KKU holds the Art Eye View Festival to promote Creative and Isan Economy

Saturday February 10, 2024 – Khon Kaen University organized the 21^st Art Lane Festival #21# 2024: “Art Eye View”. The festival opening was presided over by Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University, who delivered the opening address. Asst. Prof. Burin Plengdeesakul, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts gave the reporting speech. Over 10,000 people joined the ceremony, including deans, administrators, artists, lecturers, staff, students and the public. The festival ran from February 9 until February 11, 2024 at the White Bridge and Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts’ studio.

Assoc. Prof. Charnchai Panthongviriyakul, M.D., President of Khon Kaen University mentioned in his opening address that this event was organized to promote creative economy, with students and people bringing their art works to sell and exhibit for further commercial extension. Moreover, the event also nurtured art and culture, in terms of creative economy, with the community. This is one strategy Khon Kaen University has always propelled and seen as very important. In addition, the occasion also provided a venue for learning and sharing of Asian cultures by featuring old and traditional art and cultural performance like “khon” so that it is known on a wider scale. The President ended by saying that he hoped the project achieved the success as expected by those supporting it.

Asst. Prof. Burin Plengdeesakul, Ph.D., Dean of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts reported that the “Art Eye View’ sounds similar to “Bird Eye View”, which means seeing art from a wider angle and dimension. The event was contributed by people from many fields, including artists, lecturers, staff, students of the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts, totaling over 300 people, and the network in art from 7 universities, 5 organizations, 5 departments, and 3 supporting organizations. The Faculty was expecting that the festival would raise Khon Kaen provincial economy at tens of million baht, for it was expected that over 50,000 people would come to the festival, who would enjoyed it and would also be able to learn and share about art and culture, for further creative and commercial extension.

Miss Sainamphueng Jiamwijak, aged 31 years old from Bangkok said that she travelled from Bangkok for learning and sharing about art here. She graduated from the Faculty of Fine and Applied Art from Srinakarinwirot University in the field of ceramic and now is an officer at a private organization. Although her occupation is not direct to the field she studied, joining the Art Lane Festival added to the creativity in art, for she would be able to share with her customers and raise supplementary income. She finally added that the festival atmosphere was pleasant and there were a lot of people. She expected to come again next year.

Mr. Patipan La-pan, a 3^rd year student in visual art, Faculty of Fine and Applied Art, Khon Kaen University, revealed that he joined the Art Lane Festival for the second time this year, and liked it every time. The atmosphere was attractive, for it was a cluster of people with difference preference in arts. He said he was able to usefully apply classroom knowledge.

“The festival opened real experiences for us. Most of the time, I learn in classroom. So when I meet other people, I can learn and share with them. For me, art is everywhere. It depends on how you value it. The added value depends on consent of two parties. If we are to create art work commercially, we should rely on ourselves, our attitude, our identity, honesty in transferring oneself, discipline and attempts to find a venue for expressing the potentialities. We should love the work so that it will add value to itself. Just like today that I come to paint simple glass and earn something. Thanks Khon Kaen University and the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts for organizing such a good event for us to learn.”