Artist in Residence – The Peninsula Hotel Bangkok

This weekend we will return to The Peninsula Bangkok for our 60th Thailand Staycation since February. I am excited about our stay. I have now had over 80 nights in Thailand hotels in 2020 and am happy to be amongst the first guests back following their closure due to the Covid pandemic.

We are reminded of our previous visit in early March, to celebrate my birthday. It has been our tradition to mark significant milestones in our life at one of the many Peninsula hotels. I do love the Peninsula brand – they offer easy elegance steeped in history.

Back in March 2020 as the world was getting greyer and greyer with the threat of Covid, the world suddenly looked brighter and happier with the unusual display that greeted us in the hotel lobby. Whilst, at first sight, the overall impression of the looming, colourful display was magnificence, but when we looked closer it was made of recycled items such as spray paint can lids, fans, feathers, electrical wires, plastic bottles, rubber gloves and other items that contributed to the image that local artist, Wishulada Panthanuvong wanted to present as a monster tree.

The tree was created from items that would normally go into landfill and destroy the environment.  The Artist believes the strange shape of the tree is as a consequence of growing on top of these discarded items.

Khun Wishulada dedicates her career to turning trash into treasured art to help raise awareness about plastic pollution.

This piece of art captured our imagination that we wanted to discover more about her work. We had the opportunity to do this when we visited her studio that was set in one of the hotel suite rooms as part of the ongoing ‘Global Contemporary Art Programme’ offered by The Peninsula hotels worldwide. Their aim is to offer hotel guests the chance to engage with experimental art with the aim to surprise and delight. Mission accomplished!

As we walked through a tunnel-like corridor with dancing lights changing colour all around us we were drawn to an art installation with more bright lights. As we got nearer we find a small table with a food blender and a pot plant inside. All is not what it seems – life is full of illusion.

Inside the room through the empty plastic bottle archway was a carpet of small area rag rugs. By the window an indistinct form, a haphazard tower of colours, wires, strings, beads, bottle caps and more.

Upon entering the bedroom we were overwhelmed by the perfusion of items on display on the wall, on the ceiling on the bed, on the furniture, just everywhere. All made from bits of cloth. On a closer look, the impressive bedspread with only the visible part of her name draped across it was the mother of all quilts.  A crazy wallpaper of tightly twisted fabric. At the end of the bed, stands an upholstered stool the surface made of small shiny silk squares.

Inside the wardrobe were more undefined items made of material remnants on display. We knew they were cloth, but whilst we recognised the shape, we were not sure what they represented and neither did we need to.    After all, this is art. Wishulada really tried to portray her message through these colourful items, that most people would not think of displaying.

In the bathroom, she combined both the plastic items with the cloth remnants to create a happy loo! Check out the bathtub and sinks lined with bottle cap lids.  Love that bath mat!

It is admirable that the hotel concerns itself to give a platform to both the art and the artist’s cause. I am sure this is not the last we have seen of talented Thai Artist Wishulada Panthanuvong’s work.

Khun Wishulada’s exhibition entitled ‘A+waiting Materials’ was held at The Peninsula Bangkok from 21 February 2020 to 30 June 2020. Thank you to the Thai Textile Society for featuring this post in their recent Newsletter. The Thai Textile Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to the study and appreciation of textiles, with particular emphasis on the textiles of Thailand and SE Asia.

As I mentioned, I am excited to return for the “We Meet Again” staycation package to the Peninsula Bangkok. I can’t wait to see what new things are on offer there. I will let you know!