After reading two books with red-coloured covers -- bell hooks' All About Love and Tara Costello's Red Moon Gang, Chanaradee Chatrakul Na Ayudhya, better known as juli baker and summer, became triggered by issues in the books, including relationships, politics, capitalism and menstruation. In order to convey the messages she perceived in the books, Chanaradee tracked her emotions throughout her 28-day menstruation cycle and transformed them into sketches. Inspired by her daily events, the artist created 29 paintings, one fibreglass sculpture and one animation for her latest exhibition titled "She's Too Much". All rough sketches are displayed at the showcase.
"I want the audience to explore their emotions, events that happen to them and circumstances of how they happened -- whether it happened due to hormones, physical features or bigger issues like social structures. The exhibition is not limited to only women since art is not gender specific. One of my male friends who came with his girlfriend told me that he liked the exhibition, but did not understand it much. On the other hand, his girlfriend was really into it. Perhaps, there is something about the exhibition that women can relate to more easily," said Chanaradee.
Chanaradee turned RCB Galleria 4 at River City Bangkok into a special space dedicated to the fictional female character She. Some of the characteristics of She are a height of 158cm, 47kg weight and being born into the Virgo zodiac sign with a B blood type. She is a working-class woman who sometimes flirts with the middle class. Even though some characteristics were inspired by the artist herself, visitors can relate to her in some ways.
The exhibition stands out for its inspiring messages, characters that break beauty norms, and unique use of vibrant and bold colours with brushstroke techniques. This is why it is one of the few art exhibitions that can attract a large number of visitors and pack the gallery. How Bright, How Blue, How Beautiful is the first painting that Chanaradee created for this exhibition. She described it as a statement piece which depicts a woman watching herself on a stage play.
"The painting was inspired by the movie There Is Where I Leave You. In the movie, a male character speaks his mind and expresses that he wanted to live a complicated life. He believes that living a difficult life is better than going through life without feelings. I drew myself watching what happened in my past. The painting features curtains like a theatre play, but it actually represents the stages of my life," Chanaradee explained.
Other paintings express her reactions to either good or bad days during her 28-day cycle. The painting The Orange Ballet Shoes was inspired by one of her bad days. To cheer herself up, she purchased a pair of orange ballet shoes although she does not know ballet at all. The next painting, Dancing My Heart Out, depicts She wearing orange ballet shoes and joyfully prancing with other women on stage. The painting is meant to compare our lives to dancing.
Life spoke to Chanaradee about her exhibition, inspirations and viewpoints on politics and social issues.
Can you tell us more about Chhaupadi (Period Hut) which is a special space in the exhibition that displays animation?
One chapter of Red Moon Gang by Tara Costello describes the predicament of women throughout history with regard to menstruation. It triggered me when the author mentions that in some areas in India and Nepal, women with periods are banished to a menstrual hut because these women have to throw away their belongings after their period is finished. These poor women are forced to stay in the hut without any blankets. Some of them become sick or are bitten by snakes. This inspired me to create a comfort zone where menstruators and non-menstruator sympathisers can sit together and talk.
What was the challenge in creating the exhibition?
Actually, I enjoyed the process a lot. Prior to the exhibition, I worked on several commissions to make a living. When I had an opportunity to work on paintings for my true passion, the workflow was smooth. I initially wanted to control the aesthetics to please viewers since I used to be a designer, but after a while, I was able to express myself freely.
Why did you support the 2022 political exhibition Ni Tas Sa Kee (Free Pads For All)?
It is an excellent policy. Sanitary pads are a necessity and access to free sanitary pads is a basic healthcare right that people should have.
What message do you have for men who disagree with the policy since they think it wastes tax money on female items?
The law is supposed to embrace everyone, regardless of their physical features and gender. Those men should question why we have to spend our taxes on junta-appointed senators rather than opposing this policy.
How do you stay strong in not conforming to beauty standards as conveyed in your recent painting Don't Give A Shit With Any Standards?
Actually, I still struggle with it. Some days, I wake up and feel insecure after seeing beautiful influencers on Instagram. I think people have to understand how beauty standards came to exist. As someone who studied fashion design, I understand that designers create beautiful items to attract people and encourage them to want those items. However, sometimes, our financial limitation prevents us from pursuing those items. People with power and the media should be ethical and raise concern and awareness when presenting anything related to beauty norms.
Why did you decide to express your political viewpoints through your work and social media?
There have been coups twice in my life and I felt that they were not right. However, in the past, I was hesitant to express my opinions because I was afraid of being disliked by other people and being cancelled by clients. My father has worked extremely hard for labourer rights, but I have not seen any progress in the country. I feel like the country will never change. However, colleagues from the art industry encouraged me to feel brave and confident in voicing myself.
What were the reactions from other people?
I spoke with some followers on social media to exchange opinions. One of my followers sent a message to express her disappointment in me. Additionally, a few of my projects were cancelled.
Will you continue to express your opinions during and after the upcoming election?
Yes. It is a citizen's duty to express his/her opinion. I will continue to express my opinions throughout my life.
Can art make an impact in Thailand since the number of people who appreciate art is not very high?
Yes. I believe in the power of art even though it has been censored a lot due to the lack of freedom of expression in Thailand. There are many issues that Thai artists cannot address. The government knows about the power of art and is afraid of it, so they try to ban it.
Did you feel the Japanese government supported the art industry when you were an artist in residence in Japan?
Unlike in Thailand where art galleries are mostly located in big cities like Bangkok and Chiang Mai, the Japanese government provided financial support to me to create public art and teach art to students in a small community in Narita. I noticed that Japanese people who purchased my work were diverse in terms of age, career and social class. They did not consider paintings as luxurious items. In contrast, people who purchase art in Thailand are middle and upper class. Many people feel that art is a luxury.
What is your expectation for your exhibition?
I have received a lot of feedback from viewers, mostly women who sent me messages saying that they liked the exhibition and felt they could relate to it. Some viewers felt that my work reminded them of some of their own issues and made them feel supported. I hope people come to see the exhibition and experience feelings, whatever they may be.
"She's Too Much" runs until Sunday at RCB Galleria 4, 2nd floor at River City Bangkok. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/RiverCityBangkok.
