Bed Supperclub : Art officials to sue top club for 'sacrilege'
CULTURE
Art officials to sue top club for 'sacrilege'
23/04/2011
NAN : A top Bangkok nightspot is being sued by provincial arts officials for improper use of one of its most famous murals.
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Methadon Wichakkhana, director of the 7th Regional Office of Fine Arts, left, holds a picture of the original mural as Nan culture official Sarot Rattanamat looks on.
Bed Supperclub used a doctored image of Krasip Rak (The Whispering) to promote a blind wine tasting evening at its restaurant.
The mural is the most famous romance painting in the main hall of Wat Phumin in Muang district of Nan.
It depicts two lovers in ancient Burmese costume. As their faces come close to each other, the man whispers something to his sweetheart.
In promoting "The Blind Affair" wine evening, Bed Supperclub retouched the painting by adding a wine glass to the man's hand and had the woman blindfolded. The glass tilts, showing he is sipping the red wine.
This retouched image is considered sacrilege to the ancient mural and has "hurt the feelings of all Nan people", said Methadon Wichakkhana, director of the 7th Regional Office of Fine Arts.
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Bed Supperclub’s controversial advert.
Holding a press conference in front of the original mural at Wat Phumin, Mr Methadon vowed to lodge a lawsuit against Bed Supperclub, even though the restaurant had earlier apologised for its actions.The organisers said they searched the internet to make an advertising poster for the event, held on Feb 16.
The Krasip Rak mural caught their eye and they decided to use it without checking up on its origin and history.
Guests at the wine party were required to have themselves blindfolded in order to heighten their taste experience of Thai wines, according to the advert. The restaurant said a portion of the event takings would be donated to the Thailand Association of the Blind.
Nan culture official Sarot Rattanamat said the painting is a piece of national heritage, so anyone who tarnishes it must be prosecuted in order to set a standard.
The Office of Fine Arts is gathering evidence to sue the Bed Supper Club under the Ancient Monuments, Antiques and National Museums Act.
bangkokpost.com