Khon exhibition unveils the secrets of the traditional Thai art
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THE public has been invited to visit a free exhibition about Khon, a traditional Thai drama performance, at the Support Arts and Craft International Centre of Thailand in Ayutthaya's Bang Sa-ai district.
The exhibition, “Before Becoming Khon”, runs till October 31 before being held at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus from November to December and former royal residence Mrigadayavan Palace in Phetchaburi’s Cha-am district from January to February.
The exhibition stemmed from a memorandum of understanding between the centre and the Thai Khadi Research Institute (TKRI) that involves gathering knowledge about Khon in order to promote the high-class art and craftsmanship of the Khon masks.
Centre director Amphawan Phichalai said her organisation’s role in promoting Khon involved systematically gathering, storing and displaying information, as well as collaborating with related agencies and others entities to raise public awareness about it.
She expects the exhibition would create good impression for Thais and foreigners who might also want to buy Khon masks, resulting in the increased economic value of the Thai handicraft market.
The exhibition features the theme “The Gateway to the Wisdom of Thai Craft” and presents a body of information about Thai handicraft via sources such as art and handicraft masters, their heirs and handicraft communities, she said.
“This exhibition is a key part of SACICT meeting important missions and continues the SACICT-TKRI collaboration to honour the Thai artisan,” she said.
“Khon is seen as a leading entertainment performance in Thailand, which is also an elegant, gracious and gentle combination of various fields of art including sculpture, painting and fine arts. Khon has been long standing and has evolved over time.”
Amphawan said the Khon masks showed different characters of the Ramayana epic and, like the fine costumes and decorative items, they were considered high-art pieces, as their creation was a complicated process.
She said that included sculpturing, burning, creating a plaster frame cast, the pulp-patching into shape, the gold leaf covering, the character face painting and the additional decoration with mirror mosaics or loose crystal stones.
“Before becoming a perfect Khon mask, it takes a long time and requires skilful craftsmanship, which is also fading as time goes by,” she said.
