"Name the newest art spaces in Bangkok" seems like a simple enough question, but it is one many don't know the answer to. Guru has found a handful of new art openings that have managed to launch its shows and exhibitions in response to this year's challenging times. Here are the six newbies to discover.
The Shophouse 1527
The Shophouse 1527 is a fascinating 24-month-long project in an 80-year-old shophouse in the Sam Yan neighbourhood. A Chinese family occupied the second and third floors of the house, while the first floor was a metal business. When business grew the family decided to move, abandoning the building, which was slated for demolition in 2021. However, the Cloud Floor and Integrated Field group of architects and designers saw potential in the old, rustic concrete building and decided to give it new life. The team has been using the building as an experimental arts space, barely renovating the old structure, so that visitors get a sense of being transported to the past.
(Photo: Kankanok Wichiantanon)
(Photos: The Shophouse 1527)
(Photo: Kankanok Wichiantanon)
The interior looks like a bare-bones version of what it might have been in the past. The concrete structures are rough and unpolished. All the marks and scratches that were made years and years ago are on full display. The ground floor, however, is a cutting-edge pour-over coffee bar cheekily named Labyrinth Cafe (labyrinth is also close sounding to the Thai term for "sticking your tongue out"). The high ceilings, rough concrete walls, pebble-littered floor and long concrete coffee bar with accents of black, further accentuate this vibe. You can take the black metal staircase from the cafe up to a bright and airy second floor, which the gallery uses to display art installations.
While this art space isn't a permanent institution, it has thought-provoking exhibitions in rotation. Most of the exhibitions circle around the idea of an urban lifestyle in different circumstances. The works that are on show now are curated by Patavee Viranuvat. Titled "I'm Always Here As You Are Always There", it tells the story of three things that have brought people together during the pandemic: births, weddings and funerals. The loss of Patavee's son is also expressed through this display. The exhibition is only display until month-end.
Rama IV Road/ Call 061-994-2994, visit theshophouse1527.com / No admission fee.
CU Art 4C
If you venture past Chulalongkorn 15, you'll come across CU Art4C (Chula Art for Community), a gallery and co-learning space that is operated by the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts of Chulalongkorn University.
The three-storey structure showcases several forms of art in rotation -- drawings, paintings and live music performances. A substantial number of the pieces on display have been created by students, professors and alumni of the faculty. Apart from that, the space also features works from a mix of established artists, the community around the university and also art and cultural projects that benefit local people. The third floor of the building is often used to host all kinds of workshops, including art therapy classes as a treatment for depression.
The gallery is hosting a group art exhibition called "Atta Atta", which explores the ideas of destiny and ego. All the exhibitions are free but do send a message to the gallery via their FB page before heading over. You will have to fill an entry form either on their FB page or at the venue.
Note for visitors: Spotting the gallery can be a little difficult as there are no signs indicating its whereabouts. The trick is to look for the Class Cafe as you walk pass Chulalongkorn 15. The gallery is on top of the cafe. If you wish to get a bite after wandering through the gallery, the cafe offers a substantial list of drinks and bakery items and is open 24 hours.
Rama IV Road / Visit www.art4c.org or fb.com/CUArt4C.
Aurum Gallery
Since its debut in early July, Aurum Gallery has garnered a lot of attention for the contemporary, urban and street art that it houses. It was conceived and is curated by Goldie, internationally acclaimed British DJ, musician, actor and graffiti artist who moved to Thailand in 2014.
A distinctive feature is that it accommodates art in several different mediums and sizes, featuring pieces from the likes of American graffiti artist Crash, Spaniard painter Belin and Thai graffiti artist Jecks, as well as artworks from Goldie's collection. The most outstanding piece is the Gold Leaf Train, which is a large piece of metal resembling the side of a train car, that been gilded and decorated with colourful graffiti. It's a permanent installation created by Goldie and Jecks that represents the ethos of the gallery. The work recognises the graffiti movement from the beginning, with the use of gold to symbolise the golden age of graffiti art.
(Photos: Aurum Gallery)
"The purpose of Aurum is to create a platform that offers a positive message to artists, who want to be inspired by art in general, whether it's Eastern or Western. My idea is to create a space where people can come and have a pure look at art. I want this place to be a melting pot of ideas," said Goldie in a recent Guru interview, which you can read here: bit.ly/3gPXQiO.
The venue is hosting a new installation called "Blue Eyed Color Swatch" by Crash and also latest works by London-based emerging artist, Matt J Adams. Visitors are welcome daily from 11am-9pm.
Warehouse 30, Charoen Krung 30 / Call 02-102-1785, visit www.aurum.gallery /No admission fee.
Speedy Grandma
Prior to moving into its current home, Speedy Grandma opened on Charoen Krung 28 in 2012, operating as a gallery by day and as a bar by night. Even with the help of Google Maps, finding your way to this whimsical arts space's new home requires going in circles around Charoen Krung 24. Once you give up and call the gallery to ask for directions, you will realise that it has been hiding inside a four-storey building at the mouth of the street. Enter the unmarked door and go up a flight of steps to find yourself in a wonderfully cluttered and colourful space, filled with character. On the top floor, a small corner is set aside to be a creative writing studio. There are also plans to turn some space into an unconventional library where visitors are encouraged to speak freely and share ideas.
(Photo: Speedy Grandma)
The first thing you discover is that this is no ordinary hole in the wall. Speedy Grandma's main goal is to provide a space that can incubate young, emerging artists. The owners also say that they wish to offer a new perspective on what contemporary art can be. "Art should be something that is more widely critiqued and debated about by academics, so that more possibilities can be drawn from it. We hope that people from industries that are generally considered to be unrelated to the type of art that is shown in our exhibitions, will find that they can use art as a medium in their professions as well," said the owners.
This gallery's first exhibition brought together more than 30 creators of contemporary art. The idea was to allow young artists to interact with more mature ones. On top of viewing the physical art pieces on display, guests could also enjoy art through virtual reality glasses. Although the exhibition has run its course, you can enjoy the virtual reality artwork at centennialvoid.speedygrandma.run. No future exhibitions have been announced yet. However, it is currently hosting private and public workshops called "Shessions", where people come together to talk about culture in a broader sense. Subjects could include art, politics and society.
Next month, the gallery plans to host "Inhibitions", where artists will be invited to work on the premises. The public will be allowed to spectate, as art is being created in real-time. All activities and exhibitions in Speedy Grandma are free of charge.
Charoen Krung 24 / Call 089-508-3859, visit fb.com/SpeedyGrandma.
Townhouse Space
Townhouse Space was preparing to open its doors in February, but is now working towards a grand opening in October. Run by folks from the creative design agency Rom Design, the gallery, situated on a quiet stretch on Ari 4, is armed with the goal of becoming a driving force in creating positive changes in society through art and design.
The monochrome four-storey building, inspired by London-style buildings from 1985, is home to a gallery, a mini bookstore that is a franchise of well-known Chiang Mai bookshop The Booksmith, a garden rooftop and a yoghurt store, that will open on Oct 1. The decor is unlike what one might see in many galleries -- the space is sparse and simple, with an all-white theme that comforts the eyes.
Earlier this year, before the gallery's initial planned opening, it took part in the seventh edition of Galleries' Night Bangkok, with a virtual reality experience exhibition by ShapeShifter, called "Ghost Army". The travelling exhibition attempted to depict a US army tactical deception unit from World War II. The audience was armed with written scripts and put on an inflatable tank. Fake radio transmissions and truck sounds made the experience even more real.
Although the art space is closed, visitors can visit the bookstore, which opens on weekdays from 10am-4pm.
Ari 4 / Call 02-279-9080, visit townhousespace.com or fb.com/townhousespace1985.
Create Artist Studio
Snuggled on the second floor of River City Bangkok, Create Artist Studio is a three-in-one space that provides an outlet for artists in the form of art classes, a co-working space and an art supplies shop. Here, guests can participate in insightful workshops conducted by experts or spend time working on their masterpieces inside the warm and airy studio. In addition, visitors can conveniently pick up art supplies from a shop next to the co-working space, which has a wide array of professional art materials on offer, at 20% off retail prices, no less!
(Photos: Create Artist Studio)
This month, the studio is hosting Andy Warhol-themed art classes in line with River City Bangkok's latest art exhibition "Andy Warhol: Pop Art", that will take place until Nov 24. Guests can gain inspiration by visiting the exhibition before they enjoy a painting class on the very same floor. For those who have not painted before, there are various workshops for novice painters. One is a three-hour-long "Van Gogh Copy Portrait" class that will teach participants acrylic painting techniques, as well as principles of colour and media.
All classes are conducted in Thai or English (with a translator available on hand) and are priced at B1,200 per person (materials included). Be sure to keep an eye out for interesting themed workshops, that the studio plans to host and change monthly.
2nd Fl, River City Bangkok, Charoen Krung 24 / Call 063-371-4688, visit fb.com/CreateBangkok.
