Raya Heritage, which sits on a secluded bend of the Ping River just a shout from the city, lazily stretches along a quiet bank of the meandering river. Seemingly growing out of its leafy environment, the resort highlights and features arts and crafts from local artisans and creative traditions.
From now until the end of January 2025, a very special exhibition is being featured across the entire resort, embedded into the resort’s DNA for the duration—Without Illusion, a collaborative art exhibition by sculptor Siripong Rueangsri and jewellery designer Sirirat Jivanuwong.
Using mostly bare and unpolished elements, from clay to silver and shells to stone, each piece featured is an expression of raw and instinctive creativity; sans guile and artifice. Employing metal, wood, clay and stone, Siripong has created a community of mostly busts, each featuring unique and often seemingly off-guard expressions on sculptures which can be found standing erect at the hotel lobby, cheekily lurking under a towering tree, insouciantly side-eyeing guests from behind a bush or nonchalantly huddling with other sculptures as if sharing some secret we all wish we were privy to.
Each unique sculpture stands alone in its individual expression which have been captured by the artist of people he has seen, unaware, in his daily life. Fleeting expressions of humour, boredom, surprise, stoicism or whatever interpretation the sculptor as well as the viewer may read into their expressive faces, makes for an almost living community of sculptures mingling alongside resort guests. Some are glazed, others boldly raw clay; a few feature almost-tribal painted patterns as garments, others appear sexless and nude. A sculpture here may look like your irritating neighbour, while another piece will be a mere abstract shadow of a familiar expression. They are big, bold, un polished, expressive and fun while also varying in size from large pieces which would stand proud on any outdoor property to petite little miniatures for sale at the fabulous hotel shop, Him Gong.
Jewellery designer Sirirat jianuwong’s contribution adds another level of depth to these pieces, with fun and fabulous stone, shell, metal and wood necklaces, bracelets, and even fascinators adding a jaunty element to many sculptures.
“Without Illiusion—A-Pa-Ma-Ya celebrates the raw power of instinctive creativity, this exhibition unveils the unfiltered beauty of clay and silver, capturing each artist’s deeply personal approach to craft,” say the event organisers, adding, “Free from unnecessary embellishments, each piece embodies the artists’ commitment to honest, handcrafted expression. Every detail and form reveals the power of instinctive creation, where the journey of making is as significant as the final piece.”
Take that short drive to Raya Heritage and spend a few hours perhaps wandering around the gardens of the resort taking in the sculptures, stop at their fabulous Khu Khao restaurant which serves up cuisine from the cross roads of our Asian corner of the world or perhaps even a sip of fine tea at Laan Cha Tea Terrace before heading to Him Gong for some superb pre-Christmas shopping where you can ale home not just mini sculptures, but also some fabulous pieces of jewellery designed by Sirirat. And if you really don’t want to leave, you don’t have to! Stop into the sexy noir Baan Ta Lounge and Lawn for evening cocktails before checking into your suite for a night of bliss…
