If you are looking for a sanctuary to escape the chaos of the real world and rekindle your creative spark, this is the iconic art festival that art lovers from Thailand and across the globe look forward to every year. The 9th edition of “Hotel Art Fair 2026” recently took place from June 5th to 7th (from 11:00 AM to 10:00 PM) at KROMO Bangkok, Curio Collection by Hilton.
This year, 36 luxury hotel rooms across the 11th and 12th floors were reimagined into exclusive pop-up galleries. Bringing together curated works from leading Thai and international artists and galleries, the event offered an intimate, cozy, and profoundly inspiring art-viewing experience. It all unfolded under this year’s avant-garde concept, “REM – Return to the Imaginative.”
Mrs. Varinda Thienachariya, an executive at FARMGROUP and the founder of the Hotel Art Fair platform, shared her vision for this edition: “Hotel Art Fair is a contemporary art festival designed to break down the walls between art and people. By transforming the private spaces of a hotel, we create an art exhibition that seamlessly integrates into people’s lifestyles. Over the past nine editions, we have consistently received a warm reception from art lovers worldwide, and we take pride in being a driving force for both the country’s economy and culture.
The theme ‘REM – Return to the Imaginative’ was born from our observation that, over the last few years, the art world has leaned heavily toward literalism and straightforwardness, causing the space for pure imagination to gradually shrink. We wanted to invite everyone to transcend the boundaries of reality and step into ‘REM’ (Rapid Eye Movement)—a semi-conscious, dreamlike state where the brain can roam and create without limits, logic, or reason. It is an escape into a new world completely open to interpretation. We believe this is essential in today’s societal context, where people need the power of creativity to navigate rapid, ever-evolving changes.”
The highlights of this year’s festival came with major, exhilarating surprises. It kicked off with a solo exhibition inside a private room by the iconic artist Pod Moderndog (Thanachai Ujjin), who brought a brand-new, never-before-seen collection of Abstract Portraits for an intimate viewing. This series consists of paintings on paper, featuring instinctive, sweeping strokes where the artist explores and unravels his own internal emotional states.
Moving on to another highlight, the next room completely shattered the rigid solemnity and dense academic jargon usually associated with viewing art. The Saturday Painters group by Mr. Angkrit Ajchariyasophon deployed an army of over 12 artists—ranging from emerging 20-year-old talents to 80-year-old masters—to takeover a hotel room and turn it into an endearing, laid-back weekend party for art enthusiasts. The ultimate twist of this room was that the artwork “changed every single day,” allowing visitors to experience a fresh, unique version of a “dream” across all three days of the event.
Finally, a must-visit destination for content creators and art lovers alike featured the provocative work of Mr. Dennis Karlsson, a multidisciplinary artist and founder of the cult brand MAEWKHOO. Known for his expertise in cross-disciplinary mediums spanning fashion, furniture, architecture, and immersive installations, Dennis possesses a unique instinct for constructing parallel worlds, a talent shaped by his multicultural upbringing across Sweden, Seoul, Ho Chi Minh City, London, and Bangkok. This background aligned flawlessly with the festival’s REM concept.
For this exhibition, he brought the “Palad Khik”—a traditional Thai animist amulet—into a luxury hotel setting, transforming a standard bedroom into a “Contemporary Shrine.” The centerpiece, titled “Dok Mai Jao,” is a towering, 4-meter-tall polished aluminum sculpture inspired by the folklore and natural spiritual energy of Koh Phangan. The magic of this piece lies in its mirrored surface, which dynamically reflects the sunlight, shifting weather, and the silhouettes of passersby in real-time. It stands as a powerful, resonant space that invites us to recalibrate our senses and find peace of mind all at once.
