Stories behind the faces

While Bunditpatanasilpa Institute’s khon troupe is touring the country as part of a new show featuring an episode of The Mighty King Rama Of Solar Dynasty, the Queen’s Gallery is celebrating world-renowned Thai craftsmanship and traditional performing arts with the “Khon Mask” exhibition, which is on view until this Sunday.

In 2018, Unesco added khon masked dance to its list of the intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This exhibition is the result of a collective effort by the Thai Khadi Research Institute, Thammasat University and the Department of Cultural Promotion to raise awareness of the value of Thai arts, a feature that has been passed down generation to generation.

Featuring 93 classic khon masks from the reign of…