be split 50-50 with the filmmakers. The show time period will be managed fairly and in accordance with the agreement between the BKKSR and the directors.
“Obviously we know that the ticket sales are not going to cover the running costs so we also have a lounge area where people can come and meet each other to exchange and connect,” says Sarinya.
Hudson-Ellis adds that they also provide a bar and a lounge with soft drinks where people can hold special events – “Talks, meetings, parties or product launches,” he says.
And rather than running commercials during the pre-screening period, they have chosen to forgo the benefits and instead give the time to emerging filmmakers to show their shorts.
The cinema will open with an interesting film from North Korea “Comrade Kim goes Flying”. The joint North Korean, UK and Belgium production, which was shot in the country and stars North Korean actors, is a feel-good story about a North Korean coal miner who dreams of becoming a trapeze artist. She is crushed by the arrogant trapeze star Pak Jang Phil who believes miners belong underground and not in the air. Nicholas Bonner, Anja Daelemans and Gwang Hun Kim direct.
Also scheduled to screen is the US documentary “Hot Sugar’s Cold World” by Adam Bhala Lough, which depicts the life of a modern-day Mozart, Nick Koenig (Hot Sugar) as he creates one-of-a-kind music made entirely out of sounds from the world around him. When he breaks up with his Net idol girlfriend, (rapper Kitty), he flies to Paris where he grew up, to move on with his life, while hunting for increasingly unique and exotic sounds to sample and turn into beats.
The BKKSR is also bringing back the Thai Palme d’Or winner “Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives” by Apichatpong Weerasethakul along with two classics – “The Third Man”, the 1949 British film noir directed by Carol Reed and starring Orson Welles, and the original “Godzilla” or “Gojira” in Japanese, which was made in 1954.
ON THE SCREEN
Tickets cost Bt300. Discounts for special promotions and packages will be announced and updated at their website.
Visit www.BKKSR.com or Facebook/ bangkokscreeningroom.
Mexican Ambassador Jaime Nualart. Photo Courtesy of Mexican Embassy in Thailand
Mexican Ambassador Jaime Nualart couldn’t be happier to be posted to a country which he has grown to appreciate through the years, both in his capacity as a diplomat and tourist.
Born in 1952 in Mexico City, he has travelled the globe with postings in Japan, India and Egypt, to name just a few. Passionate about culture and education, he has held a handful of posts related to this field, including that of being the first president of the Inter-American Commission for Culture in the Organisation of American States.
Nualart has always had a special place in his heart for Thailand.
“When I was posted in Japan in the early 1980s, the first country I visited in the region was Thailand,” said the Mexican envoy. “My sojourns to the Kingdom continued even after I posted to New Delhi, India, in the late 80s, for both vacations and to meet friends. In my capacity as ambassador, I might have been in Thailand for just a month, but I don’t consider myself a newcomer in the literal sense.
“When my trips were not connected with work, I travelled to Bangkok for shopping and cultural tours. Since the early 80s, Thailand has been on my mind and heart. I’ve always looked forward to one day serving here, so I am delighted that I am here.”
Nualart’s long and short terms goals are geared towards strengthening economic and cultural ties with Thailand. He believes there are several sectors where they can work together. Among other things, he would like to continue to support growing bilateral trade between both countries.
“We would also like to increase and diversify our trade with Thailand,” said Nualart, who has worked extensively in cultural preservation.
“We desire to see investments grow between both countries and solidify co-operation in different sectors, including science and technology, which is a significant one for us. An exchange of research and development and know-how which can profit both nations should be encouraged. I also hope to strengthen better cultural dialogue. We belong to ancient civilisations. We have a known history and are recognised globally for our respective food cultures.
“We can find common ground in our efforts to bolster cultural dialogue. One such method would be through film festivals. I am convinced if we can stage successful cultural events in art, cinema, performing arts, graffiti, jazz and other such arts, we can jointly work towards reaching this goal. I would be delighted to be a consultant in such events.”
Showcasing exhibitions by Mexican artists in Thailand would be another form of collaboration which he believes can be made possible through a joint venture by Thai and Mexican cultural institutions.
On this note, Nualart shared that in October there will be two cultural events held in Bangkok. One is sculptures and tapestries by Mexican artist Paloma Torres.
A well known artist, she will have a solo exhibition called “Social Weave” or “Tramas Urbanas” (in Spanish) at the Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre. Her exhibitions, resembling tapestries, are sculptured in thread. Through weaving she produces urban landscapes and other interesting sculptures.
The other exhibition “Wings Of Mexico”, an interactive bronze sculpture by artist, Jorge Marín, should also drum up interest in Mexican culture.
His on-tour exhibition has been successfully shown in not just Mexico City and the US, but also public spaces in Berlin and Tel Aviv, China, Singapore and eventually in Thailand.
Despite the geographical distance, there are interesting similarities both countries share. “Love for good food is the first thing that comes to mind,” said Nualart with a smile.
“In fact, I believe that there are a significant number of ingredients in Thai food, which are common to Mexican cuisine. This could be one of the reasons why there are so many Mexican restaurants in Thailand, ingredients are readily available.
“Other similarities include the fact that both Mexican and Thais love spicy dishes, their cuisines are internationally recognised and that food is both symbolic and significant to their cultural identities. Due to this, I believe we can establish a dialogue through the exchange of gastronomic festivals, chefs and even fusion food.”
Nualart will also be looking to promote tequila and mezcal — a distilled alcoholic beverage made from any type of agave plant native to Mexico — in Thailand.
A passion to foster cultural exchange only makes him eager to witness closer corporation in jointly preserving and promoting each country’s traditions, history and archaeological sites. By establishing dialogue, he said, it is possible to involve the public in reaching these goals. Summing up his sentiments, he said: “In our differences, we can somehow strengthen our individuality.”
Being a seasoned diplomat, Nualart said each posting was enriching for him where apart from reaching his work related goals, he is able to pursue his personal interests. When he was in Japan, he got involved in traditional Japanese theatre. While in India, he learnt Buddhism, which he describes as a religion of peace, dialogue, enrichment, and also some understanding of Hinduism. It was in Egypt where Nualart learned to understand and respect Islam, and of course, the country’s splendid archaeological sites.
“My travels as a diplomat have taught me to respect, establish dialogue, appreciate other cultures, music, literature and arts. The knowledge builds you up as a person.”
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Since 1992, The Thailand Research Fund (TRF) has developed several programmes to support research in sciences, technology, social sciences and humanities. Each year, more than 1,600 research projects are approved. In 1995, the prestigious TRF Senior Research Scholar Award was established. It is based on well selected and rigorous searches for outstanding scholars from different fields of study. The TRF Research Award has been presented to many scholars of various disciplines who possess integrity, as well as national or international standard of achievement.
Besides her reputation for writing music textbooks, music dictionaries as well as pioneering the performance of traditional Thai music on piano, Prof Natchar Pancharoen of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, Chulalongkorn University, was the first person ever in 2013 to receive the TRF Research Scholar Award in Music.
This significant honour came with three-year funding for her to lead a TRF Research Team in Music under her unparalleled music research project called “New Dimensions of Music in Thailand: Integrating Theory into Practice”. Working like a scientist, Prof Natchar thinks that artists also meticulously work through the process of experimentation.
This year concluded the three-year-project that resulted in nine promising researchers who were carefully handpicked by her, namely Assistant Professor Nora-ath Chan-Klum, Vanich Potavanich, Assistant Pimchanok Suwannathada, Tasana Nagavajara, Ramasoon Sitalayan, Assistant Professor Dr.Jittapim Yamprai, Yos Vaneesorn, Lertkait Chongjirajitra and Achima Phattanawerangkul. Members of the TRF Research Team in Music have been assigned to work individually on one to three music projects.
Thai violinist Tasana Nagavajara said: “As a professional musician, I think the research aspect is extremely necessary. For me, the research itself can be as enjoyable as playing the instrument. It is almost impossible to interpret any kind of music by only reading black spots on white paper. There is a lot more to be discovered.”
Professor Suthipun Jitpimolmard, TRF director, stated that music research with an academic approach is considered to be a groundbreaking movement in Thailand. It creates a pathway for artists to elevate the achievements of their performing arts into higher education accomplishments. The body of knowledge built from this project can effectively benefit music teaching and learning in the future. This mega music research project outcome also includes Dontree-Likhit, a volume of articles on music written by revered music scholars and this troupe of researchers.
Dr Natchar will lead her TRF Research Team in Music and present the seminar to close her music research project. Five topics will be presented: “From Music History Research to an Innovative Composition”, “Tous Les Deux: Symphonie en l’honneur de la relation entre la France et le Siam” by Jittapim Yamprai; “Devas Suite” for Orchestra: Performance Analysis by Vanich Potavanich; “Wagthong” Animation (Animation on Golden Phrases from Thai Literature) by Nora-ath Chan-Klum; “Darun Duriyang”: Thai Piano Pieces for Children by Achima Phattanawerangkul; and The Process of Composing “Tones for Clarinet Ensemble” by Yos Vaneesorn.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Asian brands are said to have started the liquid skincare rage, with SK-II’s sake-inspired Facial Treatment Essence dubbed as “miracle water” and Sulwhasoo’s herbal First Care Activating Serum hailed as a beauty routine revolutionary.
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Clarins Anti-ageing Treatment Essences. Clarins
The rest of the industry is catching up on this watery trend, with the recent release of Clarins Anti-ageing Treatment Essences, Jurlique Activating Water Essence and Lancôme Energie de Vie Liquid Care.
After cleansing and toning, they function as a pre-serum that primes the skin to better receive anything applied afterwards. The hydrating effect enhances the performance of following serums and moisturisers for the full benefit of the skincare ritual.
Delivering ingredients into the skin, product absorption depends on the impermeability of the skin physical barrier, which changes with age.
Mature skin, for instance, has declining epidermal cell renewal and a thickened stratum corneum, with the accumulation of surface dead cells creating an additional physical barrier that limits the absorption of active ingredients.
Clarins has thus introduced a trio of Anti-ageing Treatment Essences rich in plant extracts for skin at different ages and concerns.
In contrast, Jurlique Activating Water Essence is transversally used for any skin condition and age. The skincare activator features marshmallow root extract with hydrating, balancing and recuperating properties. A medicinal plant, marshmallow produces a gluey mucillage traditionally used in healing wounds.
Likewise, French lemon balm has been used since antiquity for its medicinal benefits. As skin protectors, its leaves and goji berries are key ingredients in Lancôme Energy de Vie Liquid Care. Despite its high amount of moisturising agents and emollients, the liquid formula has a non-sticky texture for easier application and absorption by the skin, thereby shaking up the conventions of existing moisturisers.
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Jurlique Jurlique
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Imagine a room full of red-lace bras, packs of condoms and a dancing pole — did we just wander into an illicit, red-light district somewhere? No, these items are brazenly displayed at perhaps one of the most unusual museums in the country: This Is Us — Empower Foundation’s Museum of Sex Works in Thai Society.
Taking Life on a tour of this unique museum was Chantawipa Apisuk, director of Empower Foundation — an NGO which assists and educates sex workers in Thailand. The museum is on the third floor of the foundation’s office on Tivanon Road in Nonthaburi, halfway between Big C Tivanon and the new MRT Ministry of Health Station on the skytrain’s Purple Line. The museum has been opened unofficially for years. Chantawipa said she’s been waiting for the skytrain to arrive before finally opening the place to the public.
This Is Us tells the history and lives of sex workers in Thailand. Inside the museum, which displays in one room, visitors can find a dance platform with a metal pole, a minibar, a karaoke machine, a bath tub, condoms, sex toys, a boxing ring and more — all with the stories of how the prostitution industry in Thailand has evolved over the years. From brothels out of the Ayutthaya period to go-go bars, coyote bars, aab ob nuad (bath houses) and more, this museum collects and displays ideas rather than merely “old stuff”, as the foundation’s director puts it.
“I wonder what people really expect to see here. We don’t have things like old mattresses, though, if that’s what they’re wondering,” the foundation’s director said with a laugh. There is even a dildo on display, and Chantawipa admitted it almost got her in trouble with the authorities once when she took it to an outside exhibition.
The items exhibited have been collected from more than 30 years of the foundation’s work and efforts to bring more opportunities to sex workers.
“We don’t want our passing years to go to waste, so we’ve been categorising our knowledge and information in order to pass it on to the new generation, who would carry on our work,” she said.
A portion of the museum is dedicated to the display of papier-mache dolls called Kumjing — a representation of illegal Burmese migrant workers as part of the Labour Sans Frontieres (Labour Without Borders) project. As a human-rights activist, Chantawipa and her husband, Chumpon Apisuk, who serves as the project’s co-founder, have been on a mission to create Kumjing for more than a decade. Aside from advocacy work, the foundation also gives language and non-formal lessons to educate sex and migrant workers in many of its centres across the country.
According to Chantawipa, there are about 300,000 sex workers in Thailand, both Thais and foreigners. Prostitution is condemned and even criminalised in many countries around the world. Some people have linked it to human trafficking and the spread of HIV/Aids. Most sex workers have no access to social benefits like healthcare and are treated unfairly by the public and officials alike, as they are labelled uneducated and immoral.
“People believe only bad women are engaged in this type of work, but I only know breadwinners who can afford to pay their father’s hospital bills, support their brothers to enter the monkhood and even the military, and send their kids to good schools,” Chantawipa said.
In countries such as Austria, the Netherlands and Germany, sex work is legal and regulated, and workers even receive benefits from the government as their job is recognised, their taxes paid. Meanwhile, most countries, including Thailand, prostitution is illegal.
Before, since its beginning in the Ayutthaya period, prostitution was legal and state officials ran elite brothels with proceeds going back to the government itself. Sex work was later criminalised in Thailand in 1960.
The Thai legal system is, however, caught in a paradox. While the law criminalises sex work, the country is famous for its red-light district and sex industry. Any farang can testify to that. Thai men would also testify to the infamous aab ob nuad, where they receive “happy endings”. These bath houses are legal.
“If you have money, you can do all kinds of business around here,” commented Chantawipa.
The Empower Foundation, said Chantawipa, has been around since 1985. And after more than three decades of working with sex workers, she let on that progress has been slow. The problem with negativity, she said, lies with people’s attitude and belief. The law has a better chance at changing than the people.
“We’ve been through 11 governments — elected, appointed and by coup — and yet nothing has changed. People are still arguing over whether to make prostitution legal,” she observed.
“These sex workers are just like those working in other professions. They shouldn’t be punished for making money to feed themselves. They only lack opportunities, which made them undertake these works in the first place.”
Chantawipa hopes that sex work will be recognised as a legal profession, meaning the workers would be protected under labour laws.
“Currently, sex workers are not equal with their customers and employers. If we could change pimps to employers and so pay nee [prostitutes] to employees with labour laws covering them, then if there is a dispute, the law can step in and not leave the problem to manifest between a victim and someone in power, like how it is right now.”
If the labour laws are fixed, Chantawipa said it’ll also elevate the status of clients to that of consumers entitled to a standardised service, which could improve the standard of the Thai sex industry as a whole and make it safer for everyone.
“To make prostitution legal, we don’t even need a law to say it’s OK to do it. Just cancel the existing law, decriminalise it and we’ll be fine. And then we can discuss what sort of rights the workers would be entitled to. Can they ask for a study or house loan? What about social security? Can they apply for it?”
While the foundation continues its campaigns for justice and equality, Chantawipa admitted that not all sex workers are actually thrilled about the possibility that their profession will be recognised by law.
“Nobody wants the minimum 300-baht wage. They would rather have 3,000 baht. And some believe the social security welfare is not that reliable anyway,” she said. Looking beyond monetary gain, the legalisation of prostitution would prevent the arrest of sex workers and other ill treatment and injustices that befall them.
Chantawipa suggested people should recognise and accept that sex work is actually beneficial to the country’s economy rather than just bashing it with such negativity and criticism. Billions of baht that circulate our economy each year originate in prostitution.
“Our tourism authority never sees the sex industry as an asset,” said Chantawipa.
“If you want to know how much this industry supports our country’s tourism, get sex workers to go on strike for a day. Everybody would lose it.”
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The journey of Kumjing. Melalin Mahavongtrakul
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Clay figurines depicting aab ob nuad (bath house). Melalin Mahavongtrakul
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As with other professions, sex workers have their own tool box, which may include a bra, condoms and beauty accesories. Melalin Mahavongtrakul
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
The Bangkok Protestant Cemetery on Charoen Krung Road, locally dubbed as Soi Susan Farang, is a well-known tourist attraction. Somchai Poomlard
Cemeteries are a sanctuary for the dead and the mourners. But the Bangkok Protestant Cemetery on Charoen Krung 72/5, known as Soi Susan Farang, has been known as a tourist attraction, due to the beautiful architecture of the memorial sites and splendidly carved gravestones. The cemetery, besides being one of the oldest burial grounds that remain unaffected by the urban development of the city, has a cultural value as a testament of foreign cultures present in Thailand from the mid-19th century until the present day.
For more than a century, the ground has served as the final resting place for foreign envoys, pioneers and missionaries — including Dan Beach Bradley and the first British envoy to Siam. Despite the iron gate, the place allows the public to visit. Anyone can walk in to sit in the shade or look at the river.
Cemeteries — mostly Islamic and Christian — become the last cultural stronghold in the face of massive construction. Life featured a story on an Islamic kubur recently; the Protestant cemetery of Charoen Krung also is another prime example of how Bangkok communities struggle to retain their history in the sea of change.
The nine-rai plot in Charoen Krung 72/5 was bestowed by King Rama IV to the Protestant community in Siam in 1853. Before that, the community did not have its own burial space and needed to use a Catholic community’s graveyard. At that time, Bangkok was still full of canals and people commuted by boat, so those who attended funerals could only go there by boat. The burial ground was accessible by road only when Charoen Krung Road was cut in 1864. Also known as “New Road”, the new thoroughfare was then a swanky location and a favourite locale for foreign embassies.
But when the city expanded and commerce grew, cemeteries of various faiths came under pressure. The best example is the large plot of Catholic cemeteries on Silom Road, which had housed the bodies of at least three generations before the remains were exhumed and moved to Sam Pran. Silom is too hot a property, and the dead couldn’t argue with capitalism. Thai-Chinese graveyards, known as huang sui, once dotted Bangkok but have gradually been moved out. The municipal codes also imposed higher sanitary and environmental demands, making it harder for cemeteries in Bangkok to remain. The only exception is the various Muslim cemeteries, which are still found in almost every neighbourhood of Bangkok, including Charoen Krung and Silom. Tight-knitted community spirit and the Islamic ritual that allows bodies to be buried on top of a previous one reduces the pressure to find more space.
Yet, the Protestant cemetery here withstands the test of time. The committee overseeing the place does not have a policy to relocate. It is estimated that over 1,800 bodies rest in peace here. Currently, the cost of using land for graveyard is around 60,000 baht per plot.
“We cannot do anything. It is a gift from the Royal Family. Other cemeteries moved out but we do not want to. On the contrary, we will turn this place into little oasis … place of restfulness where people can walk in.” said J. Geoffrey Walsh, cemetery chairperson.
The cemetery is getting landscape redevelopment in order to make the place suitable for a community park.
“The vision of the committee is to create a park-like environment, with more trees and seating, hopefully it will be used by people in the neighbourhood,” Walsh said as he walked along the rows of gravestones. Well maintained, the place feels peaceful.
The cemetery has a number of intricately carved tombstones and a few memorial chapels. Several burial grounds belong to notable foreign pioneers such as the Rev Dan Beach Bradley, the American medical doctor who came to Siam during the reign of King Rama III and pioneered the printing industry. Henry Alabaster, the first British diplomat to the Court of Siam, and who later served as adviser to King Chulalongkorn, was buried here. Alabaster married a Thai lady, and King Rama VI later granted the Thai family name “Savetsila”.
This eternal home serves people of multi-nationalities — British, French, Scandinavians, Protestant Thai-Chinese families. Jewish people used this site until the mid-1990s. The Jewish community subsequently purchased the adjacent land plot to use as their burial ground.
Apparently, this necropolis has a new facelift. Old view-blocking iron barn door has been replaced by a new steel-alloy gate that allows the public to view the cemetery. A new wooden notice board has been installed to replace the old one, and the committee is working with a company to build and install a 15 metre frontal glass notice board.
A team of workers are cleaning the drains and improving tanks and water pump stations to prevent floods and the overflow from the Chao Phraya River. Landscape improvements are expected to be completed by next month. The committee plans to hire a permanent gardener to take care of the newly developed garden.
The continued existence of the cemetery in Bangkok defies the city’s land development trend (there are Catholic cemeteries that are worth visiting too, such as at Santa Cruz Church by the river opposite the Memorial Bridge, and Conception Church in Samsen).
Given to land stress and rising property prices, cemeteries in Bangkok and particularly in Silom and Sathon have been moved out. It’s clear that ancient cemeteries in Bangkok feel the need to adjust their role to serve the public in the new shake up of space: They have to become public parks. The Islamic burial grounds such as the one in Charoen Krung 36, or the Ton Son mosque near Bangkok Noi Canal, are leafy and quiet compounds where residents can find pockets of clean air despite the skyscrapers around them. The city administration has turned the Chinese cemetery on Chan Road, off Sathon, into a park where people can walk and jog amid the cenotaphs. And for those who love to look at splendid tombstones and enjoy a river view, the Christian Cemetery is a must visit.
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J. Geoffrey Walsh. Somchai Poomlard
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This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Energie de Vie Liquid Care and Sleeping Mask. Bernard jaspar
Caught up in a fast-paced lifestyle, the selfie-obsessed Gen Y keeps up with the latest trends, maintains an active social network presence, and pursues numerous personal and professional projects. Despite all of that the “LOL” generation doesn’t take anything seriously.
Do they ever get exhausted though? And how does “urban fatigue” takes a toll on the skin of those between the ages of 25-35?
These issues were raised by French cosmetic brand Lancôme, who recently released an energising skincare regime specifically for female millennials.
The comprehensive product R&D looked at Gen Y’s behaviour and lifestyle assessed by trend forecasting agency, NellyRodi.
“This is a generation that has reinvented itself as a superheroine, that does not feel tired, that is always supposed to feel in top form. We can see it on social networks, on which 25-to-35-year-olds are always very active,” said the agency’s lifestyle director, Vincent Gregoire.
He considers millennials a genetically modified generation because they were born and grew up in periods of crisis since the 80s. So there are no problems, only solutions, and they know how to adapt.
“The women of this generation also know that they can benefit from major innovations, such as digital, which is a real revolution. Everything is a playground, everything is a pretext for having fun,” he said. “We see, for example, all of these fun digital tutorials. However, it must not be irritating or lecturing. They want results, but within a fun context. They want to age well, to still have energy. If they have wrinkles, they should be “beautiful” wrinkles.”
The intense lifestyle leads to the so-called urban fatigue associated with the constant demands of the modern environment.
“The body is a whole, and everything that we go through has repercussions on all of our organs, including — of course — the skin,” explains Véronique Delvigne, Lancôme’s scientific director.
“Through a pioneering study, we have been able to demonstrate that, in the context of a hectic life, fatigue has long-term consequences by impairing the skin’s self-defence capacities and contributing to its premature ageing.”
Lancôme claims as being the first to apply metabolomics — dubbed as the science of the invisible — to skincare R&D.
A molecular investigation tool, metabolomics has been initially adopted in the fields of nutrition, cancer and metabolic diseases. It is gradually spreading to other areas, including research into skin science of which a two-months metabolomics study on 50 women indicated that the fatigue of an urban life upsets the skin’s metabolites.
“Our metabolomics research proves it: a frantic life oxidises the fundamental components of the skin, impairs its energy resources, and induces a pro-inflammatory condition,” said Delvigne.
On the outside, the fatigue shows on the face, primarily around the eyes, and through a dull complexion with the emergence of redness and sensitivity. Skin becomes dehydrated, with the appearance of imperfections and fine lines as well as the texture losing its fineness.
In your 20s, the skin can quickly recover from these signs of fatigue but in your 30s they gradually turn into the first signs of ageing, requiring greater care of the skin.
Lancôme’s Energie de Vie range is infused with extracts from superfoods concentrated in nutrients and antioxidants to counteract urban fatigue. Key ingredients include goji berry, French lemon balm and gentian extracts.
The skin superfoods should relate well to the Gen Yers’, who are known for eating well as seen by the increasing number of organic food shops and people “Instagramming” the slightest meal.
Short on time, they also prefer effective yet easy-to-use beauty products with fresh and fluid textures as evident from the trend for cosmetic waters and sleeping mask.
Responding to their paradoxical demands, the new skincare range include Pearly Lotion, Liquid Care and Overnight Recovery Sleeping Mask. The all-in-one step Liquid Care is designed to be as fresh as a lotion, as concentrated as a serum and as moisturising as a cream.
Although with a dense texture, the moisturising sleeping mask breaks into water droplets with the drop in temperature when applied making it a refreshing skin energiser.
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This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Although not everybody considers the rainy season the best time of year to cycle, the fact remains that this is when the sunlight, with all those clouds in the sky, is less harsh. What’s more, it doesn’t rain every day. As a result, over the next few months of the so-called wet season, there will be many bike events. Here are some that you might find interesting to join.
– Jul 31 The “Ride for Orphans” charity event will take place this Sunday. Starting from Sam Wa Mosque in Soi Nimit Mai 55, Min Buri, participants will bike on two routes of their choice, one 20km and the other 40km.
Call 081-864-6563 and 084-667-8973. Line users can contact the following IDs: ron74atech and hippokaze.
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Rain or shine, biking can be enjoyed. Photos: Pongpet Mekloy
– Aug 4-7 This is not yet finalised. But if it actually takes place, it’s going to be something you, as a rider or a spectator, shouldn’t miss.
As part of the “Bright Up Your Bike” fair to be held at The Bright Rama II, there might be the first “downmall” challenge (downhill race in a shopping mall) in Thailand. Ten volunteer DH riders are being recruited online to test the potential course.
– Aug 20-21 Round 2 of “Thailand Enduro Series” is scheduled to take place at Chet Khot-Pong Kon Sao Nature Study Centre in Kaeng Khoi, Saraburi. The event is a good test of both your riding skill and stamina — although racers are timed only on the downhill stages, they are required to bike to the top of each of such stage instead of taking a shuttle ride as in a DH race.
Online registration can be done at www.thailandenduroseries.com/registration.html. n Sep 3-4 The “Khao E-to Classic”, Prachin Buri’s best known bicycle event, is taking place again. As usual, riders will be grouped by the type of their rigs (road or mountain bikes), age and gender. The racecourses this year will cover both Khao E-to and the nearby Khao Yai National Park to the north. The longest routes will be 64km.
Call 080-456-7769, 088-268-1138 and 086-090-4945.
– Sep 4 Meanwhile in the Northeastern province of Chaiyaphum, a cycling event dubbed “Song Raeng Nong Thong Thung Krajiao” (roughly translated as “visiting Krajiao flower fields on two wheel”) will take place in Thep Sathit District. The ride will start from the local town to Pa Hin Ngam National Park where the krajiao plant, also known as Siam tulip, flaunt their pink blooms during the rainy season.
The distance is 35km. Call Chaiyaphum Cycling Club on 081-069-0069 and 089-424-3888.
– Nov 4-6 This event is happening in our neighbouring country. The “Vietnam Mountain Bike Marathon”, claimed to be the first of its kind in the nation, will take place in the picturesque mountains around Sapa. During the three-day event, participants will bike about 50km a day.
The fascinating sounds of “Lollywood” (Pakistani cinema) soundtracks have been exploding from the World Beat turntable for the past week, courtesy of an excellent recent double vinyl compilation, ‘Life Is Dance!’ Plugged-In Sounds Of Wonder At The Pakistani Picture House (Finders Keepers, 2011). The compilation was sourced from EMI Pakistan’s vast archives by Chris Menist, DJ partner of Zudrangma’s Maft Sai and a member of local favourites the Paradise Bangkok Molam International band, and is a part of the series called “Sounds of Wonder”.
Lollywood soundtrack music, as I’ve discovered, has many stylistic similarities with the more well-known Bollywood sound. There is, as Menist says in the liner notes, “something more rough around the edges and often more compelling about what was being laid down in the EMI studios in Lahore”.
The title track, Life Is Dance, is taken from the movie Society Girl, and it features the seductive, soaring voice of Nahid Akhtar, driving percussion (another featured artist is the percussionist, producer and composer Altaf Hussein Tafo who produced 700 soundtracks in his career), a sixties-sounding guitar and synthesizer. The effect is infectious. Several of the songs like Naughty Boy are in this vain — cheeky seduction by “bad girls” in bar scenes that feature snatches of English. English lyrics, used as hooks or chorus (done years before J-pop and K-pop did it), and mixed with local languages like Punjabi or Urdu on songs like Catch Me If You Can and Naughty Boy are my favourites of these types of songs; perfect pop confection, complete with weird Moog sounds, undulating tabla and chunky guitars.
Pakistan has a very rich musical culture, with a deep classical tradition, many folk and traditional styles from different regions and a Sufi tradition, from the South, that produced qawwali devotional music, so it should come as no surprise that, as with Bollywood, some of the music from these styles should turn up on soundtracks. For instance, harmonium riffs performed by synthesizers and vocal techniques from traditional music. You can hear some of these styles percolating through songs like Jawani Meri Bijli and the wild Wey Titly Non Par.
This is a wonderful collection of funky tracks that would grace any dancefloor — it is music to dance to and I’ll be spinning a few of these musical nuggets at my next DJ night. Highly recommended. The compilation is part of series of releases from the EMI Pakistan’s vaults, and is available in both vinyl and CD formats. More information from www.finderskeepersrecords.com.
Sadly, not everyone in Pakistan appreciates music. Qawwali singer Amjad Sabri, the son of Ghulam Farid Sabri, one of the founders of the legendary Sabri Brothers, was gunned down and killed earlier this year. Qawwali is Sufi devotional music, sometimes called “the music of the shrines”, and it features the words of Sufi saints set to music. The Sufi tradition has millions of followers in Pakistan.
The aim of the music, as explained to me by the late Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, is to bring listeners closer to God; the music is a lyrical expression of devotional love and is set to handclaps, harmonium and tabla drums.
At the time of his untimely death, Amjad Sabri was at the height of his career and was one of the most popular of the younger qawwali singers along with stars like Faiz Ali Faiz. The Sabri family’s musical roots go back to the 17th century and it was his father Ghulam Farid Sabri who helped to popularise the Sabri Brothers ensemble from the 1960s to mid-1990s; Amjad was the only family member to carry on the tradition. He quickly established his reputation as an interpreter of his father’s songs and as an experimenter with more modern interpretations of the qawwali traditions.
Thousands of devotees and fans turned out to his funeral on June 25, showing just how important and well loved this musician was to his followers and devotees. RIP Amjad Sabri, your music will live on.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Act 1 of The Phantom of the Opera was performed on a horseback on the lawn in front of the castle.
A unique fund-raising event was held recently amid the cool wind of Khao Yai. Dubbed “The Secret Castle”, the exclusive gala dinner and auction was hosted by Sirin Chatvichai, managing director of Degree (Thailand), manufacturer and distributor of lighting products, at the Austrian-style castle at My Ozone housing project, among the valleys of Khao Yai.
Among the guests were the country’s leading entrepreneurs, Bangkok socialites as well as Sirin’s classmates from the Capital Market Academy Class 22 including Ariya Panomyong, Gen Vichien Sirisoontorn, Dr Wutthipong Kittitanasuan, Pichai Chirathivat, Dr Pranya Sakiyalak, Dr Thaweelarp Ritapirom, Dr Chadchart Sittipunt, Jiraphant Asvatanakul, Pol Col Dr Srihanard Prayoonrat, Teerada Umpanwong, Pol Gen Panya Marmen, Sirote Duangrat, Chaovanin Banditkrisada, Anuthin and Sasitorn Charnveerakul, among others.
The charity evening aimed to raise funds for the Siriraj Foundation’s Ta Sai Jai Sa-ard funding programme, which provides help to underprivileged patients in need of a cornea transplant. The cornea is the transparent, dome-shaped surface of the eye that accounts for a large part of the eye’s focusing power.
“Blindness could result from many factors and cornea transplant, with donated corneas harvested from the deceased, is needed to restore their sight. After the operation, proper care must be provided to fend off infection. This is where the foundation comes in, to help patients with needed post-operation care, which could cost a lot of money,” said Sirin.
“This fund-raising event is in line with Degree (Thailand)’s core business objective in trying to give back to the society as much as we could,” added Sirin. “As our business is to provide quality lighting, I specifically wanted to help those who are visually impaired, to give them light in their lives. I have consulted my classmate, Asst Prof Dr Pranya Sakiyalak, who suggested the Ta Sai Jai Sa-ard because not many people have heard about it and an increasing amount of money is needed every year to help underprivileged patients.”
Staying true to the host’s business, the evening showcased extravagant light decorations in the housing project’s luxurious castle. Apart from the black-tie sit-down dinner featuring gourmet menu and fine wines, guests were also treated to a stunning The Phantom of the Opera, performed by two talented singers Chawanluck Direkwattananukul and Koravich Dhevahastin na Ayudhaya, completed with the light and sound system support. Act 1 was surprisingly performed on horseback, while Act 2 was moved to the spacious balcony of the castle overlooking the beautiful seated audience below.
The fund-raising auction started after dinner with VIP guests donating their valuables for the charity auction. Kicking off the auction was the host’s classic Italian-style standing chandelier valued at 80,000 baht, which was auctioned off at 140,000 baht by Dr Chadchart Sittipunt.
Next was Phra Buddha Prathan Dhamma, a sculpture art piece created by artist Netikorn Chinyo. The sculpture, valued at 100,000 baht, was a collectible item of Dr Wutthipong Kittitanasuan. Offering the highest bid for the art piece at 590,000 baht was Jiraphant Asvatanakul. Another highlight was the bid to have dinner with the host, where Phubej Jantanimi and Pichai Chirathivat closed the deal at 100,000 baht.
The event also saw another auction to raise funds for the Capital Market Academy Foundation and the Capital Market Academy Class 22. The money raised will use to acquire educational toys and other necessities for children with special needs in the southern province of Pattani. The first auction piece was the Thammaracha, a sculpture created by artist Watchara Prayoonkham valued at 100,000 baht. It was auctioned out at 1 million baht to Siriya Thepchareon. There was also a Manchester United jersey of Dr Oran Wongsurapichej that started off at 10,000 baht and ended up at 100,000 baht to Charin Samornpitakkul.
At the end of the night a total of 1.9 million baht was raised for charity — 830,000 baht to benefit the Ta Sai Jai Sa-ard funding programme of Siriraj Foundation, and 1.1 million baht to the Capital Market Academy Foundation and Capital Market Academy Class 22.
The night was concluded with hearts filled with joy and faces painted with smiles. The happiest of all is definitely the host, Sirin Chatvichai, who puts the party together for a good and admirable course.
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Act 2 of The Phantom of the Opera was performed on the balcony of the castle.
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From left, Ariya Panomyong, Gen Vichien Sirisoontorn, Dr Wutthipong Kittitanasuan, Sirin Chatvichai, Siriya Thepchareon, Pichai Chirathivat and Dr Chadchart Sittipunt.
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From left, Charin Samornpitakkul, Thaveesak Lertprapan, Chatvadee Prayoonrat, Pol Col Dr Srihanard Prayoonrat, Jiraphant Asvatanakul and Dr Wutthipong Kittitanasuan.
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From left, Prangthip Anantavipark, Achiraya Inkatanuvat, Sirin Chatvichai and Achara Jiwramonaikul.
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Dr Nopadol Sarapala, centre, with the two talented opera singers, Chawanluck Direkwattananukul, left, and Koravich Dhevahastin na Ayudhaya.
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This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
With more than 30 million downloads in less than a month since its release, calling Pokemon Go a social phenomenon is hardly an overstatement. An augmented-reality mobile game (AR) released earlier this month in some regions, Pokemon Go has made daily headlines around the world ever since its launch.
The game has been gradually released in more than 30 countries around the world, starting with Australia, New Zealand and the USA on July 6. In Thailand, True Corp — the exclusive licensee of all Pokemon content in Thailand — has recently announced that the game will be open to players in Thailand some time in September. An exact release date is still to be decided by the game’s main publisher, Nintendo, according to True CEO Suphachai Chearavanont.
Thailand will then get a taste of the fun — and havoc — caused by people trying to catch the little monsters. Using location-tracking and GPS technology (courtesy of Google Maps), Pokemon Go requires players to actually traverse through the real world in search of various pre-marked locations on a map, which will either reward the players with a variety of in-game items or the chance to capture a Pokemon. Once a Pokemon is found, players can use their phone camera to see an AR render of the Pokemon transposed on the scene being caught by the phone’s camera before attempting to “catch” them.
While many experts have stepped forward to point out that Pokemon Go’s reliance on moving around in the real world could potentially have tangible benefits for players in terms of fitness and mental health, there have also been many reports of traffic accidents, trespassing and even violent crimes that have stemmed from the game. Many countries have come out to speak publicly in concern regarding the game, with China and Korea banning it outright. Most recently, Japan’s government issued several public safety guidelines for Pokemon Go players ahead of the game’s release in the country earlier this week.
The objective of the game — aside from collecting all the roughly 150 different types of Pokemon — is based on the game’s Team System, which divides all players into three teams, with each team competing to control special locations called “Gyms” by using their captured Pokemon to battle each other.
While September is hardly a long way from now, there are many Thai players who are more than ready to step out into the world for the AR adventure of their dreams. To tide them over until then, here are several other notable games to scratch all our AR itch.
Ingress (iOS and Android)
Developed by Niantic, the same developers behind Pokemon Go, Ingress is commonly known as the “predecessor” of Pokemon Go, as it utilises many of the same technologies and design sensibilities. In Ingress, instead of Pokemon Trainers, players are instead characters in a dystopian sci-fi future, where humanity is divided into two factions — one in support of a mysterious alien race, one against.
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After choosing a side, players must visit various locations for items and compete to control “portals”, which are littered across the real world in very much the same fashion as Pokemon Go’s PokeStops. In fact, Ingress’ portal locations are converted exactly to Pokemon Go, with former portal locations now turned into PokeStops instead. This means that if you want to check out if there will be any PokeStops near your area in the future, you can do so through Ingress before the game’s release.
In Thailand, clusters of locations are scattered all over Bangkok, pinned on things like shrines, stores or even traffic signs. For example, near the Bangkok Post office on Klong Toei, there is a location pinned on the shrine in front of the building.
The locations of Portals can also be suggested by its players, which is probably not surprisingly that strange random items like graffiti walls or obscure statues are made into portals. That said, common landmarks like the Victory Monument or Rama VI Statue in front of Lumpini Park are also registered portals, as well.
As of this month, more than 15 million portal suggestions have been submitted, with about 5 million of those approved as official locations by Niantic. The game also has a passionate following in Thailand, judging from the over 5,000 members of the Ingress Thailand Facebook group.
Zombies Everywhere/Zombies Go (iOS only)
Zombies Everywhere is a fun little AR game that lets you shoot zombies while walking around in the real world. Using your phone’s camera to look around, the game will render 3D zombies into the environment, which you can proceed to decimate with a variety of weapons, from conventional handguns to mini-guns and flame-throwers.
The game sports two modes, a typical “survivor” mode where you try to survive — and eviscerate — as many waves of the undead as possible. You can play this in AR mode, using your phone to aim and shoot at the zombies, or — if you happen to be stuck in an enclosed space — play the game without AR. The second mode, dubbed the “safe” mode, is quite similar to survival mode in the sense that you can still see and shoot the shambling zombies as you would normally, though the zombies will ignore you, which could make for some pretty neat screenshots.
Unlike Ingress or Pokemon Go (though the developers cleverly renamed their app Zombies Go just several days before), Zombies Everywhere isn’t a free app, and will cost you a measly 99 US cents (34 baht). You can also pay another 99 cents to unlock all the weapons in the game at once instead of earning them by killing hordes of zombies.
SpecTrek (Android Only)
AR and ghosts are like a match made in heaven, though SpecTrek isn’t exactly concerned with giving you jump-scares as much as it is about using ghosts as a motivator for exercise. After selecting from three available game lengths (15, 30, 60 minutes), the game will randomly place cute, blanket-with-eyeholes ghosts within a pre-set radius around the user.
The user’s mission, then, is to travel to these locations in the real world and use their phones to look for and catch these ghosts. In case the ghosts happen to spawn in inaccessible, players can also use the app’s “horn” function to make nearby ghosts move to other locations, which can work to help players avoid areas they shouldn’t be in, which seems to be a significant problem plaguing Pokemon Go right now.
Priced at almost 90 baht in the Thai Google Play Store, the game is admittedly a little light in features, though that’s not to say it could be a fun way to get yourselves outdoors more.
Clandestine: Anomaly (iOS and Android)
People who prefer their games with a little more meat can check out Clandestine: Anomaly, named “Best Mobile AR Games Other Than Pokemon Go” by the Apple Gazette. In the game, players must use their phones to erect massive structures in order to defend their real-world neighbourhood from an invisible alien invasion.
Unlike the other games, Clandestine: Anomaly doesn’t force players to head outside to enjoy it. Most of the game’s essential objectives can be done at home, and the player only ever has to move outdoors if he ever wanted to. As the game lets you manually set the area in which the game will unfold, even the outdoors sections of the game can be played in a relatively small area.
While all the base construction elements can be done remotely at home, the game gives players the option to get more directly involved with the alien conflict by actually heading out into the real world, where players can use their phone cameras to view and battle aliens in high definition AR. The game’s quality in terms of graphics are comparable to offerings from big-name developers, which is actually more than can be said for most of the other games on this list.
On iOS, the game is priced at US$3.99, which could be a turn off for Thai people. But if you’re really interested in what AR can really do for mobile gaming, you owe it to yourself to check this one out.
Other neat AR apps
Ikea Catalogue
As it turns out, Ikea actually has a pretty cool AR app, which can let you place virtual renders of its furniture into real word settings with your camera. This way, you’ll know exactly which unpronounceable-named piece of furniture you need to look out for. The function isn’t quite ready yet, but it’ll definitely be one of the more practical uses of AR once it is.
Blippar
Think Google in AR, and you basically have Blippar. Using your phone camera, you can “blip” (point the camera) at anything, and the app will scour the net to find videos, articles and photos of whatever you are blipping. The app is still relatively new, so there aren’t too many “blip”-able things just yet, though the developers promise that one day, everything will be “blip”-able.
Zombies Run
There are few motivators capable of getting you moving as a shambling zombie coming for your brains. Zombies Run is a fitness-centric AR app that motivates users to go out running by framing these runs as “missions” in a zombie survival game. As you run, a story is narrated to you by various characters in a zombie-apocalypse setting.
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AR Games Kanin Srimaneekulroj
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This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
A still from Orawan’s video work at the Erawan Shrine.
If “Fear” — Manit Sriwanichapoom’s latest photography and video show, which opened over the past weekend at H Gallery, Tang Contemporary Art and Kathmandu Photo Gallery (and at Yavuz Gallery in Singapore at the end of the month) — isn’t the hottest topic of discussion in the capital’s art scene already, it soon will be.
But what kind of “hot” exactly? A glimpse of what’s on display at the Kathmandu Photo Gallery: close-up, pixelated shots of five generals behind the 2014 coup; the series is titled Five Generals Who Return Happiness To The People. Full story on Manit’s show at these three venues is to follow next week, and one of the questions to be discussed is to whom exactly has that “happiness” been returned?
Yet, it’s not the grandness of the whole affair — the show is being shown in “four prestigious galleries in two countries” — but perhaps your political inclination that decides whether the show is worth a visit or not.
So where else do we go if you aren’t too keen on what looks like an attempt at glorifying the PDRC movement? There are two other shows which are worth a visit, and seeing them is getting pretty much everything covered for this month’s gallery hopping.
One is Sanitas Pradittasnee’s solo show “Capturing The Intangible” at Chulalongkorn University’s The Art Center. Some may have already known her from her outdoor art installation Khao Mo, a towering structure made of boxes of mirrors, which has long been installed at Siam Square’s Park@Siam. But while that is Sanitas more or less as a landscape architect, a proper art space here has brought the potential we didn’t get to see previously.
The show is basically just what the exhibition title states: to capture the intangible. Right after entering, the tone is immediately ominous and sombre. On your right is a baby crib, attached to that is a transparent balloon floating feebly. Titled Invisible Beginning, there’s a pool of dry leaves in the crib with a tiny seed-shaped silver mould placed at the centre.
Next to that is Invisible Ending, a coffin whose exterior is covered completely with soil while the interior is made of mirrors. Bending down low, one sees an endless reflection of oneself, as if descending into a bottomless grave. Yet, there’s also a pile of soil inside with a seedling that is just starting to grow.
With these two pieces, the intangible is obviously birth and death. The way these concepts are visualised, however, it seems that what’s also equally intangible for Sanitas is the contradictory nature of these very ideas: the seeds of new life among the decay of dry leaves with the balloon that’s flattening slowly and will fall one day; the coffin buried by the weight of soil but it’s also that very soil that’s nurturing new life.
Likewise, another series “Form Of Belief” is Sanitas’ attempt to capture yet another abstract idea. Picking up the form of a Buddhist pagoda to talk about the idea of religious belief, she has come up with the form through a series of tools and techniques like frozen water, silicone and jelly, paper and clear resin.
The result is a visual feast, we watch the frozen ice melt and the jelly slowly wobble down. If the intangible is ever captured, it is probably in the mind of Sanitas as she toiled with these experimentations on her techniques and materials. This applies to viewers too: “capturing” by Sanitas’ definition then is perhaps not seeing the idea actually visualised but coming up with forms that would provoke us to question the typically accepted values.
Over at Cartel, a new small art space at N22, Orawan Arunrak presents “Zones And Verbs”, a collection of photographs, videos and paintings resulting from her extensive travels to Cambodia, Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Japan and the provinces of Thailand. Despite the change of subjects, there’s still an echo from her previous solo show “What Are They Doing Inside?” at Speedy Grandma in 2013 that displayed close-up drawings of mundane architecture like doors and windows and other everyday objects.
One photograph shows a deserted construction site, which is actually Diamond Island (Koh Pich) in Phnom Penh, a massive real estate site to house more than 1,000 condominiums and a number of other urban development projects. In one of the video works, Orawan closely follows a group of cleaners at the Erawan Shrine who would continually put flowers people have brought for praying straight to trash.
“Zones And Verbs” is an echo from her 2013 show in the sense that it’s also an intense pondering on the everyday happenings whose significance is only revealed after we learn about the history of the space or when viewers set out to explore those very locations themselves. The construction site in Phnom Penh also speaks for radical urban change in other countries in the region. The buzz at the Erawan Shrine is such a common sight yet we never take notice of these cleaners, let alone thinking about absurdity in the act of putting flowers, a symbol of faith, immediately in the trash.
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Sanitas’ Invisible Beginning. Photo courtesy of the artist
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Premier auction house Christie’s is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. In Asia, the company first held an auction in Hong Kong in 1986, clocking in nearly US$2 million. Twelve years later in 1998, Christie’s Auction (Thailand) opened its doors at the then-Peninsula Plaza on Ratchadamri Road.
That was after the crippling financial crisis of 1997 that saw the collapse of several investment institutions and, in the process, a large number of art works released in the market. Christie’s Thai consultant Punchalee Phenjati recalled that Christie’s came in to assist the sales of those pieces, which proved helpful in shoring up the dire situation, and later the company decided to open its Bangkok office.
Sixteen years later, Christie’s has seen a dramatic rise of Thai purchasers in its lots: an increase of over 2,000%. And now the auction house wants to attract more Thai bidders into the gavel-banging arena of Asian art collection.
So how does it work? Christie’s holds auctions and facilitates the movement of art pieces, as well as jewellery and luxury products among collectors. It hardly deals directly with galleries or artists, but mainly with collectors — many of whom remain cloaked in anonymity when big sales are made and the headlines scream world record. In short, it is one of the engines that move the art world and ensure that the currency of sophistication is inseparable from dollars and euros.
In the past few years, the house has witnessed the rise of Asian collections, spearheaded predictably by the vault of new money from China. Some of Christie’s biggest sales were snapped up by Asian buyers: last November saw $170.4 million for Modigliani’s Nu Couche, setting a world’s record for the artist; $67.4 million for Picasso’s Buste De Femme; and $36 million for Warhol’s Four Marilyns. Not to mention other pieces in the Asian Contemporary Art and Chinese Paintings categories.
In 2008, Asian buyers accounted for 12% of total sales. Last year it was 28%, while old money Europe and the US accounted for 36% each. Thai buyers may not be at the front row of the bidding — transactions can be done by telephone and online as well — but our collectors have grown in presence in categories such as luxury watches, jewels, and accessories (Christie’s doesn’t only do million-dollar sales; some lots start at a few hundred).
Later this year, Christie’s will host its first show of luxury watches in Bangkok, in a bid to ramp up interest among Thai buyers prior to its big watch auction in Geneva.
Besides wooing Thai buyers, Christie’s is also looking to increase the presence of Thai artists. So far, the only Thai artist who has gained recognition through the auction house is Natee Utarit, whose painting Steamboat Overture fetched HK$1.7 million at a session in Hong Kong last year — it remains the highest tag for the artist.
Christie’s Asian art expert was in Bangkok last week to talk to collectors and scout for rising Thai artists. The house’s executive who was also in Bangkok said that their aim is to try to attract more Thai participants in the bidding. Once the political climate is stable, the house believes that the business of art will enjoy a bigger boom.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Singapore’s Michelin guide award ceremony. photo: MARIA na Klaibaan
Almost like a meteor shower, the arrival of The Michelin Guide in Singapore brings to the island city a pouring of the illustrious culinary stars — 37 to be exact.
On the much-awaited award ceremony held at Resort World Sentosa six nights ago, the first-ever Michelin’s repertoire of the Singapore best restaurants was announced.
The evening was to set a new culinary milestone not only for the Lion City, but also for the region. It’s the very first step The Michelin Guide, one of the best-selling and trustworthy restaurant handbooks in the world, has set foot in Southeast Asia.
For the inaugural Singapore edition, 22 restaurants are awarded one star, six establishments two stars and one with the oh-so prestigious maximum three stars.
Restaurants appointed a one-star are officially defined by The Michelin Guide as “establishments that use quality ingredients and serve carefully prepared dishes with distinct flavours”.
The 2016 one-starred selection comprises of nine restaurants that serve up Western cuisine and 13 offering Asian cuisine, including that of Chinese, Japanese, Indian and Peranakan.
Interestingly, it’s the first time the ever low-key Paranakan fare, Singapore’s favourite cuisine that combines together Chinese and Malay cooking influences, is recognised by the gastronomic authority in the world-class stage.
Even more astoundingly, a few eateries appointed the illustrated star are renowned chain restaurants. Whereas two highly-treasured street hawkers offering the likes of pork noodles and chicken rice are also Michelin-star title holders.
For the two-star ranking it announced half a dozen of winners. The ranking by definition is set aside for restaurants that showcase the talent and personality of its chef and their team through refined, expertly crafted dishes.
As much expected by the eager crowd of local food celebrities, restaurateurs, gastronauts and journalists, the list includes Restaurant Andre (No.3 at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant 2016), Les Amis (No.12 at Asia’s 50 Best Restaurant) and L’Atelier de Joel Robuchon.
The Michelin’s highest three-star rating is to be given to restaurants exhibiting superlative cooking of chefs at the peak of their profession. The ingredients are exemplary, the cooking is elevated to an art form and their dishes are often destined to become classics. In brief, an exceptional cuisine that’s worth a special journey.
Amid the suspicion whether the Lion City would have a chance to boast the phenomenal three-star decoration upon its first year, the haute French cuisine Restaurant de Joel Robuchon was announced the sole winner.
Thai cuisine didn’t make it to the 2016 Singapore’s list.
Europe’s oldest reference handbook of hotels and restaurants, The Michelin Guide was conceived in France in 1900. After sticking only to European countries as its territory for more than a century, in 2006 it started to branch out to North America and then Asia a year later.
It also plans to publish Shanghai and Seoul editions at the end of this year.
Without a doubt, the recent launch of The Michelin Guide is helping Singapore to uplift the image of its dining industry and culinary scene. Food-loving tourists are expected to pour in the island supposedly for the eminently-endorsed cuisine not available in other countries in the region. In fact, there’s no more than 100 restaurants in the world that are decorated with Michelin three stars at the moment.
Some food critics have noted that this newest foray of the guide has hinted also an attempt of The Michelin Guide to retain its top position in the fairground, of which the boundary has expanded as fast and far as the Internet goes, that is now full with aggressive new-faced food arbiters.
Yet a number of them have questioned, especially for the 2016’s entries, that this might ruin the credibility of the century-old food bible.
“We’ve just learnt that the Michelin inspectors began reviewing the restaurants in Singapore six months ago before coming up with the selection,” said a food journalist.
“Isn’t that too short a time for a highly-esteemed institution, known to have shaped up the standard of the industry worldwide, to judge and rate restaurants on the foundation of culinary refinement and consistency out of thousands of eateries?”
“Consistency cannot be assessed accurately based on visits over the course of six months,” he said.
While another keen epicure said, “There’s no doubt about the extraordinarily expertise of chef Joel Robuchon and that the guy might as well deserve to have another five stars (two from the L’Atelier, and three from Joel Robuchon Restaurant) added to his 26 stars profile tonight.
“But it’s still disturbing to see a restaurant being awarded the maximum ranking, which is exceedingly rare, upon their first entering. To lose a star can do as much an impact as to receive it and I can feel a burden for the chefs.
“Let’s admit it. Everything is a political game even in the kitchen,” she said.
This source first appeared on Bangkok Post Lifestyle.
Artist Ai Weiwei has reproduced scenes of his incarceration for a new art installation, a series of almost life-size dioramas – encased in steel boxes – showing his life in jail.
Visitors to the exhibition, in a cathedral in central Spain, have to peer through peep-holes in the stark, grey boxes to seethe 3D scenes, which show Ai watched by two uniformed guards as he eats, sleeps, showers and uses the toilet in his tiny cell.
Ai, one of China’s most high-profile artists and political activists, was jailed for 81 days on charges of tax evasion in 2011. China confiscated his passport, only returning it in July last year.
His installation, “S.A.C.R.E.D.”, is a highlight of a series of events under the title “The Poetry of Freedom” taking place across Spain to mark the 400th anniversary of the death of Miguel de Cervantes.
The Spanish writer was held as a slave in Algiers for five years in the late 16th century and spent months in jail in Spain later in life for bookkeeping discrepancies, where he is thought to have conceived the idea for his masterpiece “Don Quixote”.
A quote from that novel, about a middle-aged gentleman obsessed by ideals of chivalry who travels central Spain with his loyal squire Sancho Panza, adorns the wall of the Cuenca exhibition: “Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts that heaven has ever given man.”
The exhibition, at the 12th century cathedral in the fortified medieval city of Cuenca, runs through November 6.
Buoyed by a growing, affluent middle class at home as well as interest from international buyers, numerous boutique galleries and artists’ communities have sprung up, while events such as the Jakarta Biennale, the annual ArtJog fair, and Bazaar Art Jakarta have fuelled interest.
But critics warn a lack of government funding and high-quality art museums means many Indonesians are missing out.
Businessman Haryanto Adikoesoemo is determined to change that: next year he will open the Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art in Nusantara (Museum MACAN).
“The Indonesian art (scene) now is one of the biggest and the best in Southeast Asia but we are lacking institutions to support this,” he told AFP.
He added that while the country was home to a “vibrant” arts industry, it was “lacking very nice museums that are open to the public”.
Thomas Berghuis, the former curator of Chinese art at New York’s Guggenheim Museum, has been appointed director at MACAN, and the first exhibition is set to include works from Adikoesoemo’s collection of about 800 pieces by Indonesian, Asian and Western artists.
It has been a decade since he first had the idea to use his personal collection to help create a world-class art museum open to the public, but feels now is the best time to open such a space in Indonesia.
When it comes to art, he believes “more and more people around the world are looking at Southeast Asia.”
The 4,000 square metre (43,000 square foot) venue will have an indoor sculpture garden and a special education zone. It is part of a bigger development in Jakarta, still under construction, that will include restaurants, cafes, offices and residences.
Adikoesoemo’s collection, built up over a quarter of a century, includes works by S. Sudjojono, considered the father of Indonesian modernism and the expressionist painter Affandi, as well as pieces by well-known Western artists such as Andy Warhol, Frank Stella, Jeff Koons, and Gerhard Richter.
Adikoesoemo, who is funding the venture, also wants it to be a space for emerging artists to showcase their work. There are hopes too of collaborations with galleries abroad.
“We want to create a platform for cultural exchanges – for Indonesian art to be brought to the world, and for world art to be brought to Indonesia,” said Adikoesoemo, who is head of logistics company AKR Corporindo.
The opening of MACAN is hotly anticipated in a country where many private collections are shut away from the public, existing museums are fairly basic, and government-run institutions are mostly of a low standard.
ArtJog organiser Heri Pemad said the museum was “the answer that many contemporary art lovers have been waiting for”.
“Currently the museum scene in Indonesia is beyond sad. Public taste in art is developing faster than the museums, where time seems to just stand still.”
Berghuis also hopes MACAN will encourage young professionals keen on a career in the arts by offering opportunities in areas such as exhibition management, art curation and conservation, and legal affairs.
“The vision is about us being part of and helping to foster a healthy art ecology for Indonesia,” he said.
The launch comes at a time when the Southeast Asian art scene is rapidly developing.
Singapore, which launched an annual art week in 2013, last year opened a $376-million National Gallery that boasts the world’s biggest public collection of Southeast Asian modern art. It houses more than 8,000 works from the 19th and 20th centuries.
The city-state’s popular fair, Art Stage, will next week open its inaugural event in Jakarta showing contemporary works from more than 50 galleries.
Adikoesoemo hopes MACAN can boost the region’s position as an art hub, and bring something fresh to Indonesia’s cultural landscape.
He added: “I believe that by appreciating and understanding art we can improve our quality of life.”
