Joanna James
Bangkok has a lively art scene, which combines contemporary and traditional. A day spent browsing through the city's galleries and markets, will give you an idea of the best paintings on offer.
Run by a malitalted photographer and editor of a well-known art magazine in the city, Jam cafe provides a hip urban area for residential artists to be free and create. Visitors are free to walk in and watch artists at work, and even buy paintings, if any are on sale. Jam Cafe is still a newbie in the art scene but thanks to several exhibition openings, they are slowly growing a reputation for contemporary pop art.
The WTF Cafe and Gallery is offers visitors an interesting selection of art, and an even more interesting list of drinks to go along with it. A combined bar and gallery concept, the idea is to connect people from different walks of life, whether they cam for the art or the drinks. Several exhibits and art shows often take place at the gallery, thus providing art enthusiasts a glimpse of a wide range of artistic creations from various artists.
Considering that it is one of the biggest markets in the world, it's no surprise that the Chatuchak market is home to an extensive art selection. Located close by to several Bangkok resorts, such as the Anantara Riverside Bangkok Resort, it's an excellent place to browse local art pieces. The various art vendors display a wide variety of art mediums including sculptures and canvas work. In addition to the large array of art available to buy on the spot, in some cases, the artists themselves occupy their own stalls and are usually open to being commissioned to create a unique piece. Chatuchak also has a few 'shipping booths' so, once you've made a purchase, the artist will get it packed and shipped to your home, even if it overseas, for an affordable price.
If you are not keen on walking around in the city's sweltering heat in search of art, the Silom Galleria is where you need to go. The Silmon the galleria is actually a combination of eight smaller galleries that highlight work from local artists as well as those from Vietnam and Burma.you can easily spend a good couple of hours wandering through the galleries and taking in the huge collection of art on offer. Price-wise, it's obviously going to be more expensive than what you'd find at the markets, or even from the artists themselves, but when compared to western galleries, the prices are still pretty affordable.
It may sound stuffy, but the BACC is actually an art museum, which has opened up its space to artists, both new and established, to sell their creations. Everything from paintings, sculptures, abstract to photography is available here. All the work has a uniquely Thai feel to it, and that is what probably makes this place so popular among those looking for local art.
A true believer that the pen is a mighty weapon, ventures into reaching the minds of every reader with the earnest hope of leaving an indelible stream of thought.
A travel writer who has a passion for fashion and a deep interest in admiring new and exotic attractions around the world.
