Bangkok Khunsthalle, a dynamic new art space in the heart of Yaowarat founded by Marisa Chearavanont, invites contemporary art enthusiasts to experience Morlam Collective. Created by Jitti Chompee, the artistic director of the National Choreography Centre of Thailand Project (NCCT), and Alexandre Fandard, a French artist and choreographer passionate about gestural improvisation, the performance provides a space for performers to explore identity through free and spontaneous movements — as if "painting live" with their bodies in gestures never seen before. Blending these improvisations with the unique sound and rhythm of Morlam, the show unfolds in two parts, artfully revealing both contrasts and connections between "culture" and "gestural improvisation."
Part 1: Fon Francais
The performance opens with "Fon Francais." Amazingly blending Alexandre's grounded yet spontaneous movements with Morlam melodies, this contemporary dance showcases a mesmerizing harmony between "tension" and "release." Just as Alexandre seemingly engages in a dialogue through the music itself, his dance mirrors the hypnotic repetitions found in "Lam Pifah," traditionally performed to heal illness and dispel malevolent forces. Together, Jitti and Alenxandre opens a shared trance state—a liminal space where two cultural expressions merge into one continuum of healing, vibration, and collective resonance. This collaboration recalls Morlam's original role as "a form of spiritual healing", practiced by Isan people for generations.
Part 2: Fon Farang
"Fon Farang" expands the gestural improvisation research on Jitti's dance with other artists under the Khon Kaen Choreography Development (KKCD) collective, using Morlam as its choreographic material. As Morlam blends with a contemporary dance here, the "physical dialogue" between tradition and transformation demonstrates the mutual coexistence within an ever-evolving process of reinvention.
Together, both parts of Morlam Collective elevate Morlam from just a "cultural heritage" to "a rhythm of contemporary life" that subtly blends the spirit of Isan communities into the landscape of contemporary performance.
Morlam Collective will be performed in just two exclusive shows on Monday and Tuesday, 24-25 November 2025, at 7:30 PM. Tickets are priced at 1,000 baht, with VIP tickets (Performance & Book) available at 2,000 baht.
- For reservations: https://www.ticketmelon.com/unfoldingkafkafestival/MorlamCollective2025/
- For updates: https://www.facebook.com/BangkokKunsthalle/
