CULTURES JAM IN ARTFUL FASHION
Thai and Japanese female artists showcase their talents at the launch of one of Bangkok’s top new creative spaces
An eclectic line-up of work by Thai and Japanese female artists served to mark the opening of a new happening space, The Jam Factory, in Khlong San. The event, titled “Shibukaru Matsuri goes to Bangkok”, was hosted jointly by The Jam Factory, RCKT/ Rocket Company of Japan and Thailand’s Practical Design Studio. The Jam Factory is owned by no less than leading architect Duangrit Bunnag, who transformed a series of old and abandoned warehouses into an urban space that houses a cafe, a bookshop and an art gallery, as well as his own work space. The cultural festival featured art, fashion, music and performances by 10 talented Japanese women and seven rising Thai stars through the second half of June.
The Shibukaru Matsuri cultural event began in Japan in 2011. It takes place every October, organised by Shibuya Parco, a Japanese female art group which wants to highlight art, fashion, music and performance, and is supported by the Japanese department store chain Parco.
The event began in Shibuya, Japan, with the goal of inviting contemporary female artists to have the space to showcase their talents.
Since then, about 800 artists have joined. From this point, many have gone on to present solo exhibitions and many pieces of work have drawn attention from major companies. The event has opened up opportunities for participating artists and has been very successful.
Over the past few years, Bangkok’s cultural scene has grown in line with the entire Southeast Asian region. This has drawn several Japanese businesses to invest here. Japan has also become a popular destination for Thai travellers, with numbers rising every year. This event is therefore a meeting point of the two cultures, created by the female artists of the two cities — Bangkok and Shibuya. Hopefully, this event will serve to inspire the artists to expand their creations to other countries as well.
In this event, 10 Japanese artists presented their works, chosen from more than 800 artists who have participated in the recent years, namely Ai Madonna, Kyun-Chome, Shizu Mizuno, Ly, Noriko Nakazato, Tomoko Oshima, Saigo no Shudan, Nu Q, Anzu Yasuhara aka Chinjao Rosu and Planet Haruborism.
They are all established names in Tokyo with recognised works on the international level.
Seven Thai artists also showcased their creations, handpicked by Practical Design Studio: Yuree Kensaku, Yoswadi Krutklom, Jirayu Koo, Minchaya Chayosumrit, Kanitta Meechubot, Patcha Poonpiriya (Junejune) and Yellow Fang.