Davyn: Reimagining Urban Childhood in Contemporary Bangkok Through Art Toy Narratives

Abstract

This study examines the cultural significance of art toys as contemporary art media that document and critique urban transformation in Bangkok. Focusing on Davyn, an art toy created by Pasutt Kanrattanasutra and exhibited in "Somewhere Else in the World: Chareonkrung" (February 1-23, 2025), the research explores how art toys function as material narratives reflecting tensions between heritage conservation, rapid urban expansion, and evolving childhood concepts in metropolitan spaces. The Chareonkrung district, Bangkok's first paved road and a historic cultural junction, serves as both a geographical site and symbolic backdrop for understanding how urban transformation affects lived experiences and collective memory.

The research adopts a mixed-methods approach combining critical visual analysis, ethnographic inquiry, and spatial contextualization, drawing on material culture theory, audience reception studies, and urban anthropology. Through examination of Davyn's design elements, exhibition context, and audience engagement, this study investigates how the art toy functions as a symbol of simplicity and nostalgia while weaving complex discourses about sustainable development, community displacement, and environmental consciousness.

The findings reveal that contemporary art toys serve as cultural mediators between adult memory and childhood imagination, creating dialogic spaces where diverse audiences confront questions about progress, sustainability, and intergenerational responsibility. This research contributes to contemporary art in Southeast Asian contexts and material culture studies, demonstrating how collectible objects transcend commercial value to generate meaningful conversations about urban futures and ecological sustainability. The study challenges hierarchies between high art and popular culture, positioning art toys as legitimate vehicles for social critique and cultural documentation in rapidly urbanizing environments.