R
E
V N
E
X
T
Among the art bazaars happening in Asia this year, Thailand’s recent Hotel Art Fair 2014 won’t set any records in terms of attendance or sales. But the lively event clearly succeeded at tapping into the easy-going verve and quirkiness of the local art scene.
Some 20 exhibitors set up during the fourth weekend of May in the guest rooms of the Luxx XL Hotel, a boutique inn near central Bangkok’s Lumpini Park, for the event’s second year. More than 1,200 visitors came—about twice the attendance of the year before—despite the military coup that took place just one day before the opening, as well as a nationwide 10 pm curfew and ban on political gatherings. Yet fun was in the air—with music, dancing, drinks and performances.
As for the artworks on show, they ranged in tone from archly conservative to quietly transgressive; they were sprawled on beds, planted in bathtubs and sinks, perched on balconies and so on. In terms of both content and pricing, exhibitors seemed to be reaching out to broaden the small, local art audience and cultivate collectors-to-be. In contrast to the USD 20,000 starting prices seen elsewhere in the region, a painting could be picked up here for as little as USD 200. There was an abundance of pop- and graffiti-inspired work, design objects, art books, prints, photographs and other accessible offerings. Beyond galleries, other exhibitors included crafts studios and three private collectors displaying their troves. The organizers did not track sales at the fair, however.
The event was masterminded by Thai artist Top Chantrakul and FarmGroup, a creative and design consultancy.
All photos courtesy Farmgroup and the exhibitors.
Brian Mertens is Thailand desk editor for ArtAsiaPacific.