The Peninsula Bangkok unveils ‘Sanctuary Within’ exhibition by Jarupatcha Achavasmit as part of Art in Resonance

Discover a unique blend of artistry and environmental mindfulness at The Peninsula Bangkok’s newest exhibition, “Sanctuary Within,” featuring the exceptional work of textile artist Jarupatcha Achavasmit. As an integral part of the hotel’s celebrated Art in Resonance programme, this exhibition intertwines creative expression with sustainable practices.

Achavasmit’s three-month residency at The Peninsula Bangkok culminates in this captivating display, where discarded items from the hotel are transformed into stunning art pieces. After studying the hotel’s waste, Achavasmit categorised the discarded items into aluminium, fabric, paper, and food waste. Her expertise in weaving and sustainable design breathes new life into these materials, turning trash into treasures.

To bring Achavasmit’s vision to life and create the fullest impact, The Peninsula Bangkok has partnered with UOB Thailand, a staunch supporter of the arts and sustainability. UOB Thailand’s partnership underscores a shared commitment to enriching the community and promoting sustainable practices Through UOB’s sponsorship, the “Sanctuary Within” exhibition is set to captivate visitors with its innovative use of recycled materials and its celebration of new beginnings.

The ‘Sanctuary Within’ exhibition consists of three installations, all prominently displayed in the main lobby area:

1. Floating Forest

At first glance, ‘Floating Forest’ is a glittering, silvery floating sculpture. Closer inspection reveals its true composition: over 12,000 recycled bathroom amenity containers from The Peninsula Bangkok, along with recycled aluminium and PET bottles. Each container was meticulously cleaned and cut by artisans and volunteer staff from the hotel. The resulting sculptures, shaped like ginkgo leaves, symbolise growth and new beginnings.

2. Cotton Field

Above the entrance hangs a woven fabric installation made from the finest Egyptian cotton, originally used as bed linen at The Peninsula Bangkok. These linens, once marked by minor defects, have been repurposed through a delicate process of dyeing and painting. In collaboration with Thai artist Ake Atthasumpunna, natural colours derived from hotel-grown butterfly pea flowers and various vegetables and fruits from the hotel’s kitchen were used to breathe new life into the linens.

3. Paper Sky

Despite efforts to go paperless, paper remains essential in office life. The Peninsula Bangkok has repurposed over a hundred kilograms of used office paper by shredding it and sending it to artisans in Chiang Rai province. The paper is transformed into a new paper that incorporates 50% bamboo fibre. Collaborating with Ake Atthasumpunna, this freshly recycled paper was coloured and painted using natural dyes. The paper was then deconstructed and uniquely woven by Achavasmit into an abstract art piece that merges sustainability with creativity.

‘Sanctuary Within’ is open to the public and will be on view until 31 August 2024. Visitors are invited to experience this unique intersection of art and sustainability at The Peninsula Bangkok.

(From left to right: Meehnatakorn Imote – Assistant Vice President Brand, Media and Communications UOB Thailand, Arada Supadisai – Senior Vice President, Head of Corporate Profiling and Brand, Brand, Media and Communications, UOB Thailand. Caroline Shen – Director of Sales and Marketing, The Peninsula Bangkok, Jarupatcha Achavasmit – The Artist, Dhornratana Olanhankij – Executive Director, Head of Brand, Media and Communications, UOB Thailand, Masahisa Oba – The Managing Director of The Peninsula Bangkok, Trintawat Karnjanakul – Director of Brand Marketing and Communications of The Peninsula Bangkok)

About the Artist

An internationally celebrated designer and textile artist, Jarupatcha Achavasmit is also an educator in the Department of Architecture, Art and Design at King Mongkut Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. In addition, she is the founder and Art Director of Ausara, a small artisan studio whose diverse collective of weavers creates exquisite textiles by hand; and serves on the board of directors of the Chaipattana Foundation’s Patpat Project ¬– a non-profit initiative that develops and markets products made from ingredients grown on Thailand’s small farms.

Jarupatcha’s affinity for textile art has been a lifelong endeavour. She originally learned needlework, knitting, and sewing under the tutelage of her grandmother, a seamstress instructor at the Royal Palace. She furthered her education in art studies at KTMIL, Thailand, the University of Michigan Ann Arbour, United States, and Central Saint Martins, United Kingdom.

In both her creative work and her teaching at KMITL, Jarupatcha has specialised in the art of sustainable textile design. She has collaborated on projects with such prestigious co-creators as co-creators as Jim Thompson, Alexander Lamont, Tai Ping, Doi Tung, and Ake Atthasumpunna; and with venerable organizations like The International Trade Centre, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). Her woven and painted creations have been exhibited in festivals and galleries around the world, including Milan Art Week, the Mango Art Festival, Atta Gallery, Warin Lab Contemporary and Art Central Hong Kong.

About Art in Resonance

Originally introduced by The Peninsula in 2019 in collaboration with its global cultural advisors Isolde Brielmaier and Bettina Prentice, “Art in Resonance” won wide acclaim for offering guests deeply immersive experiences in its hotels’ respective destination cities. At its root, the commission-based art programme is designed to support the cultural eco-system by providing emerging artists with the funding, curatorial support and logistical capabilities that allow them to produce significant new public artworks.

Over the past several years, The Peninsula Bangkok has pursued this aim by hosting a rotating cast of talented regional and international artists, who create original artwork while engaging with guests at its riverfront resort property.

Set in one of the world’s most exciting artistic hubs, The Peninsula Bangkok has been delighted to host such esteemed Thai creators as performing artist Kawita Vatanajyankur, illustrator and graphic designer Pichaya Osothcharoenpol, poet and author Chiranun Pitpreecha, multimedia and dance artist Dr. Sirithorn Srichalakom, and floral artist Sakul Intakul.

About The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited (HSH):

Incorporated in 1866 and listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (00045), The Hongkong and Shanghai Hotels, Limited is the holding company of a Group which is engaged in the ownership, development, and management of prestigious hotels and commercial and residential properties in key locations in Asia, the United States and Europe, as well as the provision of tourism and leisure, club management and other services. The Peninsula Hotels portfolio comprises The Peninsula Hong Kong, The Peninsula Shanghai, The Peninsula Beijing, The Peninsula Tokyo,

The Peninsula New York, The Peninsula Chicago, The Peninsula Beverly Hills, The Peninsula London, The Peninsula Paris, The Peninsula Istanbul, The Peninsula Bangkok and The Peninsula Manila. The property portfolio of the Group includes The Repulse Bay Complex, The Peak Tower and St. John’s Building in Hong Kong; The Landmark in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and 21 Avenue Kléber in Paris, France. The clubs and services portfolio of the Group includes The Peak Tram in Hong Kong; Quail Lodge & Golf Club in Carmel, California; Peninsula Clubs and Consultancy Services, Peninsula Merchandising, and Tai Pan Laundry in Hong Kong.

About UOB Thailand:

UOB is a leading bank in Asia. Operating through its head office in Singapore and banking subsidiaries in China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam, UOB has a global network of around 500 offices in 19 countries and territories in Asia Pacific, Europe and North America. Since its incorporation in 1935, UOB has grown organically and through a series of strategic acquisitions. Today, UOB is rated among the world’s top banks: Aa1 by Moody’s Investors Service and AA- by both S&P Global Ratings and Fitch Ratings.

For nearly nine decades, UOB has adopted a customer-centric approach to create long-term value by staying relevant through its enterprising spirit and doing right by its customers. UOB is focused on building the future of ASEAN – for the people and businesses within and connecting with ASEAN.

The Bank connects businesses to regional opportunities with its unparalleled regional footprint and leverages data and insights to innovate and create personalised banking experiences and solutions catering to each customer’s unique needs and evolving preferences. UOB is also committed to helping businesses forge a sustainable future, by fostering social inclusiveness, creating positive environmental impact and pursuing economic progress. UOB believes in being a responsible financial services provider and is steadfast in its support of art, social development of children and education, doing right by its communities and stakeholders.

UOB Thailand is a fully licensed commercial bank with a network of 147 branches, and 343 ATMs nationwide (as of 31 December 2023). UOB Thailand has consistently been amongst the top-rated Thai banks according to Moody’s Investor Service (A3 for Long-Term Bank Deposits rating) and Fitch Ratings (A-) for Long-Term Issuer Default Rating, ‘AAA (tha)’ for National Long-Term Rating).

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