The Local Networking Project was launched last year by the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. The project aims to provide a space for artists from various regions to explore and express their stories through contemporary art.
The exhibition "Local Myths #1: The Intrinsic Aesthetic", which was a part of the Local Networking Project and showcased last year at the BACC, focused on understanding forms of beauty rooted in local socio-cultural conditions.
This year, "Local Myths #2: Shifting Terrains" shifts its framework from rootedness to movement. It looks at what was once stable to conditions that are shifting, fragmenting and overlapping in increasingly complex ways.
Here are some highlights at "Local Myths #2".
Landscapes In Transition
Farmjodjum Art Space Collective
Farmjodjum Art Space Collective is a group of four artists from Nakhon Pathom -- Kitti Sangkaew, Orawan Sangkaew, Rungruang Sittirerk and Phakpoom Natpapatsorn -- who came together to explore a former pig farm site owned by one of their members' family.
Since the four artists explored the area on bicycle, there are two at the exhibition which visitors can ride to simulate a virtual tour of the farm through interactive video installations.
During their exploration, the collective ran into clay that had been dredged and piled up along canal banks to improve water flow. They invited the local community to shape the clay to tell their stories -- the results were flowers, plants, animals and people.
These miniature sculptures were mounted on long sticks and placed in plant pots and a wheelbarrow and are on display at the exhibition. Viewers can pedal the bicycles which are connected to an electrical system which activates motors and moves the clay sculptures.
"We biked on a road along small canals which were constructed to supply water to farms and livestock. We once came across a massive pond whose land had been dug up to sell to a housing development. This artificial pond became a new reservoir that provides a fishing spot and water for their crops. In this area, there are many migrant workers who have become a part of the community," said Kitti.
Off The Shelf Policy
Sidethink Society
Sidethink Society consists of three artists -- Gobpong Khanthapan, Chindanai Phuankam and Pongsaton Najai -- who live in a neighbourhood of Wiang Nong Lom wetland in Mae Chan, Chiang Rai.
They created Off The Shelf Policy to reflect the action of the military junta government under Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha that caused serious damage to the Wiang Nong Lom wetland, a vital, rich natural resource.
"The military government approved dredging of the wetland totalling 14,000 rai with a budget of 3 billion baht without parliamentary approval. The dredging aimed at increasing the wetland's water storage capacity from 8 million cubic metres to 24 million cubic metres. The government ignored local fishing and the local way of life; they considered the wetland a wasteland," said Chindanai.
Sidethink Society presents the collapse of Wiang Nong Lom through Off The Shelf Policy, an installation of transparent manufactured cans. The cans contain local plants, rocks, soil and wildlife collected from what was left of the Wiang Nong Lom wetland.
This includes the carcass of an openbill stork, soil of various colours ranging from red, white, to black and brown, and branches of Cephalanthus tetrandrus (locally known as ton an) -- a rare species that was found in this wetland.
"We used to go paint in that area when it was home to over 3,000 buffaloes. However, the dredging destroyed natural resources that thrived for 700 years," said Pongsaton.
"Now, buffaloes cannot even reach the water because the pond banks were built up too steep. Local villagers can no longer fish or catch crabs or shrimps to make a living. The wildlife that villagers saw in the area disappeared. This is the result of using a centralised policy nationwide to manage diverse local areas with the exact same approach."
Mine Song
Ubatsat x Sridonchai Weavers
Mine Song showcases 48 acrylic sketches and a 1.7m by 24m cotton weaving. Ubatsat was inspired to create Mine Song when he travelled along the Mekong River and noticed that the colour had changed unnaturally.
Simultaneously, Assoc Prof Pollavat Prapattong, a lecturer at Mae Fah Luang University, invited Ubatsat to join field research along with several scientists, engineers and activists.
The research team aimed to monitor water quality and toxic contaminants in the Mekong, Ruak and Sai rivers where arsenic had been detected. Ubatsat learned that the toxic contaminants came from rare earth mines in Myanmar.
Ubatsat's practice involves translating data into visuals. He also learned that rare earth includes 17 metallic elements, so each mine contains unique minerals. He tracked down rare earth locations and made a list of 48 countries for the project -- among them Thailand, China, Australia, the US, India, Sweden, Ukraine, Peru and Saudi Arabia.
Then, he translated the geopolitical and scientific data into colour codes and created Mine Song, which consists of 48 acrylic sketches for Tai Lue artisans to weave into textile pieces. The colour sketch that Ubatsat designed is different from traditional woven fabrics of Tai Lue. The textile pieces do not reflect the way of life of the community like in the past.
"The world has changed, so I think we need to change the colours of the woven fabrics to symbolise the impact of mining on the Mekong River instead of weaving images of fish or fishing like in the past," said Ubatsat.
The River's Hint
Tananan Jaisawang
The River's Hint is another showcase which reflects the negative impacts of rare earth mining in Myanmar. It displays a huge soft sculpture crafted from fabric as well as eco-printed fabric displays with native plant designs from the Kok Riverbanks.
"As a native of Chiang Rai, I wanted to raise awareness about the issue of contaminants, especially arsenic, in the Kok River. The contamination is a result of upstream mining activities which leaves toxic residues to accumulate in the river. I created this soft sculpture of pla kae [devil catfish] because when people search online for the arsenic crisis in the Kok River, the results that appear are images of devil catfish with blistered skin," explained Tananan.
Tananan included artwork of native plants from the Kok riverbanks because plants can absorb toxins. This means that through consumption, people run the risk of exposure to contaminants that can accumulate and cause long-term health effects.
Arsenic Bombs
ThaDa Lab
As Chiang Rai residents, ThaDa Lab representatives address toxic contaminants in the Kok River. Located on the exhibition room's floor, the circular mixed media sculptures are made of soil from the Kok River. The sculptures have a blistered, uneven texture to represent the skin bumps caused by contact with arsenic and arsenide in the river.
ThaDa Lab used projection mapping to create a more immersive experience for viewers. An artist explained that they took scientific data, such as water and soil contamination level from the Department of Pollution Control and coded them to create the projection mapping.
"We want to raise awareness about arsenic contamination. Bangkokians might feel that toxin in the Kok River does not affect them. However, rice from Chiang Rai is distributed nationwide and government tests have detected rice from this region contains arsenic residue, although it has not exceeded safety standards yet. Solving this problem requires intervention from the prime minister because it is a cross-border issue which involves mines in Myanmar and Laos."
"Local Myths #2: Shifting Terrains" runs at the Main Exhibition Gallery, 8th Floor of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, until Sept 13. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/baccpage.
