The Residence
The Kunawong House Museum, a three-story residence which is currently the living space of the Kunawong family. The house exhibits art pieces ranging from antiques, traditional Thai art, contemporary art, sculptures, furniture, and home decorations from various eras and cultures. It is divided into 11 sub-zones, namely the Living Room of Era’s Dialogues, the Thai Heritage Tea Room, the Red Reading Room, the Dawn Dining Room, the Portrait Staircase, the Chakkraband Room, the Meditation Room, the Hallway of Buddhist’s Art, the Abstract Art Penthouse, The Secret Spiral Staircase, the Khien Yimsiri Garden. These spaces serve both for the family's use and display of collectibles, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the aesthetic pleasure of living alongside art.
Building
The Secret Spiral Staircase
A small spiral staircase is hidden in the museum, stretching from the 3rd floor down to the 1st floor, exhibiting artworks that reflect stories of society and politics, which are also hidden angles in the Thai art community. These works are by leading social artists of Thailand, such as Tawee Ratchaneekorn, Vasan Sitthiket, Thammasak Booncherd, and Paisal Theerapongvisanuporn, and record the situations that occurred during that time through the expressions that each artist has chosen and critically in their style. A new generation artist like Nuriya Waji reflects her views through a Muslimah painting (a Muslim woman) with the crisis that occurred in the three southern border provinces.
The Red Reading Room
The room is used by the homeowner for writing and reading books regularly during the day. Every book stored in this room has been read and consists of history, art, philosophy, politics, architecture, and interior decoration books, reflecting the homeowner's interests very well. The table, chairs, and sofa set are Western-style. The desk was designed by Charles Cressent in the 18th century, made in France. The French-style lamp was created during the period when Europe was fond of Oriental decorative items, hence we see Chinese porcelain combined with legs made of bronze used in a Western manner. The first thing we see in this room is a large cabinet containing various puppets, both Siamese and from neighboring countries, including royal puppets, traditional small Thai puppets, bamboo cane puppets, and marionettes from Mandalay. Additionally, there are Khon masks which are masterpieces from various schools. The room also displays an upper-class Thai costume from the reign of King Rama IV, including a beautifully low table, a silver gilt decanter, a gilded silver niello water container, and a face-washing tray, an antique mirror, with a gold-topped jar for scented water and powder, and an ivory-ornamented cloth rack with Naga heads. Another side of the room is arranged with a Thai cabinet, inside which are items from the reigns of King Rama IV and V, such as a gold-coated water container, a Theppanom tray, and a fine gilded silver betel and nut set, Chinese tea sets, and a tea set painted with initials King Rama V ‘Jor. Por. Ror,’ Benjarong bowls, and cups, etc. This room reflects the homeowner's profound love for ancient traditional Thai arts. The walls exhibit traditional Thai paintings that are part of the conservation project of traditional Thai paintings of the Chakrabhand Posayakrit’s school, an identical work to the ordination hall of Wat Tri Thotsathep Worawihan, which has been creatively reconstituted onto a canvas. The significant paintings include the life of Buddha at birth, beautifully re-composed by Chakrabhand, under the close supervision of Chakrabhand Posayakrit and Vallabhis Sodprasert. There are also traditional Thai paintings by the master artist Sompong Augcharawong displayed in this room.
The Portrait Staircase
A staircase hall adorned with portraits and sculptures on high white walls stands out with the faces and eyes of many people from various perspectives, origins, and roles. The images in front of us draw the eye to stop and look, along with the stories behind them that impress the hearts of visitors. From the Western world, there's the picture of a lawyer from Lyon, dressed in a black gown, elegant, painted with oil on canvas from the year 1848 by Jules Joseph Hallez, during the French Revolution. It confronts the image of Somdet Chaophraya Borom Maha Pichaiyat (Tat Bunnag), one of the early oil paintings of Siamese people painted with Western techniques in the year 1858 by artist J. Roberts of Charles Roberson Studio in London. Another emotionally evocative painting that reminds one of the touching stories of the person in the picture is the portrait of Suwanni Sukhontha, an outstanding portrait work by Chakrabhand Posayakrit. Next to it is a painting of a Thai lady in high society, Chao Korkaew Prakaikawin Na Chiang Mai, painted by Basuki Abdullah, an Indonesian artist who spent a part of his life working as an artist in the royal court of Thailand. Looking up at the top of the wall, one will find the royal image of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Consort of King Rama IX, by Sakwut Wisesmanee, which not only possesses beauty but also reflects power and grandeur clearly through Her Majesty's eyes. Over 40 portraits and sculptures installed throughout the large wall are images of real-life individuals who have inspired and augmented virtue, including writers, revolutionaries, actors, and lawyers. Many images are portraits of artists. Some were born poor but ended their lives grandly. All are works that are distilled from the hearts of artists of various nationalities and generations, such as Chamras Khietkong, Kars Klamnoi, Kritsada Phakawatsuntorn, Jitsing Somboon, Thanarit Thipwaree, Myrtille Tibayrenc, and Atchalinee Kesornsook, to name a few.
The Living Room of Era’s Dialogues
A high-ceilinged hall decorated in an Eclectic style that is filled with artworks and a variety of furniture of different shapes and styles, from different eras, all coming together harmoniously, as if it is a meeting place for sharing various conversations. There is a Victorian Gothic chair from the era of King James II conversing with Marquise Bergere chairs from the 19th century, a hundred years earlier, in the time of King Louis XV during the Baroque period. Both are in conversation with the Red and Blue Chair from the post-industrial revolution era, designed in 1917 by the Dutch designer Gerrit Rietveld, with the sculpture ‘Heart of the Museum’ by the artist Kamin Lertchaiprasert standing as a solemn witness. On the ceiling, there is a sculpture designed by Sermkhun himself, sculpted and cast by Tanadol Derujijaroen. This work is called 'Four Lives and the Eye of Horus', the ancient Egyptian eye that is the center of the swirling currents of water, surrounded by the moving zodiac animals of the four people who live in this house museum. Below, there is a large grid-inspired cabinet, influenced by the modern art of Piet Mondrian, to convey the life story and love of the art of the museum's owner, through household items and memories woven together from the past to the present. Additionally, on the white walls, there are other interesting works such as ‘Jittanuwat’ (Coming after the mind) by Panya Vijinthanasarn, the National Artist of the year 2014, where one can see the Buddha's face and an abundance of animals hidden in wonder, as well as paintings by the artist who leads in the art of light and shadow, Preecha Thaothong, and early works of the artist Patdanu Temeekul.
The Hallway of Buddhist’s Art
From the second-floor rest area of the house, encounter the works of the renowned artist Chalermchai Kositpipat, with ‘Soul and Material’ painted with acrylic on canvas that reflects the state of Buddhism in urban society, and a distinctive purple-toned image of ‘Pra Rahoo Klai Tavan’ (Rahu releasing the Sun from his mouth), by the artist using acrylic and pencil techniques. Moving on, approach to ‘Victory over the Mara,’ a sculpture by Panya Vijinthanasarn, then leading to a small room intended for solitary use—a meditation room housing a large, delicate white Buddha statue by the significant sculptor Nonthivathn Chandhanaphalin, topped with an infinity-shaped lamp designed by Japanese designer Arihiro Miyake. Heading back towards the staircase to the third-floor dome, one passes a small work by Chalermchai Kositpipat, drawn with pencil titled ‘The Tree in Heaven,’ created in 1984—the same year the artist traveled to create an important mural at the Buddhapadipa Temple in Wimbledon Parkside, England. At the end of one's gaze, one can see the sculpture "Buddha Over Sorrow and Happiness" exhibiting Chalermchai's distinct Thai pattern lines, standing proudly under a brightly illuminated copper-gold dome, confronting the sculpture "Smile and Time" by Thana Lauhakaikul, with both sides of the walls adorned with Buddhist art by various Thai artists.
The Dawn Dining Room
The front of the room is adorned with books and prints by Eduard Hildebrandt, a German adventurer and artist who traveled to Siam and was granted an audience with King Mongkut (King Rama IV). This reflects the Western influence in the late colonial period and links to the paintings of Hem Wechakorn, an example of a Thai artist who had the opportunity to learn directly from Italian craftsmen and incorporate those narratives into a Thai context. Inside the yellow colonial room, a popular color in the 19th century continuing into the early 20th century in South and Southeast Asia, which draws the attention of visitors, the room displays the blending and conveying of artistic perspectives from the West to Siam. With the arrival of craftsmen in engineering, architecture, and fine arts from Europe, Thai artists adopted popular foreign artistic creation techniques as part of Thai cultural arts. The portrait of King Rama V by Sakaya Khunpolpitak stands tall, illuminated by a chandelier from the era of King Louis XV, showing the art atmosphere of that time. The story of the Italian craftsman Corrado Feroci, or Silpa Bhirasri, who brought the teaching style of the Academy of Fine Arts from Florence to Thailand, leading to the creation of the School of Fine Arts and Silpakorn University. Works sculpted by Silpa Bhirasri, works by contemporary artists to Silpa Bhirasri, and works by his students, such as Khien Yimsiri, Prayat Pongdam, Prakit (Jitr) Buabusaya, Chalerm Nakiraks, Chalood Nimsamer, Chuang Moolpinit, Thawan Duchanee, Prapan Srisuta, Sawat Tantisuk, Angkarn Kalayanapong, Inson Wongsam, and Tang Chang, who collectively created works related to the lives of villagers and ordinary people, pioneering modern art in Thailand, which is the origin of contemporary art.
The Abstract Penthouse
The third floor of the residential building is the home of Sermkhun Kunawong and his wife Yupares Kunawong. The two spend most of their time on this floor, which includes a front garden, a living room that connects to the kitchen, and a work corner set in front of a large display cabinet. Behind the cabinet, there is a bedroom, a bathroom, and a walk-in closet. This penthouse is decorated with abstract art representing a short period of Thai evolution, featuring 'Eyes of Universe' and 'The Deep Blue Sea' by Pratuang Emjaroen, alongside many other pieces by Pratuang. Ithipol Thangchalok is another favorite artist of the homeowners, who have collected from the very first major series created in the year 1970. It was work that made a reputation in the artist's early days, and there are many more pieces from various periods decorating this floor. Another standout collection is the work of the self-taught sculptor Cheewa Komolmalai, an important artist in the 1980s, whose many works are part of Thailand's leading collections of that era. The works displayed on this floor have been continuously collected by Sermkhun and his elder daughter, Muanfun, for many years until the artist passed away, making it one of the largest collections of Cheewa's work. Additionally, there are paintings and sculptures by several other artists displayed, including Nonthivathn Chanthanaphalin, Kiettisak Chanonnart, Ariya Kitticharoenwiwat, and a woman sculpture made of stone by Vasun Harimao, to name a few. It seems that abstract art and the lifestyle in the year 2024 harmonize exceptionally well.
Thai Heritage Tea Room
Another room that displays the exquisite delicacy of Thai art and craftsmanship, which has evolved continuously for more than 800 years, begins with a scripture cabinet from the reign of King Rama IV, inside which sits a wooden Buddha image from the era of King Prasat Thong, stood on a beautifully gilded lacquer mirror Buddha’s throne. In the middle of the room, a beautifully crafted movable pavilion with a pointed roof from the era of King Rama VII is placed, containing a Buddha image in Calming the Ocean Posture from the late Ayutthaya period. A large candle cabinet, another piece that is a key wooden work mixed with metal decoration techniques, reflects the richness and wisdom of Siamese art from the royal craftsmen's schools very well. Craftsmanship from the reign of King Rama IX by Hatai Bunnag, a royal fan maker, appears exquisitely on 3 fans. Another corner of the room features a Thai cabinet from the Rattanakosin period influenced by Chinese art, containing Thai books from the Ayutthaya and Rattanakosin periods during the reigns of King Rama IV to V, that depict series related to Buddhism. On the side, there is an ivory stand displaying palm-leaf manuscripts. Another peaceful corner in this room is the tea drinking area, with Chinese-style chairs and side tables, a wooden trunk from the early 20th century, and paintings of the house owner’s ancestors who lived during the Qing dynasty. One side of the room is arranged in memory of the prince master, Prince Narisara Nuwattiwong, who was the great craftsman of Siam, exhibited his upper body figure sculpted by Silpa Bhirasri in the year 1923, along with many other painted works and talipot fans. The works displayed in this room reflect the fusion and movement in art, initially influenced by Khmer, moving to Chinese influence, and finally to Western art techniques.
Meditation Room
Chakrabhand Room
Chakrabhand Posayakrit is considered an important artist of the Rattanakosin era, who was both an artist and a teacher. He conveyed the family craft that has created valuable works for many decades. He was a scholar who knew Thai art in every aspect and a teacher who cultivated the way of life with Thai art to continue indefinitely. With the remembrance of Chrkrabhand’s kindness and having had the opportunity to serve the artist appropriately for more than 10 years, Sermkhun Kunawong has thus collected works of all types by Chakrabhand to exhibit, starting from the portrait of Wisuta Husbamrer, written when the artist was still a student, followed by the picture of Koh Samet, oil on canvas from when he was in his third year at university in 1964, drawn from the actual place, the picture of ‘Khun Phaen with Wan Thong’ from the Khmer Bodhisattva song in 1974, allows us to experience the meticulous and delicate depiction inspired by Thai literature. Pastel works on paper, such as the work ‘Wrap-Around’ and ‘Manimekhala holding Phra Mahajanaka,’ are beauties that show the ability to create works that truly immerse us in those atmospheres. The work of ‘God of Wind’ from the year 2005 is familiar to many who might have seen it on calendars. The expression and posture of the wind deity and the fluidity of the fabric and shrubbery in the breeze are captivating and make it difficult to look away from the image of God of Wind. Another work that made Chakrabhand well-known are Thai puppets that the artist has been creating since his youth. The male and female figures on display in this room were created in the years 1994 and 1995 and represent the pinnacle of Thai artistic craftsmanship, harmoniously combined. Opposite to this, there is a display of a ‘Tiger holding sword breast ornament’ from the art of Chakrabhand school. In addition, a small European-style cabinet houses the literary works of Chakrabhand Posayakrit, Sasiwimon, and other pen names of the artist. Atop the cabinet are decorated watercolor paintings that the artist contributed to Lalana magazine, reflecting the artist's humor and intellectual nature. This room also reflects memories and attachments through photographs of the artist that were taken continuously over more than 10 years and short messages the artist wrote to the homeowner on various occasions, including family portraits of the Kunawong family that the artist also painted.
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