The ‘Great Troublemakers’ Behind Prada Marfa Reveal New Land Art In Thailand

Elmgreen & Dragset, the Berlin-based conceptual artists behind Prada Marfa, will inaugurate their latest site specific installation this weekend in the Khao-Yai Art Forest in Thailand. Called K-BAR, it was inspired by and meant as an homage to the German artist Martin Kippenberger. A painter, sculptor and performance artist, Kippenberger died in 1997. The cause was liver cancer, due in no small part to years of over-indulgence.

K-BAR is meant to function as a proper bar, albeit one that is open only once a month, for six hours (from 5 .m. to 11 p.m.) and accommodates just six people. “It is similar in location to Marfa and the structure looks a little bit like Prada Marfa size-wise and sign-wise,” noted Michael Elmgreen. “It’s our take on land art where the idea of social space — like a luxury boutique is also a social space — is suddenly getting a completely new meaning by being displaced.” An original Kippenberger painting from 1996, the year prior to his death, is the only interior adornment. Those who visit on days when it is closed are able to walk up to the door and view the interior, which looks like a professionally designed upscale drinking establishment.

A statement from the aritsts’ studio notes that “Visible yet inaccessible, K-BAR fits within a group of works Elmgreen & Dragset call “denials.” These sculptural installations seem to invite interaction through their functional appearance, only to ultimately deny the viewer any access. Upending expectations for participatory artworks, “denials” invite contemplation and reflection rather than immediate engagement. However, with the right timing and dedication, a small number of visitors can gain entry during its rare opening hours.” Those who do manage to snag a seat can order from a cocktail menu designed by Elmgreen & Dragset with a local mixologist, including a ‘Dry Martin.’”

As with Prada Marfa, which will celebrate its 20th Anniversary on October 1st of this year, visiting this rarely-open bar is a pilgrimage in and of itself. The Khao Yai Art Forest is set on about 160 acres nestled within Khao Yai National Park, about a three hour drive from Bangkok. Established in 1962, it was the first national park in Thailand, measures over 1,347 square miles and is part of the Dong Phayayen-Khao Yai Forest Complex, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

The Art Forest portioin opens this weekend and will undoubtedly quickly work its way onto many art fans’ bucket lists as its picturesque landscape is dotted with works by “cutting edge living artists” including Louise Bourgeois, Richard Long, and Fujiko Nakaya, with a “profound emphasis on the healing power of nature.”

Its founder, the philanthropist Marisa Chearavanont, serves on the Asia-Pacific Acquisition Committee for Tate Modern in London, is a member of the International Leadership Council for the New Museum in New York City, a Founding Patron of the M+ Museum in Hong Kong and a senior expert for Thailand’s Ministry of Culture and the Office of The Prime Minister, where she advises on the development of contemporary art, culture, and national identity in Thailand. She founded Khao Yai Art as a not-for-profit institution in 2023 and, last year, established the Bangkok Kunsthalle, The latter features four exhibitions per year and is “dedicated to showcasing art, cinema, music, dance, literature, architecture, and other creative disciplines.”

Regarding the art forest, Chearavanont noted that “the artists we have invited, along with their work, embody the core message of the Khao Yai Art Forest: to reconnect with nature, rediscover the healing power it offers, and rebuild the bridges we’ve lost in our pursuit of modern civilization.”

Khao Yai Art Forest is open Thursday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Click here to view various admission times and prices.