KEYNOTE: A fascinating and culturally significant study of Thai beliefs, design appreciation, and a document of the daily existence of Bangkok taxi drivers Strings of beads and amulets hang from rear-view mirrors, swaying as the driver negotiates his taxi through Bangkok's chaotic streets. Statuettes of Buddha glued to dashboards sit patiently beside flower garlands and beribboned objects. Buddhist ritual patterns adorn the ceilings, and photos of monks are everywhere. Dale Konstanz, artist, freelance designer, illustrator, and academic has spent over three years documenting the interiors of Bangkok taxis, photographing the iconography and asking what it means to the drivers. In this book he recollects and ruminates about these mini-altars, photographs the myriad of talismans, sacred objects and icons and documents the various explanations and beliefs of the Bangkok cabby. AUTHOR: Dale Konstanz is an artist, freelance designer/illustrator, and academic. He has exhibited his work internationally and currently teaches Communication Design at Mahidol University International College in Bangkok. He has also taught at several art and design colleges and universities and museums in the US, including the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He has been living in Bangkok for seven years and during this time, has done considerable research on Thai art and culture. For the past two years, he has been maintaining a blog on Thai taxis. http://lifeinmovingvehicle.blogspot.com 150 colour illustrations
