Access Bangkok debuts as first Korean-led art fair overseas

Thailand’s first int’l art fair brings together 30 galleries from Korea, Southeast Asia

By Park Han-sol

BANGKOK — Access Bangkok, which opened on Wednesday in the heart of Thailand’s capital, is an event of many “firsts.” It’s the first-ever international art fair staged in the Southeast Asian country. It’s also the first Korean-led art fair initiative to debut overseas.

Organized by Seoul-based agency Art Meets Life (AML), the four-day event has gathered 30 galleries — 12 from Korea and the rest from Southeast Asia and beyond — at the city’s ICONSIAM mall through Saturday.

The fair is an intriguing addition to Bangkok’s contemporary art scene — a scene that has seen momentous yet uneven growth over the past decade.

In Bangkok, cultural landmarks like the Museum of Contemporary Art, Thailand’s largest private museum, and the new Kunsthalle Bangkok, a former fire-ravaged printing house reimagined as a hub for art and architecture, highlight the city’s institutional creative fabric.

Another cornerstone is the Bangkok Art Biennale, which has drawn over 3.5 million visitors across three editions since its 2018 inception. Thailand also continues to produce internationally celebrated creatives such as Korakrit Arunanondchai and Pinaree Sanpitak.

Yet, one crucial facet of the city’s art ecosystem has lagged behind: its market.

High tariffs on art transactions and imports, coupled with cumbersome customs procedures, have kept Bangkok out of Asia’s rapidly expanding art fair circuit, which has been headlined by cities like Hong Kong, Seoul and Singapore.

It wasn’t until earlier this year that the Thai Cabinet’s National Soft Power Strategy Committee began discussions on easing regulations on art purchases and imports — a move that could signal a new chapter for the city’s art market.

It is within this dynamically evolving landscape that Access Bangkok makes its debut.

“Among major cities in Asia today, virtually none are without an international art fair. I hope this event, which has been prepared in accordance with Korean standards — from installation staff to exhibition walls — will help the Thai government see how much an art fair can enhance a city’s brand image and business potential,” Lee Mi-rim, AML’s co-founder and co-director, told The Korea Times.

Lee also emphasized the fair’s role in collectively spotlighting Korean galleries on the global stage.

“Our other goal is to showcase a strong presentation of Korean galleries within one setting in Thailand. Of the 12 Korean exhibitors participating, five are making their overseas art fair debut. By bringing them together on one platform, we try to offer greater chances for promotion and engagement with local collectors — advantages that might have been harder to achieve through individual participation.”

This vision aligns with Access Bangkok’s foundation, which has been made possible through the financial support of Korea’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Korea Arts Management Service.

On the scene

The arrival of Access Bangkok has been warmly embraced by Thai galleries, established and emerging alike, during the VIP preview on Wednesday.

“I’m very happy to see galleries from Korea and other parts of Southeast Asia together in one hall. Looking at the gallery list and the (affordable) price point, it seems really smart for a new market like Thailand,” said Sutima Sucharitakul, managing director and founder of Nova Contemporary, a seasoned participant in Art Basel Hong Kong and Frieze Seoul.

“It’s a promising start for a fair with international standards (of selectivity) that can also lift the standard of galleries in Thailand.”

Prasong Kochaphan, owner and CEO of 333Gallery, echoed the sentiment.

“It’s good to finally have a real international art fair here. It’s generating exciting (momentum),” he said, looking at his gallery’s solo booth presentation of pop artist Pakpoom Silaphan.

In September, 333Gallery became the first Thai exhibitor to open a space in Seoul, with the aim of fostering cultural exchange between the creatives of Thailand and Korea.

“We have other art fairs, but on a smaller, local scale. It’s the first year, so it can’t be perfect, but I think it sets the standard and vision for how Bangkok could grow into a location where international galleries or collectors feel welcome,” Sukontip Fon Nakasem, founder of Warin Lab Contemporary, noted.

Her gallery, known for exploring environmental and ecological issues through art, has curated a group presentation of creatives with striking mediums — Imhathai Suwatthanasilp’s enlarged microorganisms crafted from knitted human hair and Prach Pimarnman’s poignant portrayal of Thai fishermen’s memories of vanishing natural landscapes, expressed through pounded bricks, seashells and discarded fishnets.

Cosmas Gozali, an Indonesian architect and avid art collector, saw Bangkok’s growing appeal as a new art destination.

“Bangkok is already famous for all the tourist attractions, so why not draw people into art as well? They come here for the holidays, the scenery, the food and so on. Now, I think they can start coming for the art.”

“And I hope we’ll see more international fairs happening across Southeast Asia because everything is now shifting to Asia,” he added.

One creative who caught Gozali’s eye during his visit was Korean artist Chu Mi-rim, whose videos, paintings and paper collages, presented by Baik Art, explore visual patterns inspired by today’s data-driven reality.

Korean exhibitors like Baik Art and Johyun Gallery have described Access Bangkok as a platform to showcase their artists for the first time in Thailand. Among the creatives featured at their booths are Lee Bae, Sung Neung-kyung, Han Young-soo and Lee Kwang-ho, with the fair offering a chance for their works to reach local collectors en masse.

Korean Ambassador to Thailand Park Yong-min, whose visit came toward the end of the preview day, saw the event as evidence of Korea’s underrepresented side of soft power in Bangkok.

“Thailand is often described as being caught in a middle-income trap. The country has a strong desire for an economic breakthrough and when looking at Korea, there’s significant interest in collaborating on the content industry and soft power,” he remarked.

“I’ve continuously pointed out that Korea’s soft power extends beyond K-pop and K-drama; fields like art and literature also play a key role. And I believe it’s both timely and meaningful for a Korean-led fair to be held in Bangkok, where people can experience that firsthand.”