Stepping into Factory Art Center’s exhibition space, we were immediately greeted and welcomed by organizers, artists and their assistants. With the ‘90s rock blaring in the background, we knew right away that we were among like-minded people.
The city’s latest school of art and design Factory Art Center today doubled as a temporary gallery for the debut exhibition by Bridge Art Agency, a brand new agency founded by a group creatives from diverse fields and backgrounds.
PRETTY IN PUNK
“I started to create graffiti art in 1995. Back then when I was still a student, graffiti was a huge part of hip-hop and skate culture. It wasn’t long after until I started to experiment with spray paint and try to find my own style.”
“Yatch” Mongkol Rattanapakdee, better known as NEV3R, is one of Thailand’s most seasoned street artists. His exhibition, titled ‘My Way,’ found him reminiscing about his own experience such as life, love and loss through a series of bold, badass images inspired by pop culture and his own rebellious spirit. His collection includes eye-catching neon installations that portray the wild chao of nightlife, touching on topics like sex, peace, and “being a black sheep.”
NEV3R brought us to a piece depicting a junkie Mickey who seems to have lost all hopes in life. “This particular piece talks about pain and disappointment through a well-known character like Mickey Mouse. The one where he’s about to shoot himself is Kurt Cobain. The junkie one is Sid Vicious and the Snow White is actually based off of Kate Moss,” he explained.
CASH FROM CHAOS
The name Method to My Madness, an indie bar near Ladprao intersection, should sound similar to a lot of indie kids back growing up in the 2000s. It was at this meeting place for artists and creative types where NEV3R got to know one of the bar’s co-owners “Max” Kriangkrai Kimsawat. Through their shared love of art and rock music, Max followed in the footsteps of his NEV3R with his first-ever exhibition under the name Bridge Art Agency.
The room in which Max was showing was heavy on black and white. His pen sketches were loaded with sly humor with a focus on a fictitious character who went about interacting with nighttime strangers and creatures. We recognized certain scenes from famous films and punk album covers, but what stood out the most was the capital A, which was the symbol for ‘Anarchy,’ an anti-establishment movement in the UK in the 1970s.
“I like the whole philosophy of anarchism where there’s no class or hierarchy that we need to conform to. It’s like a step beyond the concept of equality in democratic society. It’s a form of rebellion, freedom and liberation. That’s why punk and anarchism always go hand in hand.”
Max’s rebellion extends more than just the capital A he’s incorporated into his work. He once tried to conform to the norms, but in the end he still felt like a black sheep.
“I used to work as a graphic designer for three years, but I kept changing jobs in that period. At first I blamed the company… until I realized that it was actually me. I don’t do well with the system and I hate to be told what to do. Others might be ok with that, but not me. I then decided to quit my job and opened my own bar.”
WALK AMONG US
Apart from NEV3R, “Ploy” Chanya Muramatsu is another member of Bridge Art Agency. The senior brand manager of Comme Des Garçons Thailand may not have that artsy look about her, she’s deeply passionate about art.
“We’re just starting out so we’re still learning. We’d managed to secure this space, but then the school was allowed to open so we could put on this exhibition only for four days. It was alright, we take what we can get. In the future, we hope to host at least one exhibition every three months, at different venues. It doesn’t need to be in an art gallery.”
Ploy also told us that she’d see to it that newly discovered artists would have a chance to get their work out into the fashion world that she knows so well. With that combined with another founder “Arthur” Gamongorn Rakarj’s expertise in the entertainment industry, Bridge Art Agency could potentially launch Thai contemporary art into the orbit.
Even though the exhibition lasted only four days, many of the pieces by NVE3R and Max were already marked with a red sticker, meaning that they were sold to their fans and art lovers. Bravo!
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