Istituto Italiano di Cultura Bangkok

07/08/2026

𝟴½ 𝗯𝘆 𝗙𝗲𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗰𝗼 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗶 𝗮𝘁 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗙𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗿 𝗖𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗺𝗮 𝗙𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗻 𝗟𝗼𝗽𝗯𝘂𝗿𝗶 🎬

Last July, the Italian Cultural Institute Bangkok was pleased to support the screening of 8½, Federico Fellini’s timeless masterpiece, presented as part of the first edition of the Frame to Floor Cinema Festival in Lopburi.

Hosted at the Art Deco Café and Gallery, the event offered audiences the opportunity to rediscover one of the most influential films in the history of world cinema.

Through the story of filmmaker Guido Anselmi, Fellini reflects on creativity, memory, identity, and the search for artistic inspiration, themes that continue to resonate with audiences across generations.

Thanks ลพรามา for bringing Italian cinema to new audiences and fostering cultural dialogue through the language of film.

05/08/2026

𝗔 𝗻𝗲𝘄 𝗨𝗡𝗘𝗦𝗖𝗢 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗹𝗱 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗦𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗱 🇹🇭

The Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan has officially been inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Founded in the 8th century, the monastery has been a major center of Buddhism for more than 1.500 years. Located in Nakhon Si Thammarat, it reflects centuries of cultural exchange across the Indian Ocean, bringing together influences from India, Sri Lanka, Java, and the Mon region to create a unique artistic, architectural, and spiritual heritage.

The site is also home to living traditions that continue today, including the annual cloth-wrapping ceremony of the Great Reliquary and the renowned Nora dance.

Its inscription marks an important milestone: the first cultural UNESCO World Heritage Site in Southern Thailand, further highlighting the country’s rich and diverse cultural heritage.

The Italian Cultural Institute in Bangkok warmly congratulates Thailand on this remarkable achievement and on the recognition of a heritage that will continue to inspire future generations.

📸 © Wannasarn Noonsuk / UNESCO

03/08/2026

The Thai art and cultural scene is the focus of a recent article published by Il Giornale dell'Arte, which describes Thailand as “the new frontier of contemporary art.”

From new museums and private collections to galleries and international collaborations, the article highlights the vibrant cultural landscape that is transforming Bangkok into one of Southeast Asia’s most dynamic artistic hubs.

It also acknowledges the role of the Italian Cultural Institute Bangkok, which for over a year has been fostering dialogue between Italy and Thailand through a rich program of exhibitions, talks, cinema, architecture, design, and visual arts.

Among the initiatives featured is the participation of the Italian artist Renato Leotta at BkkArtBiennale, taking place from 29 October 2026 to 28 February 2027.

The article also spotlights some of Thailand’s leading cultural institutions, including Dib Bangkok, currently hosting the exhibition “In(visible) Presence” with works by 40 international artists, including Jannis Kounellis, and Bangkok Kunsthalle, founded in 2024 by patron Marisa Chearavanont together with Italian architect and curator Stefano Rabolli Pansera.

Since its opening, the Italian Cultural Institute Bangkok has chosen to become part of this vibrant cultural ecosystem, building collaborations with museums, universities, foundations, and local and international institutions, with the belief that culture is a powerful tool for dialogue, research, and cooperation between Italy and Thailand.

Our sincere thanks to Il Giornale dell'Arte for highlighting this remarkable moment in Thailand’s contemporary art scene and the contribution of the international collaborations that continue to shape its growth.

Le nuove esperienze culturali di Bangkok che guardano al futuro degli spazi d’arte

30/07/2026

𝗪𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗜𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 🇮🇹🇹🇭

Along the banks of the Chao Phraya River stands Wat Ratchathiwat, one of Bangkok’s most significant royal temples, and home to an extraordinary chapter in the shared artistic history of Italy and Thailand.

Among its greatest treasures are the extraordinary murals by Italian painter Carlo Rigoli, who arrived in Siam in 1910 alongside Galileo Chini. At Wat Ratchathiwat, Rigoli introduced Western perspective, anatomy, and chiaroscuro into traditional Thai Buddhist narratives, creating a unique visual language that continues to fascinate visitors more than a century later.

His murals depicting the Vessantara Jataka remain a remarkable example of cultural exchange, where Italian artistic expertise became part of Thailand’s architectural and spiritual heritage.

More than a century later, these paintings continue to tell a story, not only of artistic excellence, but of the enduring dialogue between two cultures.

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23/07/2026

𝗝𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗶𝘀 𝗞𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘀: 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗰𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝘁

A few days ago, Dib Bangkok hosted a special event dedicated to Jannis Kounellis, one of the leading figures of Arte Povera and one of the most influential artists of the twentieth century.

Rather than representing reality, Kounellis brought it directly into the exhibition space. Iron, charcoal, burlap, wool, and coffee became the language of his work: everyday materials transformed into powerful carriers of memory, history, labor, and human experience.

In the installation presented at Dib Bangkok, the aroma of coffee became an integral part of the artwork, inviting visitors to experience art not only through sight, but also through smell, memory, and perception. The event concluded with a coffee tasting inspired by these reflections, turning every cup into a journey through culture, geography, and shared stories.

This vision perfectly reflects the spirit of Italia Reloaded. Tradition, Aesthetics and Innovation between Taste and Memory, where coffee is explored not simply as a beverage, but as a cultural object capable of connecting art, design, history, sustainability, and dialogue.

Through Kounellis’ work, coffee reveals another of its many identities: a material that preserves memory and creates new ways of experiencing culture.

21/07/2026

𝗜𝗖𝗼𝗡 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲–𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟳 🇮🇹

Looking to study Italian language and culture at university level?

Consorzio ICoN is offering 3 partial scholarships for the first semester of its Online Bachelor’s Degree in Italian Language and Culture for the 2026–2027 academic year.

🇮🇹 The program is delivered entirely through e-learning on behalf of a consortium of 12 Italian universities, making it possible to study Italian language and culture from anywhere in the world.

The scholarships are open to foreign citizens and Italian citizens residing abroad who meet the admission requirements for Italian universities.

📅 Application deadline: 8 September 2026

🔗 For eligibility requirements, application procedures, and full details, visit the ICoN website: https://laurea.italicon.it/borse-di-studio

17/07/2026

17/07/2026

𝐅𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐄 𝐓𝐎 𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐎𝐑

On Wednesday, 22 July, the Italian Cultural Institute of Bangkok invites you to rediscover one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of cinema: Federico Fellini’s 8½, presented as part of FRAME TO FLOOR: Lop Buri Cinema & Play Festival 2026.

More than sixty years after its release, 8½ continues to inspire audiences with its extraordinary exploration of creativity, identity, memory, and the blurred boundaries between reality and imagination.

Following the screening, join the post-screening conversation “Behind the Curtain, Beyond the Screen: Performing Identity in 8½”, an opportunity to reflect on Fellini’s timeless vision through dialogue with Thai scholars and artists.

📌Wednesday, 22 July 2026
📍 Register here: https://forms.gle/YHHi7QM3Lee6TvSJA

ลพรามา

15/07/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗲, 𝗮𝗿𝘁, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻

The first episode of the Sunday Coffee Series brought together contemporary art and Italian coffee culture at the Dib Bangkok for an inspiring morning of dialogue and sensory exploration.

As part of the Italian Creativity Festival and the programme “Italia Reloaded. Tradition, Aesthetics and Innovation between Taste and Memory”, the Italian Cultural Institute Bangkok partnered with Dib Bangkok and Caffè Vergnano Thailand for the first chapter of the Sunday Coffee Series.

Together we explored the work of Jannis Kounellis through themes of commerce, materiality, memory, and cultural exchange, using coffee as a unique lens for discussion.

The event continued with a guided coffee tasting led by barista Ekawit Chokkanapitak, introducing participants to Italian coffee culture through the Women in Coffee initiative, followed by a sensory experience featuring the Italian Cultural Institute’s coffee sensory kit.

The morning concluded with an engaging coffee fortune-telling session by Ruengsit Kittiworapol, transforming the ritual of coffee into a moment of reflection, storytelling, and cultural exchange.

A special thank you to everyone who joined us for this first chapter of the Sunday Coffee Series, where art, taste, and conversation came together to create new connections.

📸 Courtesy of Dib Bangkok

13/07/2026

𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗮𝗯𝗮𝗱𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗯𝘆 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗮 𝗠𝘂𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗮 𝗶𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗮𝘃𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗶. 📚🇮🇹🇹🇭

We are proud to announce the publication of the Thai edition of Accabadora by Michela Murgia, published by อ่านอิตาลี with the support of Ministero degli Affari Esteri e della Cooperazione Internazionale through its translation grant programme.

One of the most celebrated voices in contemporary Italian literature, Michela Murgia (1972–2023) explored themes of identity, memory, community, and social justice with depth and originality.

Winner of the prestigious Campiello Prize Premio Campiello, Accabadora is set in rural Sardinia in the 1950s and tells the moving story of Maria, a young girl adopted into a new family, whose life becomes intertwined with that of Bonaria Urrai, the mysterious 'accabadora', a woman entrusted with accompanying the dying in their final moments. Through this powerful novel, Murgia invites readers to reflect on life, death, care, and the ethical complexity of human relationships.

Supporting translation means connecting cultures. We are delighted to see this remarkable work reach Thai readers, creating new opportunities for dialogue between Italian and Thai cultures through literature. 🇮🇹 🇹🇭

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