Bangkok artist and social activist Wishulada Panthanuvong is no stranger to trash. In fact, she embraces it and uses it as a medium to create sustainable beauty.
"My parents are garbage separators: They separate trash for a living. I am used to being surrounded by trash at home and seven years ago in university when I had to create an art piece, I decided to use waste materials to create something of beauty. I am often found scrounging through recycling shops looking for something usable or use the trash at home for my artwork," says Wishulada.
As part of the Artist In Residence programme at The Peninsula Bangkok, Wishulada has converted a Deluxe Suite into an imaginative exhibition room of sustainable art. The "A+waiting Materials" exhibition refers to renewable materials. "All waste material can be reused and hence it's 'a-waiting', as in waiting to be reused. Like the blender, which is broken but I have turned it into a decorative flower pot," says the artist.
Her first ever artwork while at Chulalongkorn University was called the Monster, which is a recurring theme in her exhibitions. "The monster refers to the waste that the environment is 'consuming'. If the jelly fish consume plastic waste in the ocean, in order to stay alive they have to morph into something else, which I call 'monsters'. This is to show how the acts of humans turn living beings into monsters just so they can survive," explains Wishulada.
A keen advocate for the environment, Wishulada specialises in mixed media and installation art, creating larger than life sculptures that tell stories. "A-waiting materials" begins with several neon-illuminated archways made of plastic bottles. The Deluxe Suite takes on a new identity with a tapestry of art, where each room boasts its own theme. Inspired by the belief that the eyes are the windows to the soul, the artist challenges the audience to look beyond the art and learn the meaning behind the imaginative world she has created.
The concept of a circular economy is apparent in her installation, especially with the use of the hotel's amenities boxes. In simple terms, a circular economy encourages consumers to maximise the use of every product as opposed to making, using and disposing single-use items.
Aside from the exhibition in the Deluxe Suite, Wishulada will be staying on-site at The Peninsula Bangkok to sprinkle her creative pieces in multiple touchpoints at the riverfront hotel, which are also available for purchase.
Bangkok-based artist and social activist Wishulada Panthanuvong. The Peninsula Bangkok
"A+waiting Materials" will be on display at The Peninsula Bangkok until April 30. Call 02-020-2888 or email pbk@peninsula.com. A scheduled appointment with Wishulada is highly recommended as she walks you through the transformed suite of sustainable art.
