15 Chawan offering a rare glimpse into the world of Japanese tea bowls, or chawan, through the private collection of Kittiporn Jalichandra. More than just objects of beauty, these handcrafted bowls embody centuries of tradition, artistry, and sensory experience. This exhibition, co-curated by Kittiporn Jalichandra, Chaiyosh Isavorapant—professor and author specializing in Japanese architecture—and ATTA Gallery, invites visitors to discover the quiet elegance and tactile intimacy of chawan.
Kittiporn’s love for chawan began about 15 years ago when he came across an image that looked like a painting—yet wasn’t quite one. It reminded him of a map viewed from space, something both familiar and mysterious. He soon learned that it was a close-up of a chawan crafted by Thai ceramicist Panchalie Sathirasas. That moment sparked a journey—starting with a single Thai-made piece and growing into a collection that celebrates both function and beauty. Through the ritual of drinking tea, he came to appreciate chawan not only as an essence of Japanese tea culture and wabi sabi aesthetic but as objects that all five senses—sight, touch, sound, scent, and even taste. His passion led him to seek out Japanese chawan masterpieces, each one offering a unique experience. Above all, he believes chawan are meant to be held, used, and truly felt.
We are thrilled to share 15 chawan from Kittiporn’s Japanese chawan collection in this special exhibition. Visitors are invited to admire their artistry and, with care, explore them through touch. We hope this rare opportunity will inspire a deeper appreciation of art—not as something distant or untouchable, but as something to be lived with and enjoyed every day.
* This exhivbition is the first of the Collector / Curator / Conversation: The Art of Collecting, the Craft of Curating, the Power of Conversation series.
Art is not just something to be observed—it is something to be lived with, shaping our spaces, perspectives, and daily experiences. Collectors are more than caretakers of art; they are curators in their own right, shaping their collections with intention, vision, and personal narrative.
Collector / Curator / Conversation is an exhibition series that brings private collections into the public sphere, offering a rare glimpse into the intimate worlds of collectors who have dedicated their lives to art. Each edition highlights a single collector, exploring how one’s aesthetic choices, intellectual dialogues, and curatorial instincts shape the collection.
At its heart, this series celebrates the joy of living with art—not just as an act of ownership, but as a continuous, evolving engagement. Collectors cultivate relationships with the pieces they surround themselves with, creating a dialogue that extends beyond acquisition to meaning, memory, and inspiration. Through a curated exchange between the roles of collector and curator, these exhibitions reveal not only the works themselves but also the passion, discernment, and perspective that make collecting a deeply personal and curatorial journey.
In doing so, Collector / Curator / Conversation dissolves the boundaries between private and public, personal and universal—offering a space where art is not merely displayed but actively lived with. The collector, in shaping their collection, becomes both storyteller and curator, navigating the past and present, the personal and cultural, the seen and the felt.
