The NGO I work for, the Southeast Asian Press Alliance (SEAPA), held its latest board meeting at the Siam City Hotel last month.  I was not impressed with the name when I first heard of it; it sounded like a backpackers’ inn or something. It just so happened that the hotel was near our office that it was chosen as venue for the meeting (located at the corner of Sri Ayuthya and Phyathai roads).

However, when I got there on the first day of the meeting, I had to change my opinion. The lobby was small but it had an atmosphere of plushness. As I walked around, what really caught my attention were the works of art on display.

Mounted on glass display cases were antique china recovered from shipwrecks, along with Thai and Khmer artworks.

Here is my favorite exhibit, part of the so-called Nanking Cargo, some 160,000+ pieces of chinaware that were recovered from the Dutch ship “Geldermalsen” which sunk off the South China Sea more than 200 years ago.

 

Corals have engulfed these china. The calcified reddish and orange coral provide a stark contrast to the white and bluish hue of the porcelain.

 

One of my favorite pieces in the collection. The design is so intricate, the color so cool to the sight. I wish I were rich enough to bid for something like this at Christie’s!

 

Another set

 

Exquisite

For some backgrounder on the “Gendermalsen’s” treasures, please see:

http://www.oceantreasures.org/rubrique-1070661.html

http://www.antiques.dk.com/cat.php/Oriental/Ceramics/Shipwreck%20Cargoes/Nanking%20Cargo

 

Also displayed is this collection of Vietnamese porcelain from the Vung Tau (1690)  and Bin Thuan (1608) shipwrecks.

 

Some more background info:

http://www.maritime-explorations.com/vung%20tau.htm

http://www.seaantique.com/Binhthuan.htm

 

On the other hand, here is an exhibit of Thai “Hun Krabok” (“pole puppets”) puppets.

 Briefer on Hun Krabok puppets:

http://www.culturenetworks.org/hunkrabork-thaipuppet.html

 

Near the elevator lobby, my attention was caught by this relief of Khmer female dancers:

I knew right away it was not Thai artwork, but I was of two minds whether it is Khmer or Indian. So I checked the Internet and saw this:

http://images.google.co.th/imgres?imgurl=http://www.bergerfoundation.ch/Angkor/Sculptures/images/img0038B.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.bergerfoundation.ch/Angkor/Sculptures_eng/introduction.html&usg=__zfRsCg0z9pQAnjt6NijXcjLxSGk=&h=461&w=307&sz=44&hl=en&start=10&um=1&tbnid=5XBkmRBiryQ_rM:&tbnh=128&tbnw=85&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkhmer%2Bart%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX%26um%3D1

It is interesting to note, though, that Khmer art is heavily influenced by Indian mythology and art form. (Of course, the reason why Indochina is called such is because the area had been the battleground for centuries between China and India. I read somewhere that modern-day Vietnam fell under the influence of China while those on the western part of the mountain range separating Vietnam and the rest of Indochina fell under the influence of India).