The shade offered a short escape from the Bangkok heat in Bechakitti Park. Under it sat Danish street artist Stine Hvid while people slowly gathered around the newly unveiled murals.
It was two days before International Women’s Day. Around the artists, guests had come to see the paintings and celebrate the occasion.
For about eight days, the 41-year-old artist had been painting in Bangkok together with Thai artist Waris.
Stine Hvid is a visual artist who mainly works with murals and street art. She grew up in Fredensborg and today lives in Hillerød with her dog Eddy. Before moving there two years ago, she spent around 20 years living in Copenhagen.
She has worked professionally with art since 2013 and holds a master’s degree in visual communication from the Royal Danish Academy of Design.
“I have many titles: street artist, muralist – I guess I’m an ‘all-around Stine’,” she says with a smile.
Thoughts into images
Stine Hvid is lively and easy to talk to. She greets people warmly and quickly starts chatting with the visitors who have come to see the murals. Yet she also explains that describing art in words is not always easy. As an artist, much of the work happens in the head, and thoughts do not always translate neatly into sentences.
Still, she eagerly shares the ideas behind the mural.
The painting she created in Bangkok together with Waris centres on women from different parts of the world. In the mural, they pass flowers to each other.
The gesture symbolises peace and solidarity between women across cultures.
The artists chose the lotus flower because of its strong connection to Thailand. The flower holds an important cultural and spiritual meaning in the country.
Another flower in the mural is the mimosa. In many places, it has become a symbol of International Women’s Day and is often used to mark the day and celebrate women.
The overall idea, she explains, is unity between women.
Art and representation
Among the guests at the unveiling was Danny Annan, Ambassador at the Royal Embassy of Denmark in Bangkok.
He highlighted how art helps shape the way societies see themselves.
“It reminds us how important art is,” he said.
He also pointed to an imbalance in public monuments. Statues of men outnumber statues of women by roughly ten to one, and when women are portrayed, they are often chosen because of their beauty rather than their achievements.
“That is something we should change,” he said.
According to the ambassador, projects like the murals can help inspire future generations.
“We hope to inspire the next generation of leaders,” he said.
For Stine Hvid, the mural is also a reminder.
She feels privileged to live with the freedoms she has.
“It’s important to show that we are aware of that priviledge, and that we think about the women who don’t have the same freedoms.”
