The Neilson Hays Library—Past Exhibits

This page provides information on previous exhibitions held in the Rotunda and Garden Galleries. For information on current and upcoming exhibitions, please see our Exhibits page.

“Chahn’s Impressions 2008”

an exhibition of oil paintings by Chahn Sutarapong
1-30 July (Rotunda Gallery)

“Chahn’s Impressions 2008” is Chahn’s 31st solo exhibition and his 8th exhibition at the Rotunda Gallery. This exhibition will show Chahn’s new collection of oil paintings, which are painted in the beautiful soft-tone, impressionistic style Chahn is known for. Chahn paints quickly, on the spot, which gives his mainly landscape paintings a freshness and vibrancy, that catches the mood of the moment. Chahn’s impressions will stay with you long after you have left the gallery.

Chahn Sutarapong graduated from Chung Ling High School in Penang, Malaysia, while studying art under two Malaysian artists. One of them, Chua Thien Teng, is a well-known batik painter and one of Malaysia’s foremost contemporary art gurus. Chahn also took correspondence courses offered by the Washington School of Art and the British Institute of Careers. Chahn began his career as an artist by working with advertising agencies as visualizer and illustrator prior to joining the Bangkok Post’s creative department in 1974.  After more than twenty years of service, he left the Post in 1995 to pursue painting full-time. Chahn also taught Japanese painting classes at the Japanese Association for many years.

Chahn’s paintings can be seen in the finest hotels and in the offices of prestigious companies. In fact, more than 10 of Chahn’s paintings decorate the Oriental Hotel’s Royal Suite. Adding an international note, Philips Corp. also acquired some of his paintings for their 1989 calendar. In fact, Chahn’s evocation of Thailand’s warm play of light can be seen in homes in Japan, Paris, Malaysia, Switzerland, the U.S. and South Africa.

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“Crossing Borders"

an exhibition of photographs
1-30 July (Garden Gallery)

‘Crossing Borders’ is a fascinating exhibition of black & white portraits of the people encountered by Norwegian-Japanese photographer, Ayako Tsuda. As the title suggests, Ayako Tsuda, has crossed many borders: national, cultural, ethnic, climatic and language wise, and was impressed by the common human emotions in the people she photographed.

Yet each person is unique in their own right. Ayako is fascinated by the magical moment when the shutter falls. She attempts to capture the essence of each person she encounters. Through this exhibition she wants to share her meeting with these people in Morocco, Greece, Norway, France, Japan, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand during the period 2001–2007.

Born and raised in Japan, and educated in Japan, the U.S. and Norway, Ayoka obtained a BA in Sociology from the University of Colorado, USA and Candidate Sociology from the University of Oslo, Norway. She worked for many years in the civil service in Norway. Her main work is in the area of youth and children, particularly protecting and promoting the welfare as well as the rights of refugee children.

She developed her photography skills through participation in numerous workshops by renowned photographers like Morten Krogvold and Anders Petersen between 2000 -2006.

Art Party – Saturday, 12 July, 6:00-9:00 p.m.

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“Palms and Landscape”

an exhibition by Sarah Sutro
June 3-29, 2008

Sarah Sutro’s small, luminous watercolors depict facets of the natural world, in particular the Thai countryside. Her paintings are figurative, yet compositionally abstract, and reveal interesting interplays of light and shadow. Sarah has been a painter and professor of art for 30 years and her work is collected internationally.

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“Black is the New Green”

an exhibition by
Cayla Skillin-Brauchle and JJ Gregg
May 2-June 1 2008

The Rotunda Gallery and The Garden Gallery

The work of two emerging American artists will be featured in the upcoming May exhibition, “Black is the New Green,” at the Rotunda and Garden Gallery.  Printmaker Cayla Skillin-Brauchle and Photographer J.J. Gregg create a dynamic portrayal of plants that is larger than life.  Skillin-Brauchle’s whimsical and detailed woodblock prints illustrate how plants grow in, throughout and over the city, while Gregg’s black and white photographs capture the unique characteristics that make plants inspiring.

Over the last year Cayla Skillin-Brauchle has been working on a series of woodblock prints that visually and conceptually explore plants growing in modern cities.  While living and working in Bangkok she has become acutely aware of the private and public attempts to infuse city life with growing things.  From the latticed gardens at bus stops to the collections of potted plants and trees on everyone’s balcony, rooftop or stoop, Bangkok truly is a city obsessed with green.  Skillin-Brauchle has an art degree from Beloit College, Wisconsin USA and has had several group exhibitions in the American Midwest.  This is her first exhibition in Bangkok.

J.J. Gregg began this series of photographs after moving to Thailand in 2006.  This series is an attempt to capture the complexity implied by the plant kingdom’s ubiquitous success through a stylized photographic rendering. These photographs allow him to share naturally occurring rarities that could inspire but quickly disappear.  Gregg has been taking photographs for 10 years.  This is also his first exhibition in Bangkok.

Skillin-Brauchle and Gregg have lived in Bangkok for nearly two years.  During the daytime Gregg teaches math and economics at the American School of Bangkok, Sukhumvit while Skillin-Brauchle teaches swimming for Bangkok Dolphins.

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“The Reflections ”

An exhibition by Thirach Rungrangknokkul
1-30 April 2008

The Garden Gallery

‘The Reflections’ is a unique photo exhibition by Thai photographer and jeweler designer Thirach Rungrangknokkul. The very colorful images shown in this exhibition were taken directly through and from stained glass of Wat Phra Kaew and Wat Xieng Thong in Bangkok and Luang Prabang. The combination of the vibrant colors, light effects and focus on details give the pictures an amazing semi-abstract feel.

Thirach explains the deeper meaning of his current work by “…stained glass represents Lord Buddha’s teaching that will bring the viewers a journey of the deeper meaning of ‘inner self’ through the Reflection…”

Thirach is an experienced photographer, who has been studying printing, color separation and photography since 1980. Additionally Thirach is a Thai jeweler and underwater photography instructor with over 20 years of experience. During his career, Thirach has been using different mediums in different shapes, forms, texture, and colors to communicate with his audiences. His mediums include precious metals, woods, precious color stones, colorful enamels, and his photos. During this exhibition all of Thirach’s photos are printed on canvas without photo-shop enhancement.

The opening reception was held on April 1st accompanied by String Quartet and Violin Solo by Nab Sotthibandhu, Senior Artist.

 

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“Fractured horizons”

An exhibition of oil paintings by
Elsie Evans
1- 30 April, 2008

The Rotunda Gallery

“What matters in this new series of paintings by Evans is energy…………the tensile energy of linear structures cantilevered into space. Her mark making is free, unhindered and strong. Line courses across the canvases with a crackling energy. The paintings are bold……..as bold as the changing Bangkok skyline.

Ever taller buildings, ever longer shadows. In this twilight zone the lost souls of Bangkok struggle to make themselves seen or heard. In ‘lost souls’ the stillness of the faces and the fact that they are not painted in their entirety accentuates their plight. They peer out of the darkness beneath a canopy of steel concrete and glass.

Elsie Evans has lived in Asia for more than 20 years and has been a regular contributor to the Bangkok art scene. She runs Attic Studios where you can see her teaching or painting most days.

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 “Celebration of Life”

An exhibition by Boonsri Dunnvatanachit
1-30 March 2008

The Rotunda Gallery and The Garden Gallery

“Celebration of Life” will be a very special exhibition celebrating Thai artist Boonsri Dunnvatanachit 90th birthday. Although Boonsri has participated in many group exhibitions in the past, this will be her first solo exhibition. To mark this special occasion the artist will donate all the proceeds of the exhibition to charity. 

Reminiscent of pastoral landscape portraitures that populated Europe in the early eighteenth century, Thai artist Boonsri Dunnvatanachit’s paintings hark back to a quieter time in history where nature punctuated the imagination with the desire to return to simplicity that invokes peace within the human psyche. By using a paintbrush and blade to create a myriad of textures upon the canvas, each painting demonstrates a unique world that when viewed enables the audience to escape momentarily into a landscape from days past. Inspired by her own personal Brigadoon, the artwork invokes lines from William Wordsworth and other such romantics who cultivated the natural world to act as a muse to their creativity.

Boonsri Dunnvatanachit’s interest in painting started over 15 years ago. She first studied under Professor Kamjorn Soonpongsri and Ajarn Samarn Klangjakarat from the Fine Arts Departments of Chulaongkorn University and Silapakorn University. Her last teacher was Mrs.Toshko Shiotani who dramatically changed her technique of painting by using blades to produce beautiful textures on her oil paintings. Many of the paintings on display will be showing Boonsri’s wonderful blade work.