Bangkok has got the Museum of Contemporary Art (MoCA) พิพิธภัณฑ์ศิลปะไทยร่วมสมัย: It houses a collection of Thai contemporary art, mostly paintings, collected by telecommunications tycoon Boonchai Bencharongkul, who founded and then sold major telecom player Dtac. "I've loved art passionately since I was a child, but as an eldest son I had to help run the family business," says Boonchai, who was schooled in the US and now runs the network provider Benchachinda, according to The Nation.
Over 400 artworks are shown in the six-storey building. You can see more than 100 works by artist Thawan Duchanee ถวัลย์ ดัชนี, one of the international best known Thai painters. "Thawan developed a unique style of artistry using black and red tones, based on the styles of traditional Buddhist art to explore the darkness lurking within humanity. His pictures initially shocked many people as being blasphemous to the Buddhist religion and some of his early exhibitions were attacked. But many leading Thai intellectuals supported his work", noted The Nation (see pictures).
Works of other artists shown for example: Hem Vejakorn, Chalermchai Kositpipat, Prateep Kochabua, Fua Haripitak, Suchao Sisganes, Thawee Nandakwang and Chalem Nakiraks. "Visitors will find themselves ticking off the near-complete roster of National Artists and eminent Thai names of the past half-century", writes Bangkok Post. You can start a virtual tour on mocabangkok.com
MoCA is on Vibhavadi-Rangsit Road next to the Benchachinda Building. Open daily (except Mondays) from 10 am to 5.30 pm. Admission is 180 Bath. See also a video by The Nation. See also parts of the collection shown by rama9art.org
