When KAWS comes to relax at Sanam Luang ✨☀️
When KAWS takes a vacation at Sanam Luang, let's explore the meaning of COMPANION with KAWS:HOLIDAY Thailand.
👉 COMPANION is an iconic character of KAWS (Brian Donnelly), an American artist who has a shape similar to Mickey Mouse but has been modified to have a sad face, X-shaped eyes, arms and legs often hanging down or holding their face as if they are embarrassed or sad, reflecting the feelings of modern humans who are full of emotional pressure, loneliness and fear inside.
👉 COMPANION has appeared in important places around the world, each with profound artistic and social meanings, such as Hong Kong (a break from the chaotic world and a call for people to rethink their minds), Taipei (healing and freedom of thought in an area that used to be a stage for power), South Korea (the intervention of art in urban areas and nature), Japan (the fusion of nature and contemporary humanity), etc.
👉 This time, KAWS:HOLIDAY has arrived in Thailand, with COMPANION appearing in a sitting position on the earth embracing the moon, and a small COMPANION sitting on his lap, full of peace, gentleness and meaning, showing a mindful pause, embracing knowledge. And passing on values from generation to generation, using the symbols of the earth and the moon to represent the connection between dimensions, the relationship between humans, nature, the universe and time.
👉 For the selection of the venue such as Sanam Luang, which according to ancient Thai cosmology is the center of the universe, connecting sky and earth, and has long been the site of important royal ceremonies, when a contemporary sculpture like COMPANION appears in this context, it is not a disconnect from the past, but rather a new meaning for the space through the eyes and heart of contemporary art.
👉 At the same time, there is also Wat Phra Kaew as the backdrop, which emphasizes the connection between art and spirit, and questions how contemporary art can coexist with cultural heritage meaningfully, without violating it, but rather honoring and reflecting the spiritual values of people in the present era.
👉 The KAWS: HOLIDAY THAILAND exhibition has become the starting point of an important conversation about the role of contemporary art in coexistence with cultural heritage in a society where religious and cultural heritage is sacred. People in society have different opinions, both supporting and not supporting it, which undeniably is part of the process that leads to the development and understanding of contemporary art and its role in fostering the coexistence of cultural heritage with the modern world.
Amidst a landscape full of stories and memories, KAWS: HOLIDAY THAILAND is not just an exhibition of art in a sacred space. But it invites us to “pause” to look at the space with new eyes, to take time to review our lives, and to absorb the continuity of knowledge, love, and hope that connects people of all generations.
📍 Venue: Sanam Luang, Bangkok
🗓 Open now until May 25, 2025
⏰️ Open for viewing from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
💵 Free admission
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