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Dib Bangkok, Thailand’s leading museum dedicated to international contemporary art, announces a partnership with the CHANEL Culture Fund with the inauguration of the CHANEL Gateway Commission at Dib Bangkok. This annual commission will empower local artists to realise ambitious commissions that generate vital artistic exchange and dialogue, marking a new chapter for how the museum facilitates engagement with contemporary art.
Setting a new paradigm for large-scale commissions across Southeast Asia, the collaboration between Dib Bangkok and the CHANEL Culture Fund represents an important step forward in establishing a sustainable platform for artistic experimentation, education, and public engagement in Thailand and across the region.
Nawin Nuthong, a Bangkok-based artist known for redefining the boundaries of interactive gaming, will inaugurate the annual series with a profoundly evocative and immersive gameplay installation exploring themes of belonging, traditionalism, and governing myths that have shaped the region. Nuthong’s commission, titled Project 147, is situated at the heart of the institution, and engages with the museum’s second major exhibition, Giving Life, opening 26 September 2026. Project 147 will be on view from 26 September 2026 to 3 May 2027.
Project 147 (ศักราช 147) is an expansive multimedia installation and interactive video game environment conceived by Nawin Nuthong (b. 1993, Thailand). Drawing its title from the ancient Thai folk story, Khun Chang Khun Phaen (ขุนช้าง ขุนแผน), the project examines the myths, cosmologies, and systems of knowledge that shape historical consciousness across the region. The work unfolds through an immersive environment composed of sculptural installations, screen-based imagery, and game-based encounters with six player consoles. Project 147 represents a significant expansion of Nuthong’s practice both conceptually and technically, positioning him as one of the most important emerging voices within Thailand’s contemporary art landscape.
The CHANEL Gateway Commission at Dib Bangkok spotlights emerging voices, innovation, and gathering, showcasing Thai contemporary artists whose practices resonate across disciplines and echo the complexities of contemporary life across the region. The initiative underscores Dib Bangkok’s role as a leading global institution of contemporary art, where past, present, and future converge.
Purat “Chang” Osathanugrah, Founding Chairman of Dib Bangkok: “This is more than a new commission, it’s a new chapter in a story Dib Bangkok has always wanted to tell. Nawin’s world building draws on Thai folklore and history, letting each generation read them differently, exactly the curiosity our museum exists to support. He’s also an artist of my own generation, one who treats the video game as a serious artistic medium, layering technology, narrative, and design into something genuinely new, a resonance I hold personally. Bangkok’s creative pulse is surging, and this commission gives that energy a lasting form, building a bridge between Thai artists and the international stage, between memory and what comes next. We’re glad to take this step alongside CHANEL, a partner who shares our commitment to work that challenges convention.”
Yana Peel, President of Arts, Culture & Heritage at CHANEL: “For years we’ve been captivated by Thailand’s vibrant cultural community and its influence on the international art scene. Now with the addition of an institution of unprecedented scale and calibre in Dib Bangkok, Thailand has the potential to create opportunities and to increase visibility for its next generation of talent. The CHANEL Gateway Commission and our new alliance with Dib Bangkok represent a deepening of our commitment to the region – we’re celebrating a special moment as Dib Bangkok becomes our first Art Partner in South East Asia and joins CHANEL Culture Fund’s global network.”
About Dib Bangkok
Dib Bangkok (pronounced like the English word ‘dip’) is Thailand’s leading contemporary art museum dedicated to international contemporary art. It was founded by Purat (Chang) Osathanugrah, businessman, educator, and President of Bangkok University, who also works across business and investment through Oventure Group and Arc 9 Capital. What began as a private collection has grown into a public institution, reinterpreting the legacy and vision of his father, Petch Osathanugrah, for the contemporary world. He is joined by Director Miwako Tezuka, PhD, whose international experience in curatorial practice and museum management shapes Dib Bangkok’s artistic direction, operational standards, and its work in learning, research, and public engagement.
Dib Bangkok’s collection comprises more than 1,000 works by over 200 artists from Thailand and around the world. The collection focuses on works that challenge perception, spark dialogue, and invite deeper reflection on the complexities of human existence. The museum seeks to build a lasting space for learning, reflection, and connection with art, one that shapes how future generations in Thailand and the region engage with contemporary art. For more information, visit www.dibbangkok.org.
About the CHANEL Culture Fund
The CHANEL Culture Fund fosters a vibrant network of creators and innovators to advance the ideas that shape culture worldwide. Core programmes include CHANEL’s Art Partners, institutions whose leaders are supported in the development of ground-breaking, long-term initiatives that bring innovation to the cultural landscape. The CHANEL Next Prize celebrates artists and accelerates their future successes through access to resources and mentorship. And the podcast CHANEL Connects amplifies the voices of thought leaders across disciplines, generations, and geographies – tackling the defining issues of our time. From driving artistic innovation with technology at CalArts in Southern California to catalysing creative freedom at scale at Hamburger Bahnhof in Berlin, from championing game-changing artists at the Venice Biennale to celebrating the brightest directors at the British Film Institute, the CHANEL Culture Fund extends a century of commitment to the arts and champions creative audacity for a better future.
Words: Art Nation
