Un-Thaid

Overview

The latest exhibition at Grau Projekt — Clifton Hills' relatively new art gallery and warehouse bar by famed Melbourne artist and bartender Matt Bax — is a collaborative, multifaceted show by five contemporary Thai artists who are now living in Australia.

Dubbed Un-Thaid, the exhibition runs from June 13 till July 27 and includes live performance, painting, ceramics, sculptures and video installations. The artists collectively explore their shared experiences of immigration and diaspora in their works.

Curated by Vipoo Srivilasa, the show features Pimpisa Tinpalit's large-scale installation of a queen bed hung shibari-style with black rope from the ceiling, Phaptawan Suwannakudt's series of paintings combining native Australian flora and Thai elephants, and large-scale stencil works that draw inspiration from both pop art and graffiti by Bundit Puangthong.

Ceramicist Somchai Charoen has also created colourful, fragile porcelain sculptures for the show, while Nakarin Aron Jaikla's brings mesmerising video works combining dance, Buddhism and Thai folklore.

As the gallery's founder Matt Bax is not only an artist, but also an accomplished bartender, expect big things on the drinks side of things, too. A different (interactive) cocktail menu accompanies each exhibition, with the previous incarnation featuring a drink that you rolled a dice to complete. The cocktails are available at the opening night and Trink Think Tours, which run every Thursday and Friday.

The Un-Thaid launch event runs from 5.30–8.30pm on Thursday, June 13. You can nab tickets to it here — $35 tickets include entry, one cocktail and the chance to see a live performance by artist Nakarin Aron Jaikla.

Top image: Bundit Puangthong, Uni Nature Friends (2019)