AN EYE ON THE PAST

Eabrizio La Torre, who was born in Rome in 1921, arrived in Bangkok in 1956 as office manager of a fledgling company, Ital- Thai. He came to Siam as commissioned by the World Bank to dredge the Chao Phraya and remove shipwrecks, which slowed navigation.

For five years, La Torre, who was also a photographer sensitive to the human adventure, captured the everyday life and moments of sincerity on the streets of Bangkok : photos that mark the relationship between a mother and her child, between young people playing together, or adults busy with their work.

The work of La Torre will for the first time be shown to the Thai public in two major exhibitions. Opening today is “Fabrizio La Torre: Bangkok That Was” at Serindia Gallery on Charoen Krung 36, featuring rare photographs taken by La Torre between 1956 and 1961. Then on Jan 4, the show will move to the National Museum. The two exhibitions take place with the support of the Italian and Belgian embassies as part of the celebrations of the 150 years of diplomatic relations between these two countries and Thailand, and Chambers of Commerce Italy-Thailand (TICC) and Belgium- Thailand (Beluthai).

Coming from an Italian family very much influenced by art and himself passionate about Asian art, Torre was a frequent visitor to palaces, temples and museums when he resided in Bangkok. It was at the National Museum that he discovered the splendour of lacquered wooden furniture, richly adorned with scenes that not only represent religious motifs but especially scenes of everyday life.

Together with Si lpa Bh irasri (Corrado Feroci), the director of the National Museum and founder of Silpakorn University who became his friend, La Torre made a series of photos of these tiny details that illustrated a brochure published by the museum in 1960. These photos too will be available for the public to admire at the exhibitions.

Serindia Gallery is on Charoen Krung 36.