Art viewers are invited to go back to the world of fairy tales from their childhood during "Once Upon A Dream", which is running at Number 1 Gallery until Aug 2.
On display is a new series of works by Kongpop Benjanirat, a contemporary Thai artist who explores the relationship between literature and painting by drawing inspiration from Western literature, fairy tales and folk tales.
Beneath the beautiful world of princesses, knights, witches or monsters, stories of fear, desire, loss and hope are hidden, reflecting the shared human experience of each era. Tales that once comforted children before sleep may serve as a mirror reflecting the truths of life just the same.
For the artist, these tales are not merely literary materials but gateways to revisiting his own memories and life experiences. When he returns to the world of fairy tales through the eyes of an adult, the familiar characters and events are reinterpreted, becoming a space where reality and imagination, memory and dreams coexist on the canvas.
The works in this show do not aim to answer questions or retell the stories as they are. Instead, they invite viewers to revisit their own relationship with these tales, pondering why stories born from the beliefs, fears and hopes of people hundreds of years ago still possess the power to resonate within our hearts.
Number 1 Gallery is on Silom 21 and opens daily from 10am to 7pm, except Monday.
Visit number1gallery.com.
