Bangkok Art Auction Unveils “Phenomena: The Iconic Treasure 2026”

Featuring Over 120 Works with a Total Estimated Value Exceeding THB 100 Million, Alongside a New Focus on Vietnamese Art​

​

Bangkok Art Auction is set to present Phenomena: The Iconic Treasure 2026, a major year-end art auction bringing together more than 120 works by leading Thai and international artists, spanning celebrated masters, modern artists, and contemporary figures.

 

At the heart of this edition is an invitation to revisit “familiar names” through unexpected works and lesser-seen moments in their artistic practices. The selection includes seldom-seen works, pieces from significant periods in the artists’ careers, and notable appearances on the Thai auction stage—reflecting the central concept of Phenomena, which seeks to reveal new dimensions of artists already familiar to collectors.

 

Ahead of the auction, Bangkok Art Auction will present a selection of works to the public free of charge during the Selected Works Preview, taking place from 14–18 October 2026, 10.00–21.00 hrs, at Art Jewel, 5th Floor, Siam Paragon.

 

The exhibition will open to the public from 14 October, with a dedicated Media Preview on 15 October 2026, before the complete auction selection is presented during the Full Auction Preview from 5–15 November 2026 at Kunawong House Museum.

 

The auction will take place on Sunday, 15 November 2026, from 14.00 hrs onwards.

​

Among the highlights of the auction is a powerful horse painting by Thawan Duchanee, selected as the catalogue cover image for Phenomena: The Iconic Treasure 2026. Executed in oil and gold leaf on canvas and measuring 200 × 150 cm, the work captures the strength and commanding presence of the horse through powerful anatomy, expressive brushwork, and traditional Thai motifs. The work carries an estimated price of THB 9–12 million.

 

The auction also features important works by leading Thai artists across generations, including a rural-life painting by Suchao Sisganes, distinguished by simplified forms, vivid colours, and his characteristic impasto brushwork.

 

Another key work is “Bondage” by Prateep Kochabua, a large-scale painting measuring 120 × 200 cm, in which the image of a lion becomes a metaphor for strength and humanity’s struggle against the forces that bind and constrain us.

 

Also included is “Light Interior,” 1981, a monumental 198 × 169 cm work by Preecha Thaothong, from an important body of work in which the artist developed his exploration of light and shadow into one of the most recognisable visual languages of his practice.

 

Another notable work is “The Smell of Reality” by Rirkrit Tiravanija, created in 2017. The work features oil-painted text on a page from The Nation newspaper, mounted on linen, measuring 165 × 143 cm. Through this format, the work invites questions around the selection and framing of information, the role of media, and the way society constructs what it understands as “reality.”

 

The auction also presents “Vatican City,” 1954, by Fua Haripitak, created at St. Peter’s Square in Rome during the first year of the artist’s studies in Italy. The work has been documented in significant publications on Thai art history and on Fua Haripitak’s practice.

​

A New Step into Vietnamese Art

 

Another key aspect of Phenomena: The Iconic Treasure 2026 is the expansion of the auction’s curatorial selection into Vietnamese modern art, through works by three important artists: Tạ Tỵ, Đỗ Xuân Doãn, and Hồ Hữu Thủ.

 

Together, their works reflect different stages in the development of Vietnamese art, from early explorations of Cubism and abstraction to lacquer painting and modern artistic practices emerging from Saigon.

​

Highlights within this section include a 1953 work by Tạ Tỵ, one of Vietnam’s pioneering Cubist artists; “The Red Tree” by Đỗ Xuân Doãn, which employs lacquer painting to depict the landscape and everyday life of Hanoi; and works by Hồ Hữu Thủ, reflecting his exploration between figuration and abstraction within the context of modern art in southern Vietnam.

​

The inclusion of Vietnamese artists in this auction marks another strategic move by Bangkok Art Auction to expand the conversation beyond the Thai art market and toward the wider Southeast Asian region.

 

By presenting these works in Thailand, the auction offers local collectors an opportunity to engage directly with Vietnamese artists and the development of Vietnamese modern art, while creating a platform that strengthens connections between neighbouring art markets.

 

Selected Vietnamese works in this auction have also been positioned at more accessible price levels. According to Bangkok Art Auction, some are offered at approximately 20–25% below comparable market reference levels, creating further opportunities for Thai collectors to begin or expand their collections into the wider regional art market.

 

The auction takes place at a time when the global art market is beginning to regain momentum. According to The Art Basel and UBS Global Art Market Report 2026, global art sales in 2025 rose by 4% to approximately USD 59.6 billion, following two consecutive years of decline.

 

Public auction sales also increased by 9% to USD 20.7 billion, although the pace of recovery continued to vary across price segments and individual markets.

​

Bangkok Art Auction therefore invites members of the media to attend the Media Preview on 15 October 2026 at Art Jewel, 5th Floor, Siam Paragon, offering an opportunity to experience the works in person, discover key highlights, and learn more about the auction house’s expanding direction from Thailand toward the wider Southeast Asian art market ahead of the November auction.

 

Event Details : 

 

Selected Works Preview — Free Admission
14–18 October 2026
10.00–21.00 hrs
Art Jewel, 5th Floor, Siam Paragon
Media Preview: 15 October 2026

 

Full Auction Preview
5–15 November 2026
10.00–18.00 hrs
Kunawong House Museum

 

Auction Date
Sunday, 15 November 2026
From 14.00 hrs onwards
Kunawong House Museum

​

#BangkokArtAuction

#PhenomenaTheIconicTreasure2026

#TheIconicTreasure2026

#ThailandsFirstArtAuctionHouse