“ART” by three Belgian painters
Christian Develter : his uniqueness lies in his radical choice for strong colours and mixture of oils and acrylics usually preferring to combine them with bold shapes. His works are deeply powerful and compelling in the way they capture light and space in translating the painter’s desire to create large paintings. Christian Develter has been living in Bangkok for five years.
Rudi Pillen : Though living in Belgium after having spent many years in Africa, the painter has a deep admiration for Thailand. He is a well-known artist in Belgium and on the international scene. Beyond private collections and museums, his works are also hanging in places such as the new international airport of Brussels as well as the Thai Cultural Center Station of the recently opened underground network of Bangkok.
Elly Roolant-Kostense : has been living in Thailand over 20 years where she devoted the majority of her time to painting, drawing and designing. Her strong Eastern influence can be witnessed in her new collection “Kimono” which portrays exotic Japanese characters in their struggle for identity.
One hundred years of Thai-Belgian Friendship
The exhibition explains the history of Belgian-Thai diplomatic relations, from the first diplomatic contacts as early as 1835 (only 5 years after Belgium’s independence) to the establishment of the Belgian Legation with its own Resident Head in 1904 to the current Embassy. It shows the original copy of the first bilateral treaty of 29 August 1868 as well as original items and pictures from the Residence of the Belgian Ambassador in Thailand, which was designed around 1915.
A major part of the exhibition is dedicated to the numerous Royal Visits that have taken place between the two Kingdoms starting with King Chulalongkorn’s visit to Belgium in 1897, until the recent visits, last year by H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to Belgium and the visit to Thailand in September 2003 by T.R.H. Princess Astrid and Prince Lorenz.
The third part of the exhibition shows the visitor how Belgium and Thailand have been linked in many ways: for several decades, Belgian citizens served as advisors to the Royal Siamese government. A Belgian pilot brought aviation to Thailand by carrying out the first flight in the Kingdom in January 1911. Belgian companies have been active in Thailand for a long time. And the Thai-Belgian bridge constituted the first fly over of this kind in the Capital city.
Over fifty photographs featuring major events and persons who played an important role in defining the centennial Thai-Belgian relationship, original documents and items that tell us particular stories from these hundred years are on display. A most interesting exhibition, well documented and set up. | 
