Art viewers are invited to navigate the trails of thought and discover the hidden inspirations behind artworks on show at "Epiphany", which is running at Next Door Project, Sathu Pradit 5, until Feb 28.
This is the latest exhibition by Pakpoom Silaphan, a Thai contemporary artist who began his artistic career with mixed-media works influenced by the Neo-Dada movement, the precursor to Pop Art.
Using collage techniques with discarded materials such as old packaging boxes and wallpapers, combined with elements like newspaper headlines and crossword puzzles, along with silkscreen printing, he quickly gained attention from contemporary art collectors in London.
Later, he started incorporating old metal soft drink advertisements into his artwork. He attached portraits of world-renowned figures from various fields onto these metal signs in a style reminiscent of black-and-white images found in print media, blending them with simple but stylish cartoon-like drawings. This unique approach led his work to be recognised in the global art scene.
For this show, he elevates his approach to working with found objects. He inscribes words onto these objects to connect them with the history of global art movements across different periods, including pop culture, with wit, fun and humour.
This draws a parallel to the ready-made concept introduced by French-American artist Marcel Duchamp, who famously transformed everyday objects into art. It also evokes visual puns, akin to the works of Belgian surrealist René Magritte, who used humour and language to challenge perception.
The exhibition also features works that invite audience participation, aligning with the concept of Relational Aesthetics -- a movement that challenges traditional norms by encouraging interaction with the artwork.
This reduces the barrier between art and viewer, allowing them to engage beyond passive observation.
The exhibition is open for viewing daily from 10am to 5pm, except Sunday.
Call 02-674-9214.
