A Shrine for a Tuk Tuk
Chumpon Tongprasert (55), tuk tuk driver and part-time shrine builder, has constructed himself a monument next to the spot he regularly parks his tuk tuk by the Holiday Inn. With its concrete base, ceramic fruit, Buddha statues and other dolls, ornaments and creatures, it’s not going to win any art awards, but we think it is utterly charming and creative. Chumpon, who drives regularly for a few expats – including artists – in town told us that he needs more work so he can afford to buy more pieces to add to his shrine.
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Portable Gallery
A bright idea by artist, Torlarp Larpjaroensook, this portable gallery can be seen lighting up the night on Nimmanhaemin Road. The funky Ford, a former beast of burden, was farming most of its life, but retired and became a gallery as well as home to a rooftop garden. The gallery moves around the Nimmanhaemin hub on any given night. They exhibit local art, anyone is invited to offer their art to the gallery. At the moment they are featuring a painting exhibit called ‘Kunst Face’, which shows various women whose eyes, mouth and nose have been replaced with their genitals. They are planning to have performances out of the gallery in the future.
Graffiti
Thank our lords above that Thais don’t seem keen on scribbling football teams on walls or confessing their love for Shaz – or her private parts. No, some of the graffiti around the city is quite stylish and worth going to view. Kobby1 – who painted a design on a Citylife office wall this month (cover photo) – is a graffiti artist keen on showcasing his talent. For 10 years he’s been drawing on walls, mainly his own house and abandoned ‘legal’ walls. He took part in the recent spraying at a Kampaengdin Road site, a wall on Huay Kaew Road and the entrance to the Iron Bridge on Charoen Prathet Road, along with graffiti artists from all over the world. He plans to take part in an outdoor gallery project with other international graffiti artists – not only that, they also plan to make a ‘street art and graffiti map’ so enthusiasts can stroll around the city and see different kinds of graffiti art from different countries. He tells us he’s not interested in any money, and is always available to work on public art spaces.
His blog is here: http://kobby1.exteen.com.
American Consulate Wall
Kobby1 also took part in the painting of the American Consulate wall, along with students and other artists. The project was called Chiang Mai’s Youth Mural Painting Project, ‘Friends for Freedom’, to celebrate the US Consulate’s 60th anniversary and its good relations with Chiang Mai and Thailand. 100 students participated to promote freedom of expression and creativity. The consulate is also seeking partner organisations interested in providing art spaces for youth activity, and will sponsor painting supplies. Get in touch with the consulate if you are interested.
Contact: iamchiangmai@state.gov.