Thailand is blessed with a wealth of talent when it comes to making movies, creative individuals that include actors, screenwriters and directors. So much so that a handful of these luminaries are making their name on the international stage. Among these pathfinders is Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the director who won the Cannes Film Festival Palme d'Or for his film, Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives. Now Weerasethakul’s milieu has ventured beyond the silver screen to blend virtual reality, performance and moving images in his latest work, A Conversation with the Sun, which is set to debut in the City of Angels from January 24 - February 2 at the One Bangkok Forum.
The capital screenings are thanks to CHANEL, who previously sponsored the work’s presentation at the Thailand Biennale 2024 in Chiang Rai. The brand is continuing to support the project so that Bangkok audiences can experience this cutting-edge artform. As part of the 7th Bangkok Experimental Film Festival, this immersive multimedia experience promises to take audiences on a meditative exploration of light, memory and existential cycles.
The installation is made even more special by contributions from other iconic artists. The late Ryuichi Sakamoto, whose compositions span genres from electronic to classical, brings a unique energy to the piece with his soundscapes. Digital artist Katsuya Taniguchi also adds his touch with VR landscapes, creating a mix of shadow, light and movement that takes the sensory experience to the next level.
This isn’t the first time the luxury house has collaborated with artists, which reflects its long-standing commitment to nurturing contemporary art and cultural initiatives. One such tie-up was a riverside CHANEL dinner celebrating the launch of the video and performance art series, Ghost 2565: Live Without Dead by Thai artist Korakrit Arunanondchai. This kind of collaboration provides a platform for local creatives to gain public recognition, and looking ahead, it is exciting to contemplate which emerging artists CHANEL might next bring to the public’s attention.