For Channatip Chanvipava, painting is a way of making sense of the past. “My works are explicitly autobiographical and profoundly self-referential,” the Thai-British artist told Artnet in 2024. Born in 1993, Chanvipava grew up in the United Kingdom, where he studied at the London School of Economics before teaching himself to paint.
His pieces draw on personal memories and experiences, particularly his relationship with his queer identity. Many of his vibrant canvases move between abstraction and figuration, with forms that seem to emerge and disappear, much like memories themselves.
Based in Bangkok, where he works out of a studio in the riverside neighborhood of Si Phraya, Chanvipava has exhibited in London and at the Venice Biennale. Next week, he will unveil his latest installation, Gold Rush, at the Bangkok Art Biennale. Here, he shares his favorite spots in the city he calls home.
CHARMGANG
I love Charmang for dinner. Located in the old town, it’s where I always bring visiting guests. It has a great vibe, and the curries are authentically prepared. I order the Phanaeng beef cheek, less spicy, with a margarita, extra spicy, no salt. (instagram.com)
MANDARIN ORIENTAL
When I have a free morning, I head to the Mandarin to have breakfast by the river and catch up on my reading. My usual order is poached eggs, a few rounds at the buffet, a cappuccino, coconut water, and coconut sorbet. I sit outside by the Chao Phraya, where the morning breeze and the building’s shade keep things cool. (mandarinoriental.com)
PATCHARAVIPA
Patcharavipa’s jewelry, with its signature hammered Siam gold surfaces, feels incredibly organic. I wear my miniature rooster zodiac necklace all the time. The store is beautiful, too—it’s adorned with sculptural displays made from cement sponges. Be sure to make an appointment, as they don’t accept walk-ins. Afterwards, visit the Nai Lert Heritage Home right next door, and have lunch at Ma Maison, which overlooks the garden. (patcharavipa.com)
THAI HOME INDUSTRIES
A true forgotten gem. My mother used to take me here as a kid, and my friend Rose Chalalai Singh recently reminded me of it, telling me that Ed Tuttle, the architect behind many of the early Aman hotels, sourced pieces from here. The crafts are some of the most intricately woven pieces you’ll ever find.
SHONE PUIPIA
Shone brings art into his clothes in a very personal way, incorporating motifs from the work of his mother, the leading Thai contemporary artist Pinaree Sanpitak, whom I’ve long admired. When Shone and I last spoke, we talked about color, form, texture, and fabrication, and I left the store with a needle-punched cotton-denim set. His showroom is tucked away in Suan Phlu and is open by appointment only. (shonepuipia.com)
Dib Bangkok
Built around a personal collection, this museum places Thai contemporary art within a global conversation. Seeing local practices and history in an international context is what makes it special. On the top floor, works by Montien Boonma, a pioneer of Thai contemporary art, sit in dialogue with Anselm Kiefer’s large installation Der verlorene Buchstabe (The Lost Letter), from 2019. The architecture is a highlight, too, especially the entryway, where you cross a body of water to reach an open courtyard. (dibbangkok.org)
Bangkok Kunsthalle
Housed in a former printing house in Yaowarat, Bangkok Kunsthalle has raw, industrial architecture that feels part of the city’s concrete landscape. Its aged walls and textures blend with the exhibitions. Their program is experimental and interdisciplinary, with screenings, talks, forums, and performances complementing the art shows. I’ve met so many friends through them—I often go to the Sunday cinema and forums. One of my favorite shows featured a large-scale ink painting by Tang Chang, a self-taught Sino-Thai painter. I also loved my friend Apichaya Wannakit’s exhibition of painted screens. (khaoyaiart.org)
MOCA Bangkok
MOCA is an archive of Thai art history, tracing modern Thai art from the 20th century to the present. I go there to learn about the artists who came before me and to reconnect with that history. The collection includes works by Chalood Nimsamer, whose drawings and paintings reduce everyday Thai life to simple forms and lines. His work always comforts me; it reminds me of my roots and of rural Thailand. (mocabangkok.com)
Nova Contemporary
Housed in a renovated neighborhood shophouse, this gallery focuses on Thai contemporary painting. Its exhibitions are elegant and very much of the moment, giving a good sense of what’s happening in Bangkok’s studio scene. I first exhibited there in 2023, for my first show in Thailand, so the gallery is personal to me. (novacontemporary.com)
Art Centre, Silpakorn University
Set in Rattanakosin, a historic neighborhood, the Silpakorn Art Centre occupies a former royal palace surrounded by temples and historic buildings. Seeing contemporary art in such a setting is special. Silpakorn University has played a key role in the development of modern and contemporary Thai art, and the center hosts both Thai and international exhibitions. I’m preparing a painting installation there for the Bangkok Art Biennale, so I’ve been spending a lot of time there lately. (instagram.com)
Wat Bowon
One of Bangkok’s nine royal temples, Wat Bowon has beautiful murals by the monk and painter Khrua In Khong. They unusually combine Western-style figures with Buddhist subjects. I first discovered art and color through temples like this, visiting them as a child and admiring their architecture and interiors. Wat Bowon’s mix of visual cultures reminds me of my own identity. I was most recently here for a friend’s birthday blessing, and I notice something new each time I visit.
Wat Ratchabophit
One of the less-visited temples in Bangkok. It’s especially quiet and peaceful. It has a beautiful circular courtyard and cloister lined with painted Benjarong tiles, and I love watching the light and color move across them. I had my engagement blessing here with a monk, and my brother had his pre-wedding blessing here, too, so it has become a special place for my family. I still come here for blessings and quiet reflection.