Understanding the Color of Bangkok

BANGKOK Understanding the Colour of

@2020 for Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment

Infrastructure University of Kuala Lumpur

Editor : Muliana Risqi Dwi

Design/Layout : Muliana Risqi Dwi

No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without prior permission from the publisher.

Editor's note

Escape from the monotonous blank and white paper and ink or screen devices. Jump from one tone to another instead

Through this "Understanding the Colour of Bangkok:" I would like to share some of my experience in Bangkok, Thailand. The place that I alienate myself from my routinity. Once I stepped in I could say that I want to know more about this city.

My warmest regards to the reader hopefully the writing and picture that I pouring in this magazine could transfer the ambience

KHON

INTRODUCTION

Thailand has been one of the most popular tourist destination in Southeast Asia since the 1960’s. It is well known as a tropics country that has a rich culture and arts that rooted from it's religion and royal. Various tourist attractions spread across the country. From beaches at Adaman Sea, forestry, art, dance, culinary, massage, shopping centre, martial art, religious temple, to its architecture and historical.

Among the regions, Bangkok is certainly favorite destination for most tourist, as for evidence Bangkok become the number one the most visited city in the world. Located in the Chao Phraya River Delta in Thailand's Central Plain. Bangkok is a metropolitan city where the culture and arts alongside their religious and royal context is dominating.

It is convenient for tourist to transport around the city. Numerous type of moda transportation is provided and can be adjusted based on preference, whether public or private. For instance Bus, MRT, taxi, and the unique three cycled tuk tuk. Commuting through water is still exist nowadays despite the number is declining.

Lovely thing to learn from water: Adjust yourself in every situation in any shape, but most importantly. find your own way to flow

Soon after that the western power start trying to gain more power to rule the world. They start with trading activities and made Siam to become their stop. As the western merchants start the trading activities, Bangkok slowly influenced by the western power which introducing steam engine, press to the rail transport. However, Siam is the only country in Southeast Asia that avoid the direct western rule after facing imperialist power and treaties.

This is the starting point of how Siam turn into dynamic metropolitan city nowadays. They learned about technologies from the western. Soon after the world war I, Siam previously was an absolute monarchy turn into constitutional monarchy and changed their name to the Kingdom of Thailand. The land of Thai, here the word Thai itself mean ’free man’.

BANGKOK Understanding the Colour of

GRAND PALACE

Bangkok as Suvarna Bhumi or Land of Gold visibly seen from this palace complex. The Kings from times to times always renovates or adding something to this complex. Gold as part of their sacrifices also decorating some part of the building. The Emerald Buddha statue was kept for years inside the Temple of Emerald Buddha.

Picture on left :Temple of emerald Buddha decorated with gold and colourful ornaments

White defensive wall enclose the grand palace complex, previously used as port

Grand Palace define a city inside the city due to its complexity. From the museums, temple, library to the old Kings residence was placed under more than four hectares land.

Grand Palace is an official complex residence for the king for around two centuries. After the abolition of the absolute monarchy on 1925 and the king at the time was King Bhumibol Adulyadej and his family had to leave the Grand Palace. Therefore the function of the Grand Palace is changed into the place for official events or other state functions other than tourist attractions.

Located at the prominent area at the Chao Phraya banks, it was initiated by the Rama I to built a new palace as the symbol of the new beginning of Chakri dynasty.

Bangkok was appointed to replace Thonburi due to strategic location. However, the Grand Palace complexes keep changing from time to time. Because the king that reign will always renovate, change or add a new thing every time they reign.

Thai architecture style is almost all over the building complex and two of them was built in renaissance and post renaissance style as part of modernization. Surrounded by continuous brick white wall as protector with some pavilion gates and forts.

Above : Maha Prasat Chakri Palace, situated straight from the entrance gate, designed with renaissance style as can be seen on the pillar and window ornaments topped with Thai roof style

Left : Modern lamp style with elephant ornament symbolizing Thailand culture.

Above : Prasat Phra Dhepbidorn or the royal pantheon built in Thai- Khmer style.

Left : The height creates a sense of human is small. The lotus pond present soften the building and symbolizing the Buddha Himself. The lamp hanging from the top. Blue and gold dominating the building structure.

KHON.

Khon is a traditional masked dance originally performed based on the story of Ramakien or Ramayana. This performing art is a perfect combination from various art and craft component. The harmony between the musical, theatrical, narration, dance, ritual and handicraft.

PRESERVED FROM TIME TO TIME

The masked dance is part of the social culture in Thailand, it can be performed at the royal cremation, celebration, birthday to the opening of a new business. Even the dance movement and the dancer postures and expressions is part of tradition and handed down from generations for centuries since the reign of Rama I.

Depict of famous Ramayana stories or adapted as Ramakien in Thailand. The story of Rama and his journey in the forest to looked for his wife Sita. With the army of monkeys he fought the army of Thosakan (Ravana) the King of Demons.

The story of Ramakien painted on the temple’s wall in Grand Palace

In this drama there are 5 main character’s played namely, Rama, Sita, Thosakan, army of monkeys and demon’s army. The demon and monkey character wear a helmet-like mask named khon. Both army wear the khon with different shape, colour and facial expressions that customized according to the character they played.

Other than that, the most eye catching part of this epic performance is the player costume that looks glittery and almost looks like the Thai’s Royal clothes. Every clothes is handmade and made by obviously cheaper material than Royal Thai’s one. The gold embroidery might remind us the nickname of Siam is Suvarna Bhumi which means Land of Gold.

Khon is a prestigious performing arts in Thailand, therefore they played it from the very young age in almost every stage of education. Once they successfully at the performance on their school. They potentially become a Khon dancer and specially trained on the bigger performances. In this stage the senior will make an initiation to passing down the art to the younger generation and protect this masterpiece of Rama I.

Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok known as Rama I

BACC

Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

หอศิลปวัฒนธรรมแหงกรุงเทพมหานคร

Bangkok Art and Cultural Center or BACC is the place to cultivate the modern art. Because it provide the meeting place, galleries, craft shop and workshop for artists to built a network on their circle or to engage with public.

From the outside circular building with large portrait of the late King Bhumibol looks outstanding to the shopping mall around.

Located at the Pathuwam Junction nearby famous shopping center

and Siam Discovery. For Thai people to have their world-class art gallery is important. Firstly initiated to built on 1995 but government think the location is more suitable for shopping centre to increase the revenue while there are another two shopping center nearby. After so many delays and protest BACC was established on 2008, at the prominent location to raise people awareness to cultivate art. More importantly, young generation can have alternative to spend their leisure time to with rather than shopping. At the end having an art exhibition center is adding tourist attraction to this area not only domestic but foreigner tourist as well.

MBK

The openness and airy building conceived from the circular design within high rise building. The painting that planted on the walked up gallery was invisible from the entrance is attractive. Pairs of escalator added to each floors, while a girl sang a song at the end of the escalator enjoying her performance.

Artificial lighting planted at the ceiling above to give direct light that can be adjust for the artworks that usually planted to the wall.

The circular part provide the flexibility for both visitor and artist. As walked up gallery the visitor easily walked to the upstairs while enjoying the art that planted on the wall without any exhaustion.

BANGKOK CONTEMPORARY ARTS

Bangkok is a living showcase of ancient art. Where the art is preserved in every corner of the city and handed down from generation to generation. Therefore, modern or contemporary art is infamous rather than the traditional art in Bangkok.

Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in Bangkok was trusted to held an exhibition of TTXS (Tian Tian Xiang Shang Artworks) by a Hongkong artist. Bangkok was chosen within other sixteen city around the world. Which means Bangkok is considered as one of progressive city for contemporary arts.

Art could be part as a campaign. At a gallery full-bodied canvases was hanged at the wall. The painters is kids that have traumatized leaving their homeland by forced that pour their drawing and story at the canvas. It raising awareness of how banishing people from their homeland is awfully effect these kids live.

These days, artist develop their own techniques, media, and style.

On the left, the painting made from plywood with burning technique.

A piece of art By Pollawat Jampa. layers of net screen painted using different hue, to create an effect that painting can be seen in various perspective to produce a potrait with different deepness of emotion.

Chattakan Vongsiri - Blown and sculpted glass

Titapa Roungruangvanich - is a self expression from the artist that showing the connection with six people on life. Including the spiritual teacher, employee, friends, teacher, parents, and spouse.

Artist input people’s daily activities into their art. For example an installation at the Siam Discovery Mall, there are a fish net that dancing floating under the ceiling of the mall. Which exposed the beauty of fishing net that usually used by traditional fisher, the movement of the fish net while they spread it something that we often glare without realising the beauty of it but they can captured and freeze the moment.

Art is part of self expression. That's how an artist introducing an art. People was given the same mini ceramic doll as a 3D canvass and asked to express themselves through that doll. Some of the doll up their doll with their own occupancy, their style, or even their dream. This doll was distributed to many people from different country. Thousands of doll was produced and lined up on Bangkok Art and Culture Center.