Bangkok--19 Nov--Australian Embassy
Image: Robyn Lea (Coco Productions) (2010). Dress and veil by Gwendolynne Burkin (www.gwendolynne.com.au). Hair and make-up by Belinda Zollo (KLM Management). Model: Elke (Chadwick Models). Stylist: Bec Cole (Coco Productions)
A woman inhabits a hotel room. It is unclear who she is or why she is there. Is she travelling? Holidaying? Doing business? Visiting a lover...or all of these things? She changes the room around daily, trying to instill familiarity into a new environment. She has brought treasures from home; jewellery, textiles, objects to give the space a sense of place and familiarity...things that hide and distract from her own displacement…
The Abandoned Boudoir, an Australian art and design exhibition, will be launched on 23 November by Australia’s Ambassador to Thailand, James Wise, at the Metropolitan Hotel in Bangkok. The exhibition will coincide with the 2010 Bangkok Design Festival. The exhibition will be on display from 20-30 November 2010.
True to the name of the exhibition, The Abandoned Boudoir uses the hotel bedroom as an intimate exhibition space. Existing hotel artwork, bed linen, objects, furniture and lighting in the room are removed and replaced by Australian crafted objects. During the display period, the installation will undergo subtle changes to reflect the moods of its ‘inhabitant’, functioning as a ‘living’ exhibition for visitors to inspect.
Curator Marisia Lukaszewski of Aesthetic Alliance says; “The exhibition references themes such as sex, glamour, mystique, displacement and surveillance. The objects themselves have all been created by Australian designers but are global in their approach and show no signs of their origin.” Viewers are forced to think about these objects. Why are they significant to the inhabitant? What do they say about the inhabitant? How do they compare with other design objects that are showcased in the wider Bangkok Design Festival outside the hotel?
The exhibition is an initiative of the Asialink Visual Arts Program, which has the aim of creating artistic links between Australia and the countries of Asia. The Program is supported by the Australian Government through the Australian Visual Arts Touring Program of the Australia International Cultural Council. This is an initiative of the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, the Australia Council (the Australian Government’s arts funding and advisory body) and The Visual Arts and Crafts Strategy (an initiative of the Australian, State and Territory Governments).
The Abandoned Boudoir’s tour to Thailand is presented by the Australian Embassy, Bangkok and is supported by the Bangkok Design Festival, the Metropolitan Hotel and art4d. The exhibition will later tour to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur.
The exhibition is open to the public and entry is free. Program may be subject to change. Please call 02-344 6464 or e-mail to
[email protected] to check details of the tours and the talks.
Exhibition tours: Tour leaves from the Met Bar every 20 minutes
Weekday during the hours of 15.00 to 19.00
Weekend during the hours of 13.00 to 19.00
Bookings essential.
Date: 20 — 30 November 2010
Venue: The Metropolitan Hotel
27 South Sathorn Road
Tel: 02-625 3333
Talks: Meet the Curator: Marisia Lukaszewski
Date & time: 18.30 on Tuesday 23 November 2010
14.30 on Sunday 28 November 2010
Venue: The Metropolitan Hotel27 South Sathorn Road
Tel: 02-625 3333
Note: Talk in English with translation provided. No admission fee.
In this presentation Marisia Lukaszewski will present the curator’s perspective on the exhibition, Abandoned Boudoir, the background to its development and the core ideas and themes it addresses.
Further information:
Piyarat Suksiri
Cultural Relations Officer
Tel: 02-344 6462
Media Enquiries:
Benchawan Tanjaroensub
Media Officer
Tel: 02-344 6463