Low Season? Not at "Art in Paradise"

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Art in Paradise is a 3D art gallery on Soi 1, about 100 meters in from 2nd Road. It is located on the east stretch of Soi 1 (on your right [edit in] as you ride the baht bus north on 2nd Road), not the section of Soi 1 that runs between Beach Road and 2nd Rd.

 

 

 

 

The gallery bills itself as the "world's largest 3D art museum." I have no idea if that is true, but it is pretty big and has several hundred paintings and other displays on two floors. The paintings create optical illusions which result in some cool effects and photos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The gallery also attracts big crowds, mostly Thais and Koreans (it is owned by a Korean group), but also quite a few Russians. Admission is 150 baht for Thais and 350 baht for foreigners.

 

 

 

 

 

I went there with two Thai girls and one reacted very strongly to the "double pricing. She told them that I had lived in Pattaya for 2 1/2 years and should pay the Thai price, even if I didn't have my passport or other document with me. She got pretty insistent and the ticket seller finally relented. That probably had more to do with the people backing up behind us than the strength of her arguments, but in any case, I got in for 150 baht.

 

My angel:

 

 

 

 

What's also interesting is there's a "spa" and massage parlor right across the street from the gallery.

 

 

 

 

More pics from inside the gallery. Thai girls love the place and want their pictures taken in front of just about every painting. It takes 60 to 90 minutes to do the whole gallery, depending on the crowds. It's open 9.00 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily and is busiest in the afternoon and early evening.

Edited April 27, 2014 by Evil Penevil

[MM 6,562]

Simply amazing visually. The paintings are nice too!

 

Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk

 

 

[TheFiend 1,181]

I visited the "Art in Paradise" gallery up in Chiang Mai last October. Excellent place to visit.

[Patna 3,802]

Beautiful girl, Evil. As for the art, I'd rather call it spectacle.

[Fireman Sam 336]

I visited with the wife and daughter a couple of years ago, managed to get in for the Thai price by showing my Thai driving licence. Looks like they have added/updated some of photos.

 

Daughter loved it for photos to update her Facebook profile, well she is 17.

 

 

Regards

[N3RGT 118]

Evil. Many thanks for the pics and write up.This is a must visit for me next trip. I've been fascinated by this type of 3D art work ever since I saw pavement drawings by Julian Beever. He does stuff all over Europe and visited my home city a year or so ago. He must have been one of the pioneers for this type of art.

http://www.julianbeever.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=1

[monkeyman 1,604]

Definitely worth a visit, but avoid weekends as the place is overrun with kids.

[hatter 58]

EP great stuff as always from you

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Evil. Many thanks for the pics and write up.This is a must visit for me next trip. I've been fascinated by this type of 3D art work ever since I saw pavement drawings by Julian Beever. He does stuff all over Europe and visited my home city a year or so ago. He must have been one of the pioneers for this type of art.

http://www.julianbeever.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=1

 

Yes, Julian Beever is certainly a well-known name in the 3D-art genre. You can see some of his works, as well as works by others, here.

 

Evil

[SmellyFarang 57]

Thanks for the OP - an interesting idea for an afternoon out.

 

Looks like a "no shoes" policy, maybe to avoid damaging the art?

 

If so then for sure a place to wear socks for a clean freak like me.

 

Do they store the shoes in any kind of secure way (claim tickets, etc) or it is purely an honor system where anyone can run off with your expensive farang footwear?

Edited April 29, 2014 by SmellyFarang

[monkeyman 1,604]

Thanks for the OP - an interesting idea for an afternoon out.

 

Looks like a "no shoes" policy, maybe to avoid damaging the art?

 

If so then for sure a place to wear socks for a clean freak like me.

 

Do they store the shoes in any kind of secure way (claim tickets, etc) or it is purely an honor system where anyone can run off with your expensive farang footwear?

 

Shoes are stored and claimed using a bowling alley type set up, so you should get them back with any luck.

[papillon 695]

Good photos Evel.

 

Has your Bird got big knockers for real or is it the 3D effect?

[TheFiend 1,181]

 

Shoes are stored and claimed using a bowling alley type set up, so you should get them back with any luck.

 

In the Chang Mai one you can walk around in shoes but have to take them off if you were walking over the artwork.

[jacko 8,822]

Wasn't there a guy who used to do these amazing drawings in chalk on pavements and the like?

Only to become smudged and washed away by the rains.

[N3RGT 118]

Wasn't there a guy who used to do these amazing drawings in chalk on pavements and the like?

Only to become smudged and washed away by the rains.

Jacko. See my post #8.

Edit in.Post #6

Edited April 30, 2014 by N3RGT

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Thanks for the OP - an interesting idea for an afternoon out.

 

Looks like a "no shoes" policy, maybe to avoid damaging the art?

 

If so then for sure a place to wear socks for a clean freak like me.

 

Do they store the shoes in any kind of secure way (claim tickets, etc) or it is purely an honor system where anyone can run off with your expensive farang footwear?

 

You "check in" your shoes and get a claim ticket for them. The shoes are kept on a shelf behind a manned counter.

 

Wasn't there a guy who used to do these amazing drawings in chalk on pavements and the like?

Only to become smudged and washed away by the rains.

 

Yes, Julian Beever and several others (see posts #6 and #9).

 

Evil

[jacko 8,822]

Thanks guys for reminding me. I used to regularly get emails linking me to samples of his work, some of which were mind-blowing.

I missed above posts likely because pic intensive threads are a problem on my internet, bloody position jumps all over the place as they load up.

[midlifecrisis 4,048]

It Looks like a fun place to take a teelak.

 

Thanks for sharing.

[ozibill 546]

 

Yes, Julian Beever is certainly a well-known name in the 3D-art genre. You can see some of his works, as well as works by others, here.

 

Evil

 

Beever is certainly one of the better street artists but for pure 3D painting , it takes a lot to beat the works of Rex Whistler . When I visited Plas Newydd in Anglesey some years ago , the paintings were so realistic that they were roped off because visitors were mistaking corridors and steps painted on the walls as being real and hurting themselves by trying walk into or up them . Regretfully he was killed in WW2

Edited January 23, 2016 by ozibill

[Lantern 193]

Been a couple of times now. Great way to spend an afternoon.

 

[nkped 1,208]

It is a novel place to visit with a TG. It's surprising how many of the effects are more visible through a camera view finder than with the naked eye.

 

The GFE provider and I got in for 400 baht. My Thai drivers license seemed to matter.

[kratos 120]

a big thank you for ur effort was going to visit this place on my next trip

[losgrad 264]

I visited with the wife and daughter a couple of years ago, managed to get in for the Thai price by showing my Thai driving licence. Looks like they have added/updated some of photos.

 

Daughter loved it for photos to update her Facebook profile, well she is 17.

 

 

Regards

 

 

Thanks. I was going to ask if EP had tried using his Thai Driver's License.

 

 

EP great stuff as always from you

 

 

Yes, thanks again for the report and excellent photography!!

 

In regards to the Spa and Massage place across the soi, i went into the lobby and it was full of Indians and/or Middle-easterners, mostly men. There was a hotel-like front desk, but no 'fishbowl' visible from the main lobby so i am assuming it's a real massage and spa place :), but i didn't investigate further.

 

 

P.S. Your two companions look like they enjoyed themselves and are fun. Enjoy.

Edited April 9, 2016 by losgrad

[Fireman Sam 336]

Thanks. I was going to ask if EP had tried using his Thai Driver's License. /quote]

 

That was nearly four years ago that I got in with my TDL, hopefully they have not changed the rules. Maybe somebody has more up to date information if it's still possible. Enjoy.

 

 

Regards