elmgreen & dragset’s six-seat bar pavilion appears like a mirage in thai art forest

Elmgreen & Dragset bring intimate cocktail bar to thai art forest

Elmgreen & Dragset introduce K-BAR, a site-specific installation hidden deep within Thailand’s Khao Yai Art Forest. Like their 2005 Prada Marfa, the project explores displacement, introducing an urban typology within a remote natural setting. Opening on February 1st, 2025, the intimate pavilion, seating just six guests, pays homage to German artist Martin Kippenberger and his well-known love of alcohol. 

On most days, visitors will encounter K-BAR as a sculptural entity, a charcoal-gray pavilion emerging from the dense forest like a mirage. However, those who arrive at the right moment will be guided through the darkened landscape to find the warm glow of the bar. The interior references classic metropolitan bars, with a stainless steel and dark wood counter, red leather stools, terrazzo flooring, and a backlit shelving display.

K-BAR’s interior echoes classic metropolitan bars

Open only once a month, the bar features a permanently installed Kippenberger painting from 1996, visible through a glass door even when the space is closed. This interplay between visibility and inaccessibility aligns with Elmgreen & Dragset’s concept of ‘denials’—sculptural works that appear functional yet resist immediate interaction. At the K-BAR, visitors can order from a menu curated by the artist duo in collaboration with a local mixologist, including drinks such as the Dry Martin, a nod to Kippenberger’s legacy.

Beyond its conceptual framework, the installation engages with contemporary cultural discourse. The decision to install a European painting in a remote Southeast Asian forest inverts traditional debates on the repatriation of looted artifacts, posing a provocative question: What if Western museums were required to send significant artworks to Asia in exchange for colonial-era objects in their collections?

Khao Yai Art Forest introduces site-specific artworks

The Khao Yai Art Forest, founded by philanthropist and art patron Marisa Chearavanont, officially opens in February 2025 as a cultural destination where contemporary art and nature coexist. A key initiative within Khao Yai Art—alongside the Bangkok Kunsthalle—the forest welcomes site-specific artworks within its lush landscape, emphasizing the healing power of nature. With a commitment to organic farming and sustainability, the project fosters a deeper connection between art, ecology, and well-being, offering a rare opportunity to engage with art pieces in one of Thailand’s most pristine environments.

project info:

name: K-BAR, 2024

designer: Elmgreen & Dragset | @elmgreenanddragsetstudio
location: Khao Yai Art Forest | @khaoyai_art_forest, Thailand

dimensions: 395 x 610 x 760 centimeters
opening date: 1 February, 2025

photographer: Andrea Rossetti 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.