A set of eerie, abandoned Brutalist buildings on Mai Tree Chit, opposite Yaowarat’s Soi Nana, is finally getting a new lease on life as it’s resurrected into a massive multidisciplinary art space named Bangkok Kunsthalle ("art hall" in German).
Though it may look like just one building, the structure is actually three interconnected buildings of varying levels. Each building was constructed at different times to serve as the headquarters of Thai Wattana Panich, once one of Thailand's largest printing houses. At its peak, the company supplied the majority of textbooks to schools across Thailand. The oldest part of the complex is believed to be over seven decades old. About 20 years ago, a fire damaged the upper floors and the structure was left abandoned ever since.
The brains behind the venue revival is art philanthropist Marisa Chiaravanont, who is also known for bringing renowned street food queen Jay Fai to Florence Art Week and for enabling the Jay Fai x Shin Ramyun collab project.
Marisa, along with curator Stefano Rabolli Pansera (formerly at Hauser & Wirth in London), has big plans for Bangkok Kunsthalle. Though the main structure will be preserved, extensive renovations will transform the buildings’ damaged parts into a multi-floor gallery with several thousand square meters of show space. About four shows are expected to be hosted at the venue each year.
The lower floors of the entire complex, however, have already opened up to the public—the first time in almost two decades. On display is "Nine Plus Five", a video art exhibition by Michel Auder, who drew inspiration from Yaowarat’s vibrant energy for the project.
"Nine Plus Five" will run until February 11.