When it comes to creative hubs, Bangkok has been unfairly overlooked in recent years. At GATA, what we’ve found is a creative hub forming its own identity and slowly making waves. Nowhere is this more evident than in IWANNABANGCOCK©—a radical creative collective that is showcasing the most upcoming artists, designers and tastemakers of the bustling city.

Founded by design graduates and couple Adisak “Beam” Jirasakkasem, and Supakorn “Grofe” Buaruan in 2014, the collective has embraced the mission of giving Bangkok a “modern face”—one that is not afraid to experiment and push the boundaries.

What started as a graffiti tag inspired by a run-in with a woman in a Berlin party declaring she wanted to “bang cock” has evolved into something much more. Clothing, photography events and art exhibitions, we’re definitely excited to see what’s next in store for this group of young creatives.

In a rare interview, the GATA team had a chance to delve into the minds of the collective, discussing the effects of the global pandemic on Bangkok and their plans for expanding the brand to other countries in the future. Alongside the interview is a series of exclusive images that perfectly sum up what this inspired group is all about. Don’t miss out on this hidden gem.

GATA: IWANNABANGCOCK© hello! How are you guys doing? How has the project developed during the crazy past few years during the pandemic?

IWB: Hey hey, we are doing great; thank you! Hope you guys are well also.

During the pandemic, IWANNABANGKOK© weirdly developed fine for us. Because of “social distancing”, We had time to explore our merch, new design concepts and online sales.

GATA: Based in Thailand and having fans all over the world, how did the last few years with no tourism influence your creative process?

IWB: Bangkok felt very quiet and lonely; we never imagined Bangkok to be like that.

But without tourism, I don’t think it affected our creativity that much because most of the time we are inspired by Bangkok youth, Bangkok street scenes and of course, the internet, which means everything that’s happening around the world.

GATA: You have released your own clothing brand/collections, how did you first come into contact with fashion and where did the idea come from?

IWB: First, we started bombing secondhand clothes and selling them as souvenirs. Then, things just evolved from there. We get more and more serious. We want to offer new energy to our followers through our products. And now, we are developing our own monogram inspired from LV counterfeit clothing we see on aunties around Bangkok. It’s very fun.

GATA: Your team and community are built by young creative people and the LGBT community; what are the most important messages you wanna convey with IWANNABANGCOCK©?

IWB: Change, we want a better and more creative society starting with us. We want equality for everyone, we don’t ask for it, we do it. We don’t want Bangkok to only be viewed as a “sex tourism city” but we also want Bangkok to be known for “Creativity” and “Youth”.

GATA: Could you tell us the team that is behind IWANNABANGCOCK©? How did you guys meet each other and how has the team developed during the years?

IWB: We are a couple running IWANNABANGKOK© with some interns and part-time assistants. Most importantly, we always collaborate with young people for new visions, energy and thrills. Our Instagram is a teenage catalog, it is where we introduce new people to our community to expand our connection.

GATA: Are there any brands or other collectives out there that have inspired you?

IWB: Yes, check out: @vapcucda.sg, @johnyuyi, @hengyiliang2022, @chogi, @windowsen, @songweixiansen, @shengzhe__, @d_heygere, @mongnica, @yankcui, @yiiooi and @danitorial.

GATA: You are representing the youth in Bangkok and are building such a strong community; what are the next steps that you have in mind?

IWB: IWANNABANGKOK© was made to be global. We are working on that slow and steady. No rush :)

GATA: We want to show our audience in Japan and overseas your project and make it accessible to everyone. Do you have plans for travelling around and promoting your community at some point?

IWB: Our campaign started with graffiti around Bangkok, so we wanted to do the same in other foreign cities around the world. Recently, we did some in the EU (Paris, Amsterdam, Berlin and Brussels.), and of course, there’s more to come just to make a little introduction for our campaign.

GATA: Tell us a little bit about the creative scene in Bangkok, do you think it developed for the best compared to when you were younger?

IWB: Yes, a lot better, our society is much more open in every single way and we are so happy with that. The youth here is giving us “the light at the tunnel” vibe. They fight back against the old system for a better future and that is a good sign. Very inspiring.

GATA: Is there anything else you would like to talk about/tell us?

IWB: Come to Bangkok, let’s have fun :P

GATA: We love cinema, we think it can be the source of inspiration for many creatives. Are there any movies that have inspired you guys within your creative career? Perhaps any Thai movie that you would like us to check out?

IWB: Oh yeah! Maybe The Medium (2021)—just check it out.

GATA: THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME!

IWB: By the way, the photo set we are sending you is a small photoshoot we made especially for GATA magazine,

The set is called “July Office Crash.”

Photographed by WISAS in our studio/office

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IWANNABANGKOK©-The Collective Redefining Thailand’s Creative Scene