In his photo exhibition "In The Mid(d)st Of Pale Breathe", artist Viriya Chotpanyavisut showcases things that surround us from extraordinary angles and creative perspectives as he turns a fogged-up camera lens, a light shining through the crack of a roof, flooding and the reflection of the Moon in a puddle into intriguing images.
Most of the photos in the collection focus on capturing light as if it was the main character of the show. To present the unusual lights, "In The Mi(d)st Of Pale Breathe" is being displayed in a dark room where each photo glows in its spot.
"This exhibition captures the temporary environment. If we don't notice it, these beautiful worlds will disappear forever. I like photography because it can capture a moment in time. In this fast-paced world, I choose to look back at what we see every day including natural light and not just digital," said Viriya.
Many of the photos in the collection took time and patience to create. For instance, 6 Degrees Below Horizon 2017 was taken in France when Viriya was an artist-in-residence and interested in civil twilight. The photo is an unusual combination of the visual of light and the shadow of a white plastic cup on sandy ground during the golden hour. In addition to photos, Viriya also created a video, Garden Surrounding, in which he set up a camera and waited several hours to capture natural phenomena.
"The video tells four stories about nature in a garden. It includes a reflection from a river to banana leaves, a rainbow created by garden sprinklers, a leaf on a cobweb and a group of fruit flies in the garden. I had to wait for the right moments which appeared suddenly for a very short time," said Viriya.
Viriya Chotpanyavisut and Looking Up & Down 2020. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb
Graduating with a Master's degree in visual arts from École Nationale Supérieure d'Arts Paris-Cergy, Paris, Viriya had classmates who had different areas of interests such as painting, design and poetry. This in turn helped to broaden Viriya's own interests to include urban planning, meteorology and the environment.
"I'm interested in the environment because we live in it. If we have a bad environment and bad urban planning, this will affect human behaviour. My work deals with things surrounding us that can become a part of the big issue if we put them together. For instance, Suddenly 2019 is a photo of a skyscraper which reflects strong sunlight. In Paris, the height and area of skyscrapers are limited because sunlight benefits human health. However, the weather in Bangkok is hot, so skyscrapers are built to shade the city," said Viriya.
Life spoke to Viriya about his ideas behind the recent exhibition.
'Fuel Spills' series inspired by oil in water sources. Photo: Varuth Hirunyatheb
Can you tell us more about the photos My Breath#1 and My Breath#2?
They are photos taken back in 2006. At that time, I was in Paris and liked to experiment by taking photos in the dark with a bright flash during cold weather. These foggy photos were shot while I was taking photos and breathing at the same time. At first, I felt that they couldn't be used but later thought these photos ended up depicting my journey even though my breath covers the details. I chose to display them in a dark area to let visitors explore.
What is your idea behind the 'Fuel Spills 2019' series?
In our country, there is oil in water sources and there is also a moment when we can see a rainbow in the oil -- when our eyes are at an angle of 42 degrees. So, I mixed water with oil and put them on paper. When the paper dried, the photos turned into a curved form which I found to portray pollution in water sources which is quite common in Bangkok.
Garden Surrounding, a shot of a rainbow created by garden sprinklers from a video. Gallery Ver
Did living in France influence your work?
Yes. I discovered that photographs are not tools used to communicate directly. They have dimensions of time and other things that people overlook. When I was in France, I was exposed to people from different cultures. I experimented a lot with creating works in the dark or in bright light or during different climates. I kept a watch on the weather forecast and took photos during cold weather also. Yet, when I was in Thailand, I created many collections in hot weather. For example, a video titled Late Summer recorded a storm from the Chao Phraya River on the hottest day in Bangkok. I also filmed a boy fishing with flashes of lightning in the background.
What are art exhibitions in Paris like?
European artists work with people in other fields such as scientists, astronomers and engineers. They have a great system, so their exhibitions are incredible and offer variety. Two very impressive exhibitions that I remember were 'Acquaalta' by a modern French artist, Céleste Boursier-Mougenot, and 'Ice Watch' by Danish-Icelandic artist Olafur Eliasson.
'Acquaalta' tackles global warming and flooding issues and is hosted in a museum in Paris. Every visitor had to row a boat in order to experience the flood that could possibly become a global catastrophe in the future. This exhibition amazed me, especially since it was supported by the French government. The French understand that art can connect as well as criticise humans. In 'Ice Watch', Olafur Eliasson hauled icebergs to Paris in order to raise awareness about climate change and visitors could see them right in front of them.
6 Degrees Below Horizon 2017. Gallery Ver
What is it like to teach students at Rangsit University?
I'm a special lecturer of early photography which was developed by using old techniques such as chemical or ultraviolet rays. In this digital era, students have different viewpoints from me, but we somewhat tune together. I try to make them aware of things around them the most. Something that happens very fast doesn't have to relate to technology.
What is your advice to aspiring artists who aim to have an exhibition abroad?
Participating in contests is a good way to get the opportunity to show people your works. I got started by participating in local contests and later joined international competitions. Contests provide an opportunity to communicate with people and meet curators who will lead an artist to an exhibition. After that, you will get the opportunity to also meet people at the galleries. It is more difficult for artists in Thailand than in France because there aren't many contests here. However, if you don't want to participate in contests, you can travel to see exhibitions in other countries. Art exhibitions and artworks in Singapore and Taiwan are quite progressive.
"In The Mi(d)st Of Pale Breathe" runs at Gallery VER, Narathiwat Ratchanakarin 22, until Oct 24. Admission is free. Visit facebook.com/galleryver or call 02-120-6098.
Suddenly 2019. Photos courtesyo f Gallery Ver
My Breath, a photo of a fogged-up camera lens. Gallery Ver
