Art in our dreams

The 10th edition of “Galleries’ Nights” is once again bringing a feast of visual delights to Bangkok over two nights, with a variety of events taking place tonight (Friday, November 10) and again tomorrow from 5pm until late.

Organised by the French Embassy in collaboration with galleries and art institutions across the city, “Galleries’ Nights” aims to bring people closer to art and galleries through a unique opportunity to appreciate artworks of various kinds once the sun has gone down.

This latest edition celebrates creativity and the history of art through diverse disciplines, from photography, design, painting and sculpting to drawing by more than 220 artists in over 80 venues across town. The venues in Silom, Sathorn and along the Chao Phraya River open today, and those in Ari, Pathumwan and Sukhumvit will open tomorrow.

“Galleries’ Nights” was launched at the Jim Thompson Art Center on Thursday, with a talk by artist Stefano Rabolli Pansera and Louise Lemoine about the latter’s “Homo Urbanus: A Citymatographic Odyssey by Beka & Lemoine” and other projects.

Films by Beka and Lemoine focus on the relationship between people and architecture in everyday life, questioning how the built architecture affects the way people live. The duo have filmed people in different cities across the world and their works are exhibited on the third floor of the Jim Thompson Art Center until November 15.

Don’t miss installations by Sornchai Phongsa at Alliance Française, “Lanna Annal Annex” installations by Sudaporn Teja at Gallery Ver, “Heavy” photography by Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit at Bangkok Citycity Gallery, and paintings by Nino Sarabutra, Aimee Kaiya, and Apisith Sidsunthia at Townhouse Space. If you love flowers, Heliconia Bangkok is the place to be.

Another must-see is the likay performance “Wistfulness: When Canna becomes Iris by The Creek Collection, Chirathep Senivongs at the TCDC. There are two shows, at 8pm and 9pm.

Other participating galleries, big and small, include 100 Tonson Foundation, 6060 Arts Space, the Art Centre Silpakorn University, Canvas and Co, GalileOasis Gallery, Lek Kiatsirikajorn Studio, TCDC Bangkok, The Kolophon, Warin Lab Contemporary, and WTF Gallery & Café.

For those wanting to see art in motion, artist-in-residence Amanda Phingbodhipakkiya at SAC Gallery is welcoming visitors to see her unfinished work on Saturday. However, visitors are asked to stay mindful of her space and refrain from interrupting. When completed, the installation will be exhibited at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre in January.

A sister event, “Galleries’ Nights Bangsaen!” will be held in the Chonburi resort on December 5-10 and here the artworks will not be conventionally displayed in galleries, but in cafes.

Launched in 2013, Galleries’ Nights has become the anticipated cultural event of Bangkok, turning the city into a friendly open museum and bringing a larger audience and art lovers into the creative fold. The event was inspired by the “Sleepless Night” or “Nuit Blanche Paris” where museums and art spaces stay open all-\ night long.