NUMBER 1 GALLERY
Founded in Bangkok in 2006 by Jaturong Kengwinit, Number 1 Gallery is a contemporary art gallery that has worked closely with Thai artists for over two decades. The gallery believes that its role extends beyond presenting exhibitions. It also involves giving artists the space to develop their ideas, grow within their own practices, and sustain their work over time.
Number 1 Gallery works with artists across generations and stages of practice, from those at the beginning of their careers to artists with many years of experience and recognition. Age, academic position, reputation, and awards are not, in themselves, measures of artistic value. What matters to us is the clarity of an artist’s thinking, the commitment behind the work, and its capacity to develop and create lasting value.
Painting has played an important part in the history of Number 1 Gallery, but it does not define the boundaries of the gallery’s programme. We remain open to different subjects, perspectives, and forms of artistic expression. Contemporary art continues to change with people, time, and society. What matters is not simply the form a work takes, but what the artist seeks to communicate and how the work can open new ways of seeing and thinking.
Throughout its history, Number 1 Gallery has placed lasting relationships between artists, collectors, and the gallery at the centre of its work. We believe that collectors do more than acquire artworks; their continued understanding and support help create the conditions in which artists can grow. The gallery’s responsibility is to nurture that understanding, build trust, and allow these relationships to develop over time.
Today, Number 1 Gallery operates from its principal space in Silom 21 and its space at River City Bangkok. The gallery continues to work closely with Thai artists, supporting the development of their practices while extending the visibility of their work to international audiences, collectors, and art platforms through exhibitions, collaborations, and participation in art fairs abroad.
As the art world continues to change, Number 1 Gallery remains grounded in the purpose that has shaped its work from the beginning: to recognise the value of artists and to ensure that their work is seen with the attention it deserves.
Founder
Jaturong Kengwinit
Founder and Director, Number 1 Gallery
Jaturong Kengwinit founded Number 1 Gallery in 2006. His journey into the art world began with a passion for film photography, particularly landscapes, everyday life, and portraiture. His experiences of travelling and documenting the world through photography shaped the way he observed people, places, and the relationship between art and life. This passion eventually led him to open a small space at the Jewelry Trade Center to exhibit his own photographs. Over time, the space evolved into an art gallery and became the foundation of Number 1 Gallery.
Guided by an entrepreneurial instinct and an eye for the quality of the work, he began working with Thai artists across generations. This included presenting works by senior artists from different regions of Thailand and reconnecting their practices with audiences and collectors. From its earliest years, Number 1 Gallery maintained an active programme of exhibitions, presenting new shows almost every month in the belief that each exhibition could generate renewed momentum, hope, and opportunity for artists and collectors.
Over nearly two decades, he has played a central role in selecting artists, shaping the direction of exhibitions, and cultivating long-term relationships with collectors, while bringing Thai artists to international art fairs. As Number 1 Gallery enters its 21st year, his vision is to strengthen the gallery’s presence on the international stage while remaining committed to a guiding principle: the gallery’s success should follow—not precede—the growth of its artists and collectors.