A RAY OF LIGHT
This year Bangkok Design Week took place over nine days from 5-13 February and the theme was “Co With Creation” – the “Co” referencing the need to work collectively to better address challenges (you can read more on this here). We’re so grateful that the event went ahead this year – the festival allowed us to come together and celebrate the creative essence of Bangkok whilst contemplating our future world.
Organized across Bangkok’s popular creative districts, the festival (in its fifth year) showcased artworks, installations and exhibitions, and presented various different events and activities. There was a lot to discover, but here are a few of my “lighting” highlights.
Sound of Charoenkrung by CEA x Hear & Found x Live4Viva
Roaming through the heritage district “Charoen Krung”, this interesting light art installation caught my eye. The immersive artwork consisted of illuminated vertical elements that combined with specially curated music to tell a story about the district and community. The installation goes from “invisible” (sound and lyrics) to the “visible” (lighting).
SIT/VID/ME by AP Thailand
This outdoor pavilion-like structure was made up of arched red steel frameworks – and it proved to be a big hit on Instagram. As you looked up to the ceiling, a mass of 100 traffic style curved mirrors and warm white lamps adorned the internal roof, creating a reflective illusion. Seats on the floor allowed you to come together or move further apart, representing people’s connectivity during the pandemic.
The Wall 6, Pause Station by Kwanporn Bunnag, Chanon Wasinghon, Kowit Asitirat
The lighting artwork here consisted of translucent glowing orbs along the canal and RGB floodlights that illuminated the surrounding landscape and architecture, which included the community across the waterway. The reflections on the water looked beautiful and the colours projected onto the ancient architectural elements were mesmerizing. Located near the pumping station, the illuminated urban landscape demonstrated how “light and imagination” can playfully transform surroundings.
Revitalize The First Post Office by Studio Visual Assembly
The riverside Praisaniyakan post office building (built in 1871) was graced with a light show that revived the somewhat forgotten architecture. As the very first postal office in Thailand, it was encouraging to see the historical significance of this landmark celebrated through captivating projection mapping.
Blog post and images by Akeanan Charupumarin
