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Dress up and get happy

No one needs to be reminded of the difficulties of 2020. More than ever, it is important to stay positive and share happiness and hope with others, no matter the distance. This year’s holiday season centre decorations have been created by Ping Hatta, and accomplished Thai illustrator who splits her time between New York and Bangkok.

With this installation, titled “Dress Up and Get Happy”, Ping says “I want to tell stories of how happiness can still be shared even when we are apart. We can maintain optimism, find hope, and commit to good intentions for the year ahead.”

Here, Ping shares her inspiration for her work for River City Bangkok.

Outside River City Bangkok, commuters of all ages, ethnicity, gender, and religious beliefs, transit through Si Phraya Pier park. The characters in the gardens are open to the interpretation of passers by. Ping continues, “I thought it would be fun to have the ladies dressed-up and looking fabulous, even with a face shield and mask. We will not let the hassle of ‘safe practice’ get in our way when it comes to celebration. I love how the illustrations on the sliding doors at the entrance bring the friends together.”

As you wander all floors of River City Bangkok, you will see a number of different characters.

Crazy Cat Lady – I wanted to erase the misconception of the “Crazy Cat Lady” stereotype. She is self-composed, confident, and looks fabulous regardless of her age and body shapes.

Long-distance relationship – It looks like social distancing and travel-restrictions are here to stay for a while. Thanks to digital technology we can stay connected.

A bag full of hearts – I choose hearts as a symbol of sending, giving, and receiving love and care for one another. Here, the woman has a bag full of hearts and ready to shower everyone with her love and kindness.

Characters dancing in the garden – people having fun in the outdoors. Are they friends or lovers? You decide.

New York lock-down –  I’ve seen couples dancing on rooftops, roommates in their swimsuits sunbathing in their windows, and neighbours chatting across the apartment balconies – raising a glass and saying “cheers”.

I wanted to shine the spotlight on “non-white” and “gender-fluid” people who are often left out of Thailand’s social scene. Sometimes, we’re so caught up in what is happening around us that we forget we are actually citizens of the same world. With so much divisiveness in Thailand and around the world, we should not impose limits on ourselves, only mixing with people of the same nationality or those who look and think like us. I created this artwork to remind us that we are all “one”, of the same human race.

I wanted to highlight celebrating, not only culturally, but also in terms of inclusivity. It is the time where people celebrate other religious holidays or just simply wanting to get together. So I am going for a more conceptual approach than a literal Christmas theme. I use universal, simple shapes like circles and star with playful colours to cheer up the spirit, and connect people throughout River City Bangkok.

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