Tiger and Torma: Timeless Tales of Nepal at River City Bangkok
River City Bangkok’s Tiger and Torma: Timeless Tales of Nepal brings Himalayan artistic traditions into conversation with contemporary exhibition-making in Thailand. Curated by Thai artist and floral designer Sakul Intakul, the exhibition combines painting, carpet making, handwoven textiles, natural fibre, floral sculpture and immersive installation. It is open at RCB Galleria 4 on the second floor of River City Bangkok from 1 to 30 August 2026.
The exhibition begins with two ideas drawn from Buddhist philosophy: Prajñā, or wisdom, and Karuṇā, or compassion. River City Bangkok presents them as values that connect communities across geography. Here, that connection runs from Nepal and the Himalayas to Bangkok through objects, materials and collaborative craft rather than through a simple display of cultural artefacts.
Event details
- Dates: 1–30 August 2026
- Venue: RCB Galleria 4, 2nd Floor, River City Bangkok
- Address: 23 Charoen Krung Soi 24, Talat Noi, Samphanthawong, Bangkok 10100
- Opening hours: Daily, 10:00–20:00
- Curator: Sakul Intakul
- Official source: River City Bangkok
The official opening ceremony took place on 7 August in partnership with the Embassy of Nepal in Thailand and the Thai-Nepal Friendship Association. The exhibition itself continues through 30 August, so visitors do not need to have attended the ceremony to see the works.
Four exhibition experiences
River City Bangkok describes the show as unfolding through four immersive experiences. The first brings together contemporary Tibetan carpets and paintings inspired by the torma. In Tibetan Buddhist practice, a torma is a ceremonial offering, and the form supplies one of the exhibition’s central visual references. The presentation uses that reference as a point of departure for contemporary work rather than treating it as a detached decorative motif.
The second experience introduces floral sculptures made with allo, a natural Himalayan fibre. This pairing is closely connected to Sakul Intakul’s practice as a floral designer and to the exhibition’s attention to plant-based material, handwork and impermanence. The official description links the use of natural materials to sustainability and cultural preservation.
The third section is the Pink Tiger Temple, an installation formed from handwoven Dhaka textiles. Dhaka cloth is immediately recognisable for its woven colour and pattern, and its use on an architectural scale changes the encounter from looking at an individual textile to moving around an environment built from textile traditions.
The fourth experience is a monumental centrepiece combining the symbolic forms of tiger and torma. It draws the exhibition’s two title images together and gives physical form to the relationship between strength, wisdom and compassion that runs through the show.
Artists, artisans and material knowledge
The exhibition was developed with Nepalese artists and artisans Tenzin Norbu and Chunu Bastola, as well as Kumbeshwar Technical School and Master Weaver. River City Bangkok credits these collaborators directly, making the project’s collective nature an essential part of its story.
The materials are equally important. Carpets, paintings, floral work, allo fibre and Dhaka textiles carry distinct techniques and histories. Bringing them together highlights the knowledge required to prepare fibre, weave cloth, build an installation or shape botanical material. The exhibition therefore asks visitors to consider not only what an object represents, but also who made it and which skills allow that knowledge to continue.
River City Bangkok also connects the project to local communities and to an economy sustained in part by women’s contributions. That framing makes cultural preservation practical rather than abstract: traditions endure through people, training, labour and the ability of makers to support their communities.
What to look for during a visit
The clearest way to experience Tiger and Torma is to follow the four-part structure and notice how the same ideas change across media. Compare the painted and woven interpretations of torma, then look at how allo fibre behaves in floral sculpture and how Dhaka textile changes when it becomes part of an installation. At the centrepiece, consider how the tiger’s associations with power are balanced by the exhibition’s emphasis on protection, nurture and compassion.
The show is also a useful opportunity to distinguish collaboration from anonymous “inspiration.” The official presentation names its curator, artists, artisans, school and weaving partner. Those credits help visitors understand that the exhibition is the result of exchanges between specific people and organisations in Nepal and Thailand.
Planning your visit
River City Bangkok is a riverside arts and antiques centre in Talat Noi. RCB Galleria 4 is on the second floor. The venue lists daily hours of 10:00 to 20:00, but visitors should check the official event page before travelling in case access changes for a private function or installation work. The event page does not state a separate exhibition ticket price.
Allow time to read the material labels and collaborator credits; they are central to understanding the project. Visitors interested in textiles, floral design, Buddhist visual culture, sustainable materials or cross-cultural curating will find several different entry points rather than a single linear narrative.
Frequently asked questions
Is Tiger and Torma still open?
Yes. On the Bangkok run date of 11 August 2026, the exhibition is open and is scheduled to continue through 30 August 2026.
Where is it held?
The exhibition is at RCB Galleria 4, 2nd Floor, River City Bangkok, 23 Charoen Krung Soi 24 in Talat Noi.
Who curated the exhibition?
Thai artist and floral designer Sakul Intakul curated the show in collaboration with Nepalese artists and artisan organisations named on River City Bangkok’s official page.
What kind of exhibition is it?
It is a multidisciplinary art and craft exhibition combining painting, carpets, handwoven textiles, natural fibre, floral sculpture and immersive installations around the themes of wisdom and compassion.