As a contribution to the festivities in honour of His Majesty the King’s 80th Birthday, and to continue promoting exchanges between French and Thai cultures, Alliance Française Bangkok is pleased to co-organize the 2007 edition of "La Fête".
In accordance with its guiding principles, the 2007 festival offers the Bangkok audience of the best of French and Thai contemporary works of art. For three weeks, the parade of events of "La Fête" will enchant, with its music, images, installations and prose over fifteen of Bangkok’s most lively cultural locations.
Alliance Française will contribute in its particular areas of expertise: notably, performances as part of the 11th production of the very popular "Fête de la Musique". This outdoor event, open to all, will allow groups of professional and amateur French and Thai musicians to share the same stage and to thrill an ever-increasing and ever more enthusiastic audience.
In the field of visual arts, the unusual works of contemporary artists inspired by "Essences Insensées" (Perfume and Art) will infuse the subtle and monumental installation by Jean-Luc Vilmouth with extravagant fragrances. Equally worth noting is the striking interior design exhibition, "The Place and the Plate", stemming from a reflection on the links between tradition, heritage, modernity and innovation, which will follow the "Métissages" exhibition presented at the Jim Thompson Foundation’s Art Centre from 30 March to 17 June 2007.
A distinct opportunity for dialogue between artists, "La Fête" 2007 will stimulate meaningful exchanges between different genres and domains. For instance, the cross-disciplinary artist Enki Bilal will reveal his fascinating vision of the future through his feature film "Immortel" (Immortal), his latest film "CinéMonstre", his exhibition "EnkiBilalinBangkok", and the Thai version of his "Nikopol" trilogy.
This festival is more than just an event. The numerous collaborative Franco-Thai projects, workshops and interactions have encouraged exchanges and transfers of knowledge that, over time, have forged lasting bonds between the cultural and artistic spheres of our two countries. This deep-rooted presence in local cultural life rests on the substantial Franco-Thai projects the Alliance Française convenes throughout the year. For instance, "l’Ile aux Esclaves" (Island of Slaves), a Theatre/Likay performance staged in our auditorium last May, is an adaptation in Thai by director Kriengsak Silakong of a play by the French playwright Marivaux.
The wide cultural network that the Alliance has built up also rests on significant bodies: the Cité Siam, which regularly hosts resident artists, and our International Art Centre, which benefits more than 500 students each year. These institutions allow us to undertake activities that are ambitious and open to the rest of the world, such as the design workshop/fashion-show, "Cross Cultures", which we organized in 2007 with four guest designers from France, Japan, Madagascar and Thailand.
The momentum imparted by the festival, the forces mobilized to accomplish it, and the development of our activities throughout the year, are the many elements that enable our association, founded almost a century ago, to play a significant part in Thai cultural life and to contribute to artistic development in our country.
I warmly thank our sponsors and partners whose generous support has made "La Fête" possible.
Jingjai Hanchanlash
President of Alliance Francaise
