‘Cities of Canals’ exhibition

A life living near water never fails to portray a richness in culture and tradition. An art exhibition called “Bangkok, Saint Petersburg, Venice – Cities of Canals” by a Bangkok-based Russian artist is now on in the Thai capital, in which life along canals is presented in a figurative form of art.

Captivated by landscape, light and the history of each city, Victoria Boychenko expresses her appreciation of each city’s elements in an exhibit featuring paintings which reflect urban life along the water.

Victoria chose Italy’s Venice due to its richness in art and culture. Although the artist was there for only a short period of time, she was impressed that even today cars are not a necessary means of transportation.

She explained living close to canals gave her different feelings from the striking views induced by local charm and also travelling by boat.

Saint-Petersburg in Russia, where Victoria lived for 2 years, was another choice of city, where she remembers the aroma of freshly baked bread floating through her window.

Now living in Bangkok, Victoria realised houses and the local way of life alongside the canals could imaginatively take her back in time. Gazing at such scenes was also a way of meditation.

“When I painted my Bangkok pictures, I was thinking about even nature, tropical nature and the colour of Thai silk. And it’s very nice when you travel through canals. You can smell even Thai food and there’s the Thai evening with a special colour of sky,” said Victoria Boychenko, an artist.

According to Victoria, some of her paintings might not be understandable but if the audience feels good about them, it already means art appreciation. 

The exhibition of the figurative artworks of Victoria Boychenko runs until the end of May from Tuesday to Sunday at Neilson Hays Library’s Garden Gallery & Café on Bangkok’s Surawong Road.