Chrismate: 'ART IN PARADISE' - Bangkok 3-D Art Museum

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

'ART IN PARADISE' - Bangkok 3-D Art Museum

Interactive 3-D Art

As I passed through 'Thailand Cultural Center' MRT station, I had been first intrigued by new interactive displays showing 3-D Artwork. First, I published two photos on my site [ http://www.blipfoto.com/Chrismate ] and by reading the comments, I realized that many other people loved it as well. Then, I accidentally read an announcement in a local paper advertising for 'Art In Paradise ' new three dimensional Art Museum ! Where? Just above at Esplanade Shopping Center! For goodness sake, there was a new museum only one station away from the place I live in Bangkok! And I had never heard of it yet! I found out it opened last February.

So yesterday evening, I went there to find out more about the exhibition. And, oh my word, I never expected to be so completely blown away!

First of all, I thought it would be a smaller exhibition. In fact, it is big as it is located at the top floor of Esplanade next to the Theater on two separate floors. The entrance fee is 300B for adults, perhaps a bit high for Thais, but truly worth your money,

Art Surfer

knowing they also give a discount for children. At the same time, you purchase your ticket, they give you a 30% discount voucher for the little coffee shop on the left of the museum entrance. After showing your ticket, (always with a smile: we are in Thailand!), you must leave your shoes at the cloak room. Here, in the East, we are used to taking our shoes off. But I guess there is also another technical reason for this. This is a 3-D Art Museum and it all appearance, it looks like they have added a special coating on the floor to enhance the three dimensional effect. By the way, this place is spotlessly clean.

Window on Italian Lake

I don't know exactly how long I stayed there, but I think it was over an hour. As I went on my discovery, each time I felt really amazed by this stunning interactive exhibition. I felt good, because other Thais or Asian visitors seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. Many came as a family with younger children because there is so much there the children can enjoy. Isn't this wonderful already? It would be too long to describe every piece of art on display. The best is to check my own Flickr Album called 'Art in Paradise' Gallery, Bangkok (the link is listed below).

However, let me give a clue of what to expect. At the beginning, there is a

Abraham Lincoln

large section with various interactive 3-D paintings: the water world followed by a sort of rain forest scenes with animals. Then, there is a section called 'Classic Zone'. It is as if one was revisiting some of the World's best known masterpieces: Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Chagall, Frida Kahlo, Jacques-Louis David ('The Coronation of Napoleon I'), Jean-François Millet ('The Gleaners' / 'Les Glaneuses') to name just a few. 'The Thinker' by Auguste Rodin has its own little blue corner and 'Mona Lisa' ('La Joconde') comes alive on a giant screen above the staircase leading to the downstairs exit. She even says 'Sawadee ka' ('welcome') in Thai! But just before you leave the museum, there are a few more contemporary street art displays that include Time Magazine or National Geographic.

Truly, this is one of the newest and most fabulous art exhibition I have ever seen recently.

Rubik's Cube

However, I would like to add a few remarks in order to improve slightly the whole experience. First, it would be nice & useful to add a title to all pieces of art on display. Some have it included on the painting like 'Message In A Bottle' or 'Classic Zone'. It certainly would improve its cultural impact on the classic art displays particularly for school children. On the other hand, It would also be useful to provide visitors with a folder showing the museum map, display locations and any other cultural background. I would also recommend to use this in Thai and English, and perhaps add a few other art work displays with their original French titles too.

The Bangkok 'Art in Paradise' 3-D Museum is a new addition following the success of earlier openings in Pattaya and Chiang Mai. It is the work of 13 Korean artists. It is open from 10:00AM to 10:00PM. If you are in Bangkok, either visiting or living there, make sure you take the time to come and see this new Art Museum. Adults or children alike will love it!

Once again, it shows how great a city Bangkok has become with so much happenings all the time.

Christian Sorand,

Bangkok, August 2014