The escalator ride up to the fifth floor of Siam Paragon looks a little bit different now, thanks to a new, vivid piece of site-specific artwork that looks like an otherworldly northern lights hovering above head. The new permanent art piece, which features a beaming circular window surrounded by cascading blue and green tones, is the work of Pascal Dombis, a visual artist based in Paris who boasts recent exhibitions at the Grand Palais in Paris (2018), Cybernetic Consciousness at Itaú cultural in São Paulo (2017) and the Venice Biennale (2013).

 

The new public work, named “Aurora” sits at the apex of the mall’s central escalator on the fifth floor— that interconnected to Paragon Hall—and uses 24 lenticular print panels as a medium, which filter different colors depending on your viewing angle and time of day: Northern Lights colors in the daytime and darker, more intense tones at night. The lenticular panels are what cause the effect, which are the same material used to create images that change as the viewing angle is changed. 

 

“This is my first Thailand’s showcase and it gives me an opportunity to connect art to Bangkok and its people,” Dombis says. “I’ve learned that in Thailand retail plays a pivotal role in people’s lifestyle.”

 

Dombis’s work is a part of the larger “Siam Paragon’s World Art collective”, which aims to amplify Siam Paragon’s vision to introduce “New World of Luxury” experience. This initiative unveils the display of art throughout the center’s communal spaces—in a sense, creating a luxury experience that is accessible to all. In total, you’ll find the works of nine renowned artists (both domestic and international) in various of the shopping center’s zones, visited by roughly 150,000-200,000 people per day. 
 

On the fourth floor, also next to the spiraling escalators, sits the large purple cartoon character “Dylie” by Sarayut Kurakaew (aka JWON), a Thai illustrator and character designers for art toys and collectibles. The artist's unique style will be familiar to toy collectors, with previous collaborations including Cry Baby, Astro Boy Go!, WASA, and Playmobil to automobile.
 

Down on the first floor, guests will see the work of renowned Korean artist Donghoon Oh. His piece, “Red Bubble” is a towering stack or bright red orbs interconnected like bubbles blown out of a bubble maker. Predictably, the piece is inspired by children’s soap bubble play. The motif is a signature of Oh’s work, which often uses interconnected spheres and bright colors to represent figures and shapes, this time taking a nostalgic trip back in time to the awe-filled perspective of a child. 
 

Along the corridor of the M floor that houses over 70 world’s top designers, high-end watches and jewelry brands, American sculptor John Helton brings a tinge of elegance with his bronze sculpture “Cascading Melody”, a sweeping tower of interlocking forms that are meant to represent the interconnected motion of all things. Most of Helton’s work follows similar themes, sculptures that use sweeping curves and intersecting lines that he intends to celebrate “the symphony of energy” that exists in the world. 
 

Next to Pascal Dombis’ “Aurora” on the fifth floor, French digital artist Miguel Chevalier brings his distinct digital visual style to the shopping center through two pieces: “Kinetic Waves” and “Vortex”. Chevalier has added an interactive feature to this digital-screen visual art; whenever one comes close to one of the screens, a sensor detects their motion and immediately triggers the colorful on-screen shapes to wave playfully, creating an element of surprise and the feeling that the piece is alive. 
 

“Didn't Come this Far to Go Back” is a wooden sculpture by Inson Wongsam Thai National Artist in Visual Arts (sculpture) 1999 who has taken the inspiration from his solo scooter trip to Florence, the birthplace of the respected art professor Silpa Bhirasri, located on the 2nd Floor.
 

Between two escalators on the first floor, Naritthorn Sethakunarat attempts to resonate with the loneliness of being a human being with the piece “Missing”. The sculpture is made from fiberglass and wood, contrasting against the glossy environment around it. 
 

Lastly, “UOY MA I (I AM YOU)” by Wisut Ponnimit, a Thai cartoonist, animator and artist, bring his most well-known character “Mamuang” to the first floor. This time, Wisut has made the character square up with her own reflection, represented by an identical sculpture covered in mirror-like material, implying that perspective on life is sometimes impacted by how we ourselves and the surrounding world. 
 

The new art experience at Siam Paragon represents a shift in the way shoppers will experience the center, helping to reflect various aspects of our daily lives in thoughtful ways that aren’t always apparent during those busy moments in the day. It also helps to break down the convention that art is only meant for galleries with pristine white walls in echoey rooms, but also the experience for a day-to-day basis and accessible to all. 
 

Discover the art experience from world-renowned contemporary artists at Siam Paragon. For more information and future art installation updates, follow:
 

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