Film director Nontawat Numbenchapol is recognised for his documentaries about minority groups including By The River (2013), Boundary (2013) and Soil Without Land (2019).
Soil Without Land, which premiered at Visions du Réel in Switzerland -- an international documentary festival -- covers the stories of young men in Shan State, Myanmar. In 2016, Nontawat became interested in the border areas of northern Thailand. While working on Soil Without Land, he spent time in a buffer zone between Thailand and Myanmar and realised that many Shan people lived there.
"Before this, I didn't know anything about Shan people, however, after my stay in the buffer zone, I became more aware of them. When I was in Chiang Mai, I noticed Shan people working in different places. During my research for the movie Doi Boy, I gathered information that I wanted to put into different media forms," said Nontawat.
On view now at Gallery VER, "The Longest Way Round Is The Shortest Way Home" is a mixed media exhibition divided into two sections. The main section is a screening zone for a video about a young Shan guy, Ta, who is returning to his hometown after six years in Chiang Mai. In the green room, there are videos of five Shan people who are working in Thailand. The interviewees were selected among 30 people and their faces have been blurred to protect their identities.
A photo of the main character, Ta, taken at Chiang Mai Immigration Office, alongside curtains made of Thai rice sacks.
In addition to the exhibition, Nontawat has also released a book titled In Process Of Time which features behind the scene photos from his movie Soil Without Land and articles about Shan people by many writers such as Oradi Inkhong and Somrit Luechai.
"Soil Without Land, a film which I produced last year, tells the story of Shan people who live on the border between Thailand and Myanmar. It is an area that the Shan State Army defends against Myanmar government forces. I asked young Shan people about their dreams and they had no answer because they felt that they had no right to dream. People in Shan State have no identity cards that are accepted by the international community, which means they can't travel to other countries," Nontawat said.
Life spoke to Nontawat about his exhibition, his book and the Shan people.
Can you tell us more about the four video screens on display at the exhibition?
Since space in a gallery is different from cinema, I wanted the videos to communicate more with the audience. I used four screens to tell a story. In a film, we usually shoot a wide scene and then a close up where you can see only the hand or eyes. However, with four screens, audiences can choose whether they want to see a wide scene or get a view of the back or a close up of the hands. This provides freedom of choice to audiences and feels like they are in that scene.
Why do you call your display mixed media?
There are many kinds of media. I was thinking that audiences should sit comfortably with pillows made of reed, especially since it can help add to the atmosphere of what is happening in the video. I did my research and noticed that the walls and homes of the Shan people are built with bamboo. Moreover, their floors are covered with reeds, so I used these materials as well. Additionally, a photo at the front of the exhibition is woven from bamboo. It is a photo of Ta, taken at Chiang Mai Immigration Office because before he could travel back to his hometown in Shan State legally, he had to pass through this bureau. Also, instead of using Shan rice sacks, the curtains are made of Thai rice sacks. Many Shan people who work in Thailand behave like Thais so we can't tell they are Shan people. It is like they take on Thai identities.
An image from the book In Process Of Time.
What is the main message of your exhibition?
Most Thais aren't aware of the existence of Shan people. There are well over a million Shan labourers who run the Thai economy but they are mostly invisible. Moreover, some people even look down on them. With this exhibition, I want people to become aware of their existence. I once pitched my work about Shan people abroad (to get investment) but many did not know who they were. People questioned why I didn't want to create works about the Rohingya. However, I wanted to speak up about something that no one else has.
Why did you release the book In Process Of Time?
Each medium is created to serve different perceptions of audiences. In Process Of Time is about the four-year process of making Soil Without Land. The book has a lot of information that I gathered from other writers who answered my questions about the Shan people. Lalita Hanwong wrote Not All Is Quiet On The Eastern Front: Background And Obstacles To Peace In Shan State to give readers a bigger picture of the conflict between Shan State and Myanmar. An event on Shan National Day at Loi Kaw Wan hosted a show about King Naresuan, so I was curious about how Shan people were connected to King Naresuan. Somrit Luechai answered this question in the book.
Ta comes from Shan State. (Photo: Nontawat Numbenchapol)
What made you interested in Shan people?
More than a million Shan people live in northern Thailand, particularly Chiang Mai. I was curious to know why they want to be in Thailand instead of living in Shan State or Myanmar. In 1947, Shan State signed the Panglong Agreement with the Myanmar government under Aung San. Under the agreement, ethnic groups in Myanmar had the right of secession after 10 years. However, when Aung San was assassinated that same year, the agreement was cancelled. Since Myanmar tried to invade Shan State, it set up the Shan State Army to defend themselves from Myanmar's government forces. Due to their numerous battles, many people fled to northern Thailand.
What was it like to create this exhibition?
It was great fun. For the past 10 years, I have worked on documentaries to screen in cinemas. It was exciting until I made Soil Without Land by which time I already knew all the processes. Creating content for new media, including the release of a new book, was enjoyable because I was in an unsafe zone and got to experience new processes and meet new people.
Shan State ID cards, which are not recognised internationally. (Photo: Nontawat Numbenchapol)
Why does the main character in the video, Ta, have to apply for a Myanmar ID card?
Shan people don't want to apply for Myanmar ID cards but without them, they cannot do anything. Shan State ID cards cannot be used on the international stage, which is why Ta also wants a Myanmar passport so he can travel to other countries.
What do you think of art exhibitions in Western countries?
Their governments and people support art. I was in Paris with a friend for a month and went out to see art exhibitions every day. It was an eye-opening experience. There were advertisements promoting art exhibitions on billboards which we don't have in Thailand. The more art that is created, the more exhibitions will be developed to display the new creations. Since many people attend art exhibitions in Paris, art can be a medium to reflect society, culture and politics in order to educate people. I enjoy looking at contemporary art. There was a piece in which an artist put chocolate in a frame and let ants eat it. The ants were like painters. We could see their bite marks on the frame which changed every day.
The atmosphere of the exhibition and pillows which are made of reed.
"The Longest Way Round Is The Shortest Way Home" runs at Gallery VER until Aug 22. Visit facebook.com/galleryver or call 02-120-6098 for more information.
