A way forward

A way forward

Artist Vichaya Mukdamanee believes freedom of expression will lead Thailand out of this time of tumult

SOCIAL & LIFESTYLE
A way forward
Artist Vichaya Mukdamanee's exhibition 'Expected Unforeseen'. (Photos courtesy of 333 Anywhere Contemporary art gallery)

Thai contemporary artist Vichaya Mukdamanee's attention to detail and creative energy makes "Expected Unforeseen", a solo exhibition of his most recent work that touches on issues close to his heart, a real visual treat.

His desire to keep his work abstract allows viewers the opportunity to let loose their imagination as he delves into a host of pressing matters: environmental crisis, Covid-19 pandemic, addressing grief with the recent demise of his father, and political unrest and division within the country.

The five-part series, which took three years to bring to fruition, has segments on everything from plastic pollution and political inspiration to a series of installations on tanks.

Through the hard-hitting, emotionally charged topics, he opts to remain sanguine about the chances of a better tomorrow via the vibrant colours he picks to articulate his message.

"I am not trying to suggest the audience adopt a certain mindset towards the issues I present in my work, I would rather have them come to their own conclusion," remarked the versatile artist whose primary work has been with objects, paintings, videos, and installations

"For 'Expected Unforeseen' my desire was to express my feelings towards the tumultuous times we live in. It is my strong belief that people should be allowed to express their feelings because for too long we have been taught to not stir up the hornets' nest. We see today that this has not taken us anywhere."

For materials, Vichaya has opted to use three types to create his exhibits. For starters, he has picked ready-made materials that met his concept and deliver the correct response to the ambience he chooses. The remaining two include tailor-made objects he makes himself that reflect his thoughts and articles from his father's studio.

333 Anywhere Contemporary art gallery

The artist then takes all of these materials and pieces them together, mixing them with the strokes of his paintbrushes, which yield artwork objects and images that resemble movements of shapes and colours. He uses textures and spaces to reflect anecdotes, concepts and emotions that both respond to and contradict according to their backdrop.

Being a versatile visual artist, who is best recognised for his use of vibrant colours, his work is a thought-provoking expedition, which is dotted with personal items which internalise his journey through life's many struggles.

Vichaya, who is a lecturer at Silpakorn University, said one of the toughest parts of putting this exhibition together was addressing grief that came with the recent passing of his beloved father Vichoke, who was among Thailand's leading artists, known for his abstract mixed media and sculpture work which resulted in him being awarded a National Artist title in 2012 under the Visual Arts category.

"My father was a central part of my life, in more ways than one, so not having him around left a void in me.''

The 36-year-old also shared how his desire to address the political stalemate in Thailand in an artistic manner was birthed from his need to see constructive political discourse take place in the country.

He said it was emotionally disturbing to observe the hostility some Thais have towards people who think differently from them on issues pertaining to politics and the royal family.

"As a society, I believe the need to respect other people's stand on 'sensitive' issues must be practised," continued the artist, "while it is high time our politicians learn to become more accountable to the public.

"In the last two years, I have encountered a barrage of troubling circumstances that have been both volatile and intense, so much so that I began transforming these emotions into art through the help of my paintbrush. The Covid-19 pandemic was a learning curve for us all while the political conflict caught us all by surprise because it was for the first time we saw students share their grievances publicly. To add to this I lost my father in the middle of this year.

"The [political] conflicts, chaos and despair were all pretty overwhelming. It seems as if the political uprising has come at a time when we feel most unprepared to tackle it. This despite the fact that the political climate in Thailand has for the most part been divided. With the likelihood of an uprising lurking in the dark, ready to take place at any moment. From the government to the public, I suppose all felt a sense of complacency when it came to addressing these issues. Could it be familiarity, personal agenda, or even propaganda that led us to the oversight? We will probably never know. What I believe this has done is aggravate these grievances to become so deeply-rooted and so extreme in our society today that it seems as if a change for the better is almost impossible."

The themes intertwined in Vichaya's artwork resound not just with a sense of political striving but overlap with the period of grief following the demise of his father.

Working these emotions into artwork was a moment of catharsis for him as each elongated brushstroke allowed him to address emotions he had buried in his subconsciousness.

"At times it was an emotional roller coaster for me as I channelled my artistic flow onto the canvas. I originally might have begun with the intention of addressing a political issue, however, as time passed I found that the moment of grieving for my father led me to add his remembrance to the work I was doing. So the subjects overlapped, without any intentions to do so.

"My work begins with a narrative, however, along the way it changes direction and what is left is the fragment of the brushstrokes I leave behind."


"Expected Unforeseen" is housed at 333 Anywhere Contemporary art gallery until Nov 30. Visit facebook.com/333anywhere or call 092-682-0990 for more information.

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