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Somrak Sila

Co-founder and Curator, WTF Bar and Gallery

 

Somrak Sila (Som)  WTF Gallery

With the combination of “Drink-Art-Friendship”, there appears to be no shortage of WTF moments, especially with some of the politically charged exhibitions curated by Somrak “Som” Sila. Established in 2010, Som believes that “seeing art should be as easy as a night out on the town”, thus, WTF Gallery aims to make art accessible to the people in Bangkok. Frustrated by Thailand's political situation, Som has considered permanently leaving the country. Nonetheless, she decided to use her gallery as a way to foster dialogue between foreigners and locals, campaigners and academics, artists and thinkers. Surprisingly, they have not received much backlash, with her 2014 exhibition that curated pro-red and pro-yellow artists drawing one of WTF’s biggest crwods. Hence, they have continued to exhibit artists who are unafraid to tackle controversial issues. This includes Wasted Rita (Rita Gomes), who has participated in Banksy’s Dismaland, an anti-Disneyland 2015, and photographer Samak Kosem, with a series on queerness in the Muslim society of Thailand’s deep South. They will be collaborating with Greenpeace South East Asia, and co-ordinated by Community Art Project, to present “Coal: The Dirty Business” in 2018.

Recognitions