Home is where the art is
Silpakorn classmates are in their element with their debut exhibition
When budding female artists Maneerat Thamnarak and Pantira Chaikaew decide to launch a duo exhibition using discarded wood and paper cutting art respectively to bring to life what home meant to them, the audience can rest assured the results will not disappoint.
The 26-year-olds share a lot in common besides their passion for art — both hail from the South of Thailand and come from tight-knit families. They became fast friends while studying at Silpakorn University.
Collaborating on their debut exhibition titled “Home” (or “Rern” in Thai) — currently on view at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) — was in the cards for a while as both desired to showcase its meaning uniquely and profoundly.
Despite being wet behind the ears in terms of experience, their art pieces exude a deeper meaning of home and family. Viewing the displays through the eyes of the artists, one will find embedded the sensitive and emotionally charged nature of family ties, an enigmatic tapestry of experiences, often open to interpretation.
Maneerat, who was born in Lang Suan, Chumphon, sourced the wood used in her creations of past and present kitchen appliances from the forests. Doing so helps offer a combination of surfaces that represent life’s good and not so good moments.
“I have always been fond of the kitchen area of the house, and so for this exhibition, desired to encapsulate not just how families used them but all the emotions that were shared during mealtimes,” enthused Maneerat, one of the few Thai female artists to solely use wood in her installations.
For this collection, the artist had to do a lot of research on a couple of kitchen appliances that are now obsolete. She visited museums, and in some instances, spoke with historians.
“My previous artwork has mostly toyed with themes that are connected to the home. This exhibition is an extension of this, the main difference being that this time around I had a desire to showcase the kitchen and the appliances found particularly in southern Thai provinces such as Songkhla, where I once studied, that are unique to the area. My upbringing was in the farming areas of the province where one can readily find these kitchen items.
“When I relocated to Nakhon Pathom to further my education I saw another part of the world that was foreign to me, that made me want to showcase both the old and new. These utensils stand out to me because, for one, they are sourced from nature, and two there is so much emotional attachment, tradition and history that these items share with its owner,” Maneerat explained.
Pantira, who is from Hat Yai, Songkhla, used her expertise with paper cutting and tempera painting to display Sino-Portuguese architecture she grew up admiring. To hone her knowledge of this mix of European and Chinese styles, she went to study in Malacca City, Malaysia, believed to be the origin of such architecture.
The more she immersed herself into its unique alluring beauty, she found herself reminiscing about her family abode, which also has a Sino-Portuguese touch to it.
“The audience will see the types of homes I grew up surrounded by, including my own, and the simple and laid-back lifestyle of the residents. Details which are included in this for me have been precious moments I relived through the process of creating these exhibits.”
Adding the dynamics of a family unit to this she said was a pivotal move in putting a face to the architecture.
“It [home] is an essential part of our life, a shelter offering us emotional warmth and a sense of belonging. For different people, a home could mean different things. I look at home in not just a material sense but rather the full spectrum of what it encompasses from physical and emotional comfort to emotions of love, warmth and yes, even nostalgia.”
She also touches on the Covid-19 pandemic in her collection, explaining: “Two of my art pieces were derived from the ongoing situation we are experiencing with the Covid-19 pandemic. Both are with a red background, which signifies trepidation and upheaval, the home and sunflower are a poignant reminder that despite the tumultuous times we live in, a home is where we can feel loved and safe.
“The sunflower reminds us that even though we may feel despondent due to circumstances we have no control over, and most likely feel like we are withering away, there is always a tomorrow to look forward to when the Sun rises.”
It took Pantira months to work on each artwork because of the sensitive and delicate nature of the theme “home”, which for her conjures up feelings of nostalgia.
“I opted to not rush during the process of making this collection because I desired to give myself time to feel the emotions of what I was creating. I take into account my emotional state of mind while I work seriously. The hurdles I faced during this period came in the form of time management and the rather thin texture of the paper I was working with.
“In the end, it all worked according to plan. The folding and carving of the paper in many layers formed a strong foundation. Very much like the family unit, the more we devote time and effort into making it stronger, we see that the hard work pay off in achieving greater happiness for its members in the long run.”
The audience will see the types of homes I grew up surrounded by, including my own, and the simple and laid-back lifestyle of the residents