Back in 2011, as the devastating flood waters began receding from the suburbs of Northern Bangkok, from the slurry and detritus left in their wake, a giant cube of stark gray concrete began rising. At the time I’d assumed the new building would be a water pumping station that would assist in the prevention of future flooding along the busy Vibhavardi Rangsit Highway, but when the logo finally appeared on one side of that huge concrete cube, it was clear that my assumption had been wrong.... "MOCA - Bangkok’s Museum Of Contemporary Art"
………”Untitled” oil on canvas by Thailand’s most famous artist Thawan Duchanee
”MOCA Bangkok has been purposefully built to showcase and exhibit the exceptional works of art collected over the past three decades by Boonchai Bencharongkul, whose passion for the arts runs deep”….. So reads the introduction in the English version of MOCA’s guidebook.
……. MOCA, the concrete cube rising alongside Vibhavardi Rangsit Highway, Northern Bangkok
My own interest in art never progressed to what anyone would ever describe as a passion, and my understanding of art is quite honestly limited to what I like looking at. However, I do consider architecture to be art and in that respect, the MOCA building had done absolutely nothing at all to pique my interest. The Vibhavardi Rangsit Highway was never the prettiest part of Bangkok, so perhaps the architect had simply been mirroring his surroundings? At the time, if I’d been asked to describe the new MOCA building in just three short words, ”Ugly As Fuck” would’ve been my blunt and brutally honest response.
……. The 1st Floor of MOCA is dedicated to temporary exhibitions by rising Thai artists, although in the six years that MOCA has been open to the public, the exhibition appears never to have changed
Mrs. Poor Circulation will be the first to tell you that outward appearances can often be deceptive, so when we’d first scootered down to MOCA I’d been pleasantly surprised by what we’d found inside. In both politics and art, it’s always advisable to under-promise and over-deliver, and in that respect, as a building designed to display contemporary art, MOCA had certainly over-delivered.
…… Left: “Conversation with Her” oil on canvas by Pradit Thangprasatwong
……………… Right: “Dharam Normal Nature” acrylic on canvas by Chariat Saengthong
Walking from MOCA’s empty underground car park along a dark, narrow, and fully enclosed concrete corridor, I’d felt like an English traitor making his final journey to the gallows. But, after paying the $6 admission fee and entering MOCA’s main foyer, I’d silently regretted my earlier dismissal of the building’s architect. The contrast between the building’s exterior and interior had been so stunningly disparate that the contrast itself might have actually qualified as ART.
….. ”Enchantment” bronze by Thongchan Srisukprasert
With five floors and twenty thousand square meters of gallery space, MOCA’s interior is a beautifully designed space with good lighting and plain walls that combine well to ensure that the 800 artworks on display shine bright as the genuine stars of the show.
…… ”Girls” oil on canvas and bronze by visiting artist Khein Yimsiri
In the vast foyer, surrounded by acres of white marble and standing alone on a plinth, was a life sized bronze statue of a man I’d instantly recognized. It was Corrado Feroci, the twentieth century Italian sculptor and architect, a man considered by many to also be the father of modern art in Thailand. Impressed that I’d identified him from such a distance, I’d announced to Mrs. PoorCirculation ”Look, it’s Corrado Feroci”, to which she’d confidently responded, ”no, it’s Khun Silpa Bhirasri”. Although my eyebrows may have darted towards the ultra-high ceiling as she’d contradicted me, thankfully, my lips had remained firmly sealed.
….. Left: “Corrado Feroci" (aka Silpa Bhirasri) father of modern art in Thailand
…………… Right: “Self Portrait Salvador Dali” installation artist not recorded
After a little later research, I’d discovered that we’d both been correct. Whilst known in the West as Corrado Feroci, he’d apparently also adopted Thai citizenship and taken the Thai name of Silpa Bhirasri. That change of name and citizenship actually made sense, not least because a quirk of Thai labor law means that “Architect” is a protected profession that can only be executed by Thais. As an Italian, Feroci simply couldn’t have worked legally anywhere in Thailand.
….. Left: “The Old Man” mixed media by Pradit Tungprarwartwong
………. Right: “Thawan Duchanee” acrylic on canvas by Watchara Klakhakhai
The first three floors of MOCA showcase the works of various Thai artists and sculptors, with the 4th floor dedicated to Thailand’s most famous artist, Thawan Duchanee – a former student of Corrado Feroci - and the 5th floor to a range of contemporary artists from other parts of the world.
….. One of the many 4th floor rooms dedicated to the works of Thawan Duchanee
As you wander from room to room, and floor to floor, you might think that contemporary art in Thailand has developed within a strangely narrow perspective, but what you see at MOCA is not a National Collection, but a private collection accumulated by one man, a collection appealing to the personal tastes of MOCA’s founder, Mr. Boonchai Bencharongkul.
….. Left: “The More I Get To Know Men The More I Love My Dog” installation by Amarit Chusuwan
………. Right: “Beggar” acrylic on monk’s robe by Anupong Chantorn
Boonchai Bencharongkul is a Thai telecommunications mogul who made his fortune with a company called DTAC, the Thai version of Verizon or T-Mobile. However, beyond his business life and taste in contemporary art, as a person, he appears to avoid media attention and I know very little about him.
….. ”The Difference of Living - #1” oil on canvas by Sudijai Chaiyapan
Now, if I tell you that my favorite commercially successful artists are Wassily Kandinsky and Piet Mondrian, then that might give you an indication as to the kind of contemporary art that I enjoy. To me, any painting that hangs on my wall must be something that I want to enjoy looking at every day, something that lifts my spirits, brightens the room, and certainly not something that would ever put me off my food.
….. ”First - Class Honors” oil on canvas by Sirote Thongchompoo
When it comes to art, I consider myself unqualified to be a connoisseur or a critic, yet, as with restaurants and food, as consumers we’ll all have different subjective, yet equally valid, opinions on whatever we’re presented with. When it comes to people and landscapes, unless a painting is wonderfully abstract; think Pablo Picasso, Rene Magritte or Salvador Dali, then in all honesty, I’d much prefer to look at a well taken photograph. Perhaps in art circles that view would make me something of a philistine, but at least I’m honest enough to be honest.
….. *“Burden”and Great Hornbill Lady” bronzes by Thongchai Srisukprasert
Whilst the overall collection at MOCA is eclectic, and certainly not averse to displaying nudity and gore in equal measures, the political commentary that I normally associate with contemporary art is by its absence, quite obvious.
….. A gruesome scene from the large tryptic representing “Earth”
Given the legal and political threads that weave complex paths through the fabric of Thai society, the absence of political comment isn’t entirely surprising. However, as an interloper who’s more familiar with the commentary of Thailand’s growing band of amazing street artists, its absence does somewhat detract from my overall enjoyment of the collection at MOCA.
….. ”Aspiration #2” and “Life” oil on canvas by Kamchorn Soonpongsri
This may sound like I found MOCA to be something of a disappointment, but that is certainly not the case. I’ve actually visited MOCA six times since it first opened in 2012, and for perspective, during that same period I’ve visited Bangkok’s most famous tourist attractions; Wat Prakeaw and The Grand Palace, just twice.
….. 3rd Floor Gallery with an eclectic mix of contemporary Thai artists from 1990’s onwards
For anybody with even a passing interest in art, then a few hours at MOCA will be time and money well spent. But, in order to place that art into context, a parallel tour of Bangkok’s earthy and politically poignant street-art, would perhaps be the perfectly balanced experience for the artist within each of us.
….. ”Sun and Universe" oil on canvas collection by Pratuang Emjaroen
Whilst photography certainly qualifies as an important form of art, my photographs of genuine art does not. I hope the pictures I’ve posted here will at least give an indication of what you might find at MOCA, but in order to see them properly, write MOCA on your bucket-list and next time you’re in Bangkok, take a little time to escape the crowds and the heat, and go and judge that artwork for yourself.
….. The final exhibit in MOCA, a massive tryptic representing the three kingdoms of Heaven – Earth – Hell by different Thai artists
Thanks for reading along.
