Siam Centre back loud and proud

Andy Warhol’s art and the Thai debut of clothing from fashion brands Comme des Garcons and Yohji Yamamoto will mark the grand reopening of Siam Centre on January 11.
And there could be some Hollywood superstars too.
The mall is being reborn as an “ideaopolis”, says Siam Piwat executive vice president Mayuree Chaipromprasith, following a four-month refurbishing that cost Bt1.8 billion.
“Anybody can build a building, but not everyone can make it lively,” she says. “It was our challenge to set an example. With a budget of Bt400 million, we established six lifestyle themes to inspire shoppers and art enthusiasts throughout the year.”
Siam Centre’s reopening – coinciding with the beginning of the auspicious Chinese Year of the Monkey – will be the biggest ever held in Asia, say event organisers Tinnakorn Asawarak of Kudo and Sombat Tirasaroj of Tue.
Tinnakorn, who’s in charge of the art exhibition, says shoppers will be able to view Warhol’s pop art up close while admiring the clothes created by Yamamoto and Comme des Garcons and Thai design houses Theatre, Playhound by Greyhound and Wonder Anatomie.
“The art exhibition will also feature a dazzling three-dimensional rendition of Siam Centre,” says Sombat.
Siam Centre’s “Idea Avenue”, meanwhile, will display art by established and rising artists, both local and foreign. Three art experts selected the pieces – Sombat, Embassy of Design Territory founder Tassanai Yan-ubol and Kittirat Pitipanich, director of the Thailand Creative Design Centre’s Design Advisory Department.
Idea Avenue has two components, Sombat explains. “Live Extendist” is a tour of the amazing landscape we imagine in our dreams. In “Timeline Extendist”, celebrities will explain through specially created artworks how they’ve bonded with the mall over its 40-year history.
Others will attest to their devotion to the mall in the “Overhead Mirror Room”, and in “Idea Flow”, dedicated patrons can leave digital messages on specially designed screens.
The celebrities will also commemorate the mall’s anniversary through the familiar “I Love Siam” mascot, divided into three groups under the theme “Be Amazed, Be Inspired, Be Revolutionary”. They include Thongchai McIntyre, ML Piyapat Bhirombhakdi, Chulita Areepipatkul, Duangrit Bunnag, Khemanit Jamikorn, Soda owner Menat Nantakwang, Tan Passakornnatee, Kru Lilly Kijmanoch Rojanasupya, graphic designer Rakkij Kuanhavej, Ek Thongprasert, KullawitLaosuksri, beauty blogger Amata Chittasenee and Assistant Professor Dr Singh Intrachooto.
“The new Siam Centre will be an arena of trendy ideas, presented in a way that’s never been done anywhere else in the world,” Mayuree promises. “This isn’t just a facelift. It’s the introduction of a revolutionary new way of presenting and interacting with products and services. So be amazed!”