The beauty of human connections and unity are portrayed through art during "Apa Khabar? How Are You?", which is running at La Lanta Fine Art until Nov 6.
This is a captivating solo exhibition by Kusofiyah Nibuesa, a Pattani artist whose childhood memories revolve around local market visits with her mother.
The narrated showcase invites viewers to the vibrant, everyday rhythms of life in a southern Thai market, a cultural crossroads where diverse religions, ethnicities and traditions converge.
Through the delicate interplay of paper-cutting, printmaking, and stenciling, Nibuesa crafts rich, dimensional scenes that pulse with the warmth and energy of community and commerce. Her unique use of pigments, derived from both traditional and unexpected sources such as mangosteen peel, imbue each piece with a tactile, organic beauty, reflecting the textures and stories of her personal experiences.
"Apa khabar" is a greeting in Pattani Malay, a widely spoken dialect in the region that translates to "How are you?". The phrase is a mainstay of the market, the gathering place of a diverse community of vendors and shoppers who routinely meet and strike up conversation. It's an expression of closeness and belonging among family and friends. The centrepiece of the collection is a tableau of three market regulars -- Dear Uncles, a piece inspired by Nibuesa's childhood memories of her father and his friends gathering to share stories and laughter.
The imagery of middle-aged men engaged in lively conversations with their relaxed postures, warm smiles and exchanged glances reflects the deep bonds of friendship among people from diverse backgrounds -- Thai Buddhists, Muslims and Chinese-Thais.
La Lanta Fine Art is located at N22 Art Warehouse, Narathiwat Ratchanakarin 22, and opens Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 7pm.
Visit lalanta.com.
