SWISS HOSTS TO THE KING

Rare photos of His Majesty the King’s childhood in Switzerland are on view in “Siam Nitasratchamongkol”, an exhibition at Siam Paragon that celebrates both the monarch’s upcoming birthday and the 80th anniversary of Thai-Swiss diplomatic relations.
Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will on Thursday open the show, which was organised by the Swiss Embassy and the Swiss Students Alumni Association.
They won’t be giving away fine wristwatches at the opening, but count on terrific art for the soul and cheese and chocolate for the tummy, as well as demonstrations of yodelling and the alphorn. Thai modern art and traditional craftsmanship will also be on display.
Swiss artists including Pirmin Breu and Liliane Zumkemi will be joining Thailand’s Thaiwijit Peungkasemsomboon, Chatchawan Rodkhlongton and earthenware specialist Nai Dee Chang Mo.
Breu draws inspiration from his travels around Europe and the Americas as he explores new shapes and forms. New York’s graffiti culture is evoked in aerosol-stencilled paintings. He’s worked for rock group Pink Floyd and painted Pilatus aircraft, and in 2007 sold out an entire exhibition in Germany to the late playboy and collector Gunter Sachs.
His Bangkok exhibition is called “The Space in Between” and features five aerosol paintings on wooden panels that blend our national symbols and classical motifs.
Ornaments on lace doilies show an unusual filigree pattern – finely rendered Buddha figures from shadow-puppet theatre. A procession of Swiss dairy cattle morphs into a parade of elephant, complete with shiny gold leaf from the temple.
Thais, he says, are friendly and quiet, like elephants. “The elephant is a proud, quiet and busy animal, much like the Swiss cow. I was very surprised to discover how many similarities they share.”
Apart from the sense of wall graffiti, his paintings are reminiscent of ancient cave art, with their symbols and human figures – angels and devils as well as regular people whose moods shift.
“I love to express feelings on the canvas as a way of letting out my internal pressures – art is my medium,” Breu says.
Visitors to “Siam Nitasratchamongkol” can also watch “The Royal Trail”, a video about the places His Majesty lived, studied and played while a youngster in Switzerland. It assembles photos of the locations as they are today alongside images from the palace archives.
There are displays about the King’s life in Europe and the Ananda Mahidol Scholarship named for his brother, King Rama VIII, and about diplomatic relations with Switzerland, including the actual original treaty signed with Siam in 1931.
You can see how Swiss cheese and Thai pla som are made, see the weavers and hear the alpine horn and yodelling. And, if you insist on getting a Swiss watch, Metal CH is selling a limited-edition model – 202 watches in pink gold with the dial bearing the King’s insignia and a lucky nine in Thai script.
It costs Bt35,000 in a custom-made box, with the profits going to the Ananda Mahidol Foundation, which King Bhumibol founded.
Swiss Ambassador Christine Schraner Burgener says the exhibition will further strengthen ties between our nations. “We hope it provides interesting information about our relations.”
Swiss Students Alumni Association president Koblarp Poshakrishna says it’s also hoped that visitors will be inspired “to follow in His Majesty’s footsteps in making social contributions and adopt the sufficiency economy theory” that the King advocates to ensure sustainable development.
  ON DISPLAY
- See “Siam Nitasratchamongkol” Thursday through Saturday in Siam Paragon’s first-floor Fashion Hall.