Art 101: Exploring Bangkok’s Street Art

Bangkok’s Blank Canvas

Bangkok may be a densely urban city, but there are still large patches of empty lots waiting on construction permits or funds to clear before buildings can be erected or retrofitted. These empty lots are generally surrounded by large, modern towers, and hide like toys forgotten beneath an overgrown patch of yard.

We passed a few developed blocks to finally be greeted by the thudding electronica floating across a field of dead grass. The Thai government actually encourages street art in certain sanctioned venues, and this particular one was a four-story concrete building stripped of any creature comforts.

Local artists had set up tents around the foundation of the venue to sell their pieces, but we rushed up the stairs to investigate what we had found. The structure was large and intricate, with event coordinators DJing and emceeing in what would’ve presumably been the foyer. I split off from my friends without an explanation and started to explore the de facto art gallery. There were several rooms, most the size of an average bedroom, with graffiti in various stages of completion. Rooms without much light source had impromptu flood lights set up, and empty spray cans scattered the filthy floor next to cup-o-noodle cups and cigarette butts.

Ryan Farley / Own Work