SCALA: Intangible Dots of Cultural Heritage and Environmental Loss in Contemporary Bangkok

Abstract

This arts -based research examines SCALA, a mini sculpture created as part of the solo exhibition "Intangible Dot" at People’s Gallery, the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (December 4 -28, 2024). The artwork serves as a material metaphor for Bangkok's paralle l losses of cultural heritage and natural environment. SCALA Theater, the last stand -alone cinema in Siam Square, was demolished in 2020 following COVID -19 closures, symbolizing the erasure of collective urban memory. Through mini sculptural intervention, this work juxtaposes the theater's Late Modernist/Art Deco architectural elements with contemporary graffiti, creating a layered narrative of nostalgia, youth expression, and urban transformation. The research demonstrates how environmental art can materia lize intangible losses, making visible the invisible connections between disappearing cultural landmarks and vanishing green spaces in Bangkok's rapidly transforming urban landscape. This study contributes to discourse on community-engaged art practices th at foster environmental consciousness and sustainable urban futures through critical artistic intervention.