While Thai people have shown more concern about environmental issues, especially plastic, air and water pollution, we may have overlooked sand shortages. A Canadian photographer has underlined the sand shortage issue through his photo exhibition "Sand By Tim Pelling", now on view at River City Bangkok.
"Sand is an amazing material to build things. We build our cities with sand. Our phones consume it. Our computers are based on it. The windows we look through are made from it. Today, river banks are collapsing. Fish stocks are depleting. Entire ecosystems are at risk in the rush to get more of it," Pelling said of his interest in sand.
"Sand By Tim Pelling" was exhibited first in Toronto, Canada, last September, but the collection was smaller than the one in Bangkok, which features 25 photos taken in Asia including India, Cambodia, Vietnam, Singapore and Thailand. It took Pelling two years to finish the collection. He spent most of his time scouting for a location and normally could make one or two images a day.
"I went to a place where I knew there was either sand mining or heavy use of sand, but not always. None of the locations are natural landscapes. All places are where humans show their marks. There are some changes by human beings. I wasn't looking for just natural beauty. I was looking for beauty in what we've done to it. Whether it's good or bad, there's still beauty," the Canadian photographer said.
Tim Pelling with the largest imageat the exhibition. River City Bangkok
While working on the sand project, Pelling experienced how the environment has been changed by people.
"I photographed all these things because I feel they are so amazing and so beautiful. Even though some of the images are terrible, they still look beautiful. It is terrible because people have taken sand out from a river for constructions. What happens is the beaches are roads. The river banks collapse and then they bring sand back in order to build cement structures to protect the beach. It's a bit crazy actually, but it's still beautiful," he said.
One of photos was taken at Boeung Kak in Cambodia, which was once the largest lake in Phnom Penh until it vanished after their government allowed a company to develop the area by building there.
"I spent many years photographing the people around that lake who lived on it and beside it. It's very sad, but I also think it's beautiful. I like the photographs, but I knew many people who live right by that lake. People protested but couldn't stop the development."
Sand 27 features Boeung Kak, once the largest lake in Phnom Penh until it vanished by sand filling. River City Bangkok
Pelling has had a long interest in environmental issues. His previous collections include "Liquid Bangkok", which exhibited different views along klongs in Bangkok, and "Traces", which focused on the scenery of fields in his hometown, Saskatchewan in Canada.
"People don't realise that each person uses many billions of tonnes of sand every year. Sand makes your phone or the freeway you drive on or the building we're in. Sand affects everybody and we're running out of it," the photographer said.
Some people may point to the many deserts in the world. Unfortunately, desert sand can't be used in construction due to its smooth grains, Pelling said. At the exhibition, Pelling has two displays of actual sand from Cambodia and India. It took time for him to figure out the right sand for the display.
"It took a day to develop each installation. I decided to keep it a little more traditional, so they are just like frames. I thought they blended with photos very nicely. I tried many types of sand."
Among 25 photos, some are very dark and some feature black and white and colour in the same photo. Pelling explained that he shot multiple exposures in order to gain colour shifts.
Sand 38 taken in Ladakh, India, uses real sand as part of the installation. River City Bangkok
"I adjust contrast and change the colour but usually I tone the colour down to make it subtle and make it please me. When I'm in an area, I spend time thinking about the past and what will happen in the future. I feel more like an archaeologist than a photographer. I try to avoid light or the Sun. A lot of these images are done once the Sun is gone, but not all," the photographer said.
The Canadian photographer enjoys challenges. He won't limit himself to one topic, but his interest in the environment will never end.
"I have so many projects on the go. I don't want to limit myself and do one thing. I'm working on water, sand and air, which are most human commodities. So, I'm interested in all those. For air, I try to find a way to do something that hasn't really been done. It might be something dreamy or floaty."
"Sand By Tim Pelling" runs until Feb 29 at RCB Photographers' Gallery, 2nd Floor, River City Bangkok. Admission is free. Visit rivercitybangkok.com or Facebook/RiverCityBangkok for more information.
Sand 11 is printed on sandpaper. Suwitcha Chaiyong
Sand 40 shows beaches in Thailand River City Bangkok
