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Wat Prayoon

We have visited to most of the venues of Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) themed 'Beyond Bliss', and viewed many awesome art installations. If we didn't have the generosity of friends driving us around, we'd have booked a car to take us to all the venues too. Luckily for us, the friends are just as interested and keen on hunting down all the art pieces in the off-downtown venues. Yay! Two cars, eight people. It was fun!

I have a keen interest to view the works of Thai artists, and I'm glad to have seen lots, and understood the drive and inspiration behind many of these works. My favorite biennale pieces are placed at the three temples- Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan (Temple of Dawn or Wat Arun), Wat Phra Chetuphon Vimolmangklararm Rajwaramahaviharn (Temple of the Reclining Buddha, or Wat Pho for short), and especially Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawiharn (Temple of the Iron Fence, or Wat Prayoon). These pieces effortlessly blend in with the decor of the temple, and as non-frequent visitors to the temples, we'd never know it unless we're looking out for it.

Ran into many friends at Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawiharn (Temple of the Iron Fence, or 'Wat Prayoon' for short) in Thonburi. For the first time in our time in Bangkok, my camera took the most photos of humans and with humans at this venue. Hurhurhur.

My first viewed installation here was 'Zodiac Houses' (1998-1999) by Thai painter, sculptor and artist extraordinaire Montien Boonma. He passed away in 2000 and was a talented artist who created deeply evocative art of the religion and mind. I've seen many of his works in other cities, but never in his native country. This is a piece of work about "Montien’s quest for bliss and incarnation through astrological signs and outer space in order to contact the dead...... the dark Gothic-like sculptures stand eerily facing the gilded Dharma seat offering a prayer to communicate with the dead and afterlife." Somehow, when 'Zodiac House' pieces are placed at Bangkok's Wat Prayoon's Sala Kanparien (Sermon Hall), I found them rather creepy.

There're other artists here too, like Paolo Canevari (Italy) with his 'Monuments of the Memory, the Golden Room' (2018), but my attention was drawn elsewhere to the other works.

I was quite enthralled by Krit Ngamsom's 'Turtle Religion' (2018) sited in the khao mor (ขาวมอ, 'temple garden') of Wat Prayoon. The pond held many terrapins and tortoises, and I thought saw one snapping turtle. Among the six metal sculptures of turtles holding up a religious site, there is one that doesn't hold any, and is colored in silver/stainless steel, and... it moves. I took a short video of the moving turtle, and couldn't stop giggling at it. I know it's not really funny, but it simply tickles me to no end. The information note read,

Krit has created a playful group of metal turtles carrying on their back symbols of many beliefs, a reflection of the harmonious interreligious faiths and multiculturalism that has long been prominent in this area of Klongsan.

On our way to the main stupa, I saw what is apparently a 900-year old 2-meter-tall stone Buddha statue in the temple gallery. I was all like, for a 900-year-old statue, security seemed rather lax. There was nothing to prevent visitors from touching it, not even velvet ropes. But I guess when it's stone, it's fairly solid.

Nino Sarabutra's 'What Will We Leave Behind' (2018) is stark and evocative. You'd have to remove your shoes and socks to walk on them. I was absolutely mesmerized. Such a simple idea yet super effective, reaching out to every visitor's subconscious. 125,000 unglazed tiny porcelain skulls lined the walkway of the main stupa.

Rather than being morbid, Nino invites viewers to circumambulate along the white walkway where cremated ashes are stacked. It is a life-affirming question to ask every day, “If today was your last on earth, what will you leave behind?”

Honestly, I was extremely tempted to steal one of those tiny cute skulls. Okay, it's not as if I can't find small cute skulls elsewhere. But to have ONE of these skulls would be awesome. It's always about the creative impulse, and the art behind an item. I wistfully walked away without any. Yes yes, integrity, cultured tourist and all that. I would wait and BUY one or two. I was rather upset a few days later when I was told that many tourists had already stolen a fair number of the skulls.

Strolling into Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan at the hour of sunset.

We took a chance and timed our visit to Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan (Temple of Dawn) close to sunset. We were duly rewarded by a parking space right by the entrance gates, fewer humans on the grounds and a spectacular sunset.

Sanitas Pradittasnee's 'Across the Universe and Beyond' (2018) three sculptures used steel, mirrors and red acrylic to fully utilize the space within the khao mor (ขาวมอ, 'temple garden'). They're cleverly placed and you'd never know that it's quietly sitting there, unless you take slow steps to look out for them. The contemporary sculptures breathed new life into the space and remind us how tiny we are, "particles of dust and dirt".

Komkrit Tepthian created giant statues of Thai mythological figures for the biennale at Wat Arun. He adapted the story of In and Chan (อิน-จัน, known to us better as 'Chang and Eng') to create the 'Giant Twins' (2018)- as Yaksa and the Chinese Warrior (from stone figures China sent to Siam as a gesture of friendship), depicting the Sino-Thai friendship. With the backdrop of a temple hall, the statue 'Arun Garuda' (2018) practically looked like it's part of the temple decoration.

As an add-on, the artist also put up an interactive piece of a gashapon (ガシャポン) capsule machine titled 'Memorial Ball' (2018). The idea is ridiculously contemporary, on fleck and an absolute hit. I loved it! The tiny pieces depict Thai mythological figures. Only 100 capsules a day are given out, and all monies are handed over to the temple's charity fund. Initially, it was filled up at 7am, and the machine was free to be played. Apparently long queues formed, and now, it's open at 9.30am to dispense 70 figurines and at 1pm to dispense 30 figurines. WOOOOOHOOOO.

I wonder if this interactive piece will make it to Singapore. It'd be such a hit with the audience. The only issue, I'm not sure what figurines those capsules would hold if the artwork comes to Singapore. What would match the politically correct rhetoric? We can't just put religious figures in there, even if we do 10 representations. Some body or organization are bound to protest and raise hell over whatever pagan practices it might represent. We lack a strong Singapore identity unfortunately. And what Singapore mythology? Architectural fixtures will be so boring and so damn STB. Putting figures like Sang Nila Utama (myth myth myth!), swordfish, and OMG the Merlion, or those Youth Olympics mascots would be so clichéd. Duhhh.