Inspired by “La Nuit Blanche” (the all-nighter), an annual autumnal arts festival in Paris, Galleries’ Night is back for its fifth iteration as a staple highlight of the cultural season in Bangkok. Running from 9 to 10 February 2018 in Bangkok, with a later opening in Chiang Mai on December 2018, visitors can expect to explore over 50 contemporary art galleries open through the two nights in the City of Angels.

Chayaporn Maneesutham, ‘Rigidity’, 2009, glicée print on Ilford Luster photo paper. Image courtesy the artist.

Year after year, the festival which is organised by The Embassy of France to Thailand, attracts a crowd of curious minded people and art lovers, with an expected 14,000 visitors to this year’s event. In light of this, Galleries’ Night transforms the city of Bangkok into a sprawling open-museum that welcomes accessibility of art to the public. The two consecutive nights of the festival are mapped out into two distinct sites. On Friday, 9 February, visitors will discover the Silom/Riverside galleries, and on Saturday, 10 February, visitors are invited to explore the inner Sukhumvit galleries.

Taweewit Kijtanasoonthorn, ‘Flashes Light’ (video still), 2014. Image courtesy the artist.

One special feature of Galleries’ Night that distinguishes it from most other art festivals is its focus on the journey between the different galleries canvassing the city. Drawing from Bangkok’s traditional mode of transportation, 30 dedicated tuk-tuks will travel through specific routes to help visitors through their journeys. Unlike typical tuk-tuks however, these do not merely serve the function of portage. Rather, they aim to immerse visitors into both the local and artistic atmosphere, and are complemented by a mobile gallery within the vehicles, created by Liv_id, that will light up the experience.

Thunchanok Plakulsantikorn, ‘Family I’, 2017, powder colour on canvas, 40 cm x 40 cm. Image courtesy of artist.

Helming the online scene for the event is the specially composed official hashtag for the event, #GN18. Visitors can continue the magic of the festival online by taking the colours and scenes from the artistic creations, exhibitions and night life of Bangkok to social media spaces, where they can win special prizes.

Sophirat Muangkum, ‘The Secret of Skin’. Image courtesy the artist.

Kanrapee Chokpaiboon, ‘Acinteyya’, 2017. Image courtesy the artist.

For more information on the festival, visit the Galleries’ Night BKK’s official Facebook page.

ART REPUBLIK is proud to be an official media partner of Galleries’ Night BKK.