Dear Friends and readers,

pls find my current art activities
via my website
http://som.universe.googlepages.com/
and Facebook where i post images of my activities:
http://www.facebook.com/som.sutthirat

with best regards,
Som

Head or Tail
review of my video work "dotscape" in Pallas Studio, Dublin, Ireland
pls follow this link to experimentalconversations.com
or read 'em below

..
Head or Tail

Review Posted: 08 Oct 08

Head or Tail is an exhibition of contemporary video works from Thailand, first shown in Dublin last fall as part of an exchange between Pallas Contemporary Projects and Project 304, a non-site project-based arts organization in Bangkok. Fittingly, Head or Tail had its first exclusive screening in the west of Ireland at G126 Gallery in late May; like G126, Project 304 originally started as an alternative space run by artists and curators. 'Hua rua Goy' or 'Head or Tail' is a term Thais use to describe the uncertainty of the situation or simply to gamble with the future. These selected media and video works are concerned with time. Dynamic tension plays out between past and present, as the possibilities and pitfalls of modern life in Southeast Asia are assessed. Yearning, alienation, and dark humor typify the work, where the future is always becoming beyond the toss of a die.

Nontawat Numbenchapol's BKK Noise is an audiovisual diary of Bangkok. This is a disjointed, smudgily focused, irregularly paced journey through bright lights, bright noise, as viewed from cars, through fence-mesh, into subway windows that briefly, unclearly, reflect the diarist, a moment-shadow of the ever-elusive flâneur ‘at work'. The work may suffer from its casual way of seeing, but captures a sense of the city and its tempo.

In Dotscape, Sutthirat Supaparinya transfigures the diary format: a mechanical buzz accompanies a non-linear series of softly pixilated tableaux. Gerhard Richter's photo-referenced paintings come to mind. Shapes morph, pulsing with potential; patterns abstract the landscape with the subtlety of chain-link fencing; dots leap or fly. Was that a bird? But there is nothing luminous or even naturalistic about this world; modernity has altered ‘normal' vision, the visual field reduced to graphic effects.

In Visual Pollution, Kraisak Choonhavan erases billboards in still shots, in a sometimes gratifying photoshopped re-imagining of a post-advertising city. The point is made quickly, progressing into a somewhat tediously repetitive exercise. More so, despite the attempted beautification, the work has the secondary effect of revealing the city as an alienating carapace of faceless office buildings, indistinct memorials, and freeways extending toward somewhere else.

Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit's Bangkok Tanks is a humorously provocative look at responses to media coverage of the 2006 coup d'etat in the Thai capital. Fuzzy TV news footage is superimposed with an excerpted internet chat among young Thais, while a catchy pop song provides the soundtrack. Outrageous screen names (e.g. rapemeplease) comment on CNN and BBC reports (which are later proved wrong), burning CDs and the hope that school will be cancelled the next day. One is reminded of T.S. Eliot: 'So much intuition lost through knowledge / So much knowledge lost through information / So much information lost through publicity / So much lost through living.'

'Santiphap' is Thai for 'peace'. Santiphap Inkong-ngam's From Santiphap to Santiphap is a 'prayer' for peace narrated by people named Santiphaps, who exhort the viewer to 'contribute good intentions' while hazy, idyllic scenes of water, sky, and trees unfold. The nature of these good intentions is left obfuscated by a lushly romantic aesthetic, which visually immerses the viewer in an amorphous natural world, where we do not have to bravely examine the economic and historical conditions that obstruct meaningful definitions of peace.

More interesting is Nitipong Tintubthai's study of innocence and power, Krasob. A group of boys practice Muay Thai moves on a stuffed rice bag hanging from a rafter in a yard. The still, singular camera's view eerily recalls scenes from Caché (Michael Haneke, 2006). At first, the dialogue concerns their play-victim ("Kick to the head" "Kick his head!"), but eventually they turn on each other. They compare the effectiveness of their violence: "Can he punish as hard as me?" As the action progresses in this otherwise calm neighborhood, one boy attempts to mediate who can play, ostracizing one playmate and then another. Play becomes an anarchic struggle for domination, the boys skirmishing for freedom or control. The dominant boy is abandoned; "See, no one wants to play with you." In the video's last minute, he is seen in the background, chasing the others with a big stick, screaming "Die!" You laugh, and then gulp.

Chulayarnnon Siriphol's Sleeping Beauty is not a traditional documentary; the filmmaker is silent, shooting from shadows, through windows, behind a fan, creeping on the subjects as they sleep, somewhere between reality TV and surveillance. At the film's centre is a senile old woman and her family. People eat, watch TV, bathe the grandmother. All the while radio or TV offers the constant promise of a better world with herbal medicine drinks and sermons on accepting change. The viewer is lured into the ritual of the everyday and finally absence provides the narrative charge; when the house is empty, one wonders: Has the old woman died? Are they at hospital? Or on holiday? We wait for inhabitants to return, while the camera roams the house, studying its architecture, a whining pet dog, a lizard roaming the living room, family photos. Here, the old woman as a beautiful young woman. Here the daughter, as a baby. Here, the family, younger, seemingly happier. The house takes on immense proportions, when viewed from inside at such intense detail; "outside" is irrelevant, no longer a working context. A meditation on aging and family, Sleeping Beauty has the quietly self-critical, poetic ethnographic style of Trinh T. Minh-ha's seminal work, Reassemblage (1983), which resists the idea of interpretation as explanation by a privileged producer/viewer.

Learning Thai is an entirely different work, purporting to poke fun at itself, only to reveal the pitfall of work that uses national identity as a given. In the opening scene, a Thai man instructs an American woman on the pronunciations of Thai words for numbers, greetings, art, shirt, and progresses to "fuck you" and "asshole", in the familiar game of 'teach the foreigner dirty words'. More instructions unfold: how to dance, how to cook, etc., as the two participants get to know each other. The viewer is left unenlightened by what is essentially an obvious cultural investigation.

But perhaps that is the point: what it means to be Thai cannot be learned from a video. More importantly, the idea of being Thai, or Irish, must now be evaluated in a globalized economy. Head or Tail reveals the potential of transnational art exchanges for Ireland. That the more obvious cultural and linguistic issues are not an issue is a testament to the strength of the work, as well as to its universality. It gives one hope that a truly post-national arts identity can rise above such provincial concerns as a "true" Irish or Thai art.

- Phillina Sun

MANIFOLD @ SUBSTAION
Me, Hazel Lim, Michael Tan and 5 artists from singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia and Germany will do a group show at Substation in Singapore this March.

If anyone around pls drop by..

more update will be post here soon.

Thai Politics

ประเด็นร้อนของการเมืองไทย โปรดอย่านิ่งดูดาย
The Thai and Southeast Asian Studies Program at Payap University is proud to announce the second installation of "PAYAP PRESENTS," a lecture series (in English) featuring scholars working on Southeast Asia.

FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

Thursday, 4 September: "Thai Politics Today"
Speaker: Dr. Tanet Charoenmuang, Professor of Political Science, Chiang Mai University
Time: 5pm to 6pm
Room 201 of the Graduate and International Studies Building (PLEASE NOTE THE ROOM CHANGE!)
Mae Khao Campus

http://ic.payap.ac.th/current-students/calendar.php?id=163&skip=0

ประกาศประชาชน ฉบับที่ ๒

ถึงรัฐบาล ฝ่ายค้าน พันธมิตร และนปก.

บ้านเมืองกำลังมีปัญหา
ทั้งเราและท่านกำลังสำลักแทบตายกับปัญหา

การยุบสภาไม่แก้ปัญหา
นายกรัฐมนตรีลาออกไม่แก้ปัญหา
รัฐประหารไม่แก้ปัญหา
ประท้วงไม่แก้ปัญหา
ตีกันให้ตายก็ไม่แก้ปัญหา
แล้วปัญหาอยู่ตรงไหน?

พวกเรา – ประชาชนผู้ศักดิ์สิทธิ์และผู้ใดจะล่วงละเมิดมิได้
ขอสั่งท่านให้ชนะสงครามภายในจิตใจตนเอง และเป็นวีรบุรุษ/สตรีในประวัติศาสตร์ชาติ

ยุติความขัดแย้งด้วยการเจรจา

เพราะพวกเราเป็นมนุษย์ ไม่ใช่ร็อตไวเลอร์

ผู้ได้รับประกาศฉบับนี้ ได้โปรดเผยแพร่ไปยังเครือข่ายของท่านอย่างทั่วถึง

ด้วยความเชื่อมั่นในปรีชาญาณแห่งท่าน
ประชาชนหนึ่งเดียว - ไม่มีผู้ใดแบ่งแยกได้

วันอังคารที่ ๓ กันยายน พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๑
ขึ้น ๔ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๐ ปีชวด

C. Anukul

ประกาศประชาชน ฉบับที่ ๑

ถึงพี่น้องชาวไทย

เมืองไทยอยู่ภายใต้ระบอบการปกครองแบบประชาธิปไตยมากว่า ๗๖ ปีแล้ว

ประชาธิปไตยผ่านตัวแทนของเราล้มเหลวมาโดยตลอด จะหวังสติปัญญาและความเป็นธรรมจากรัฐบาลและรัฐสภาได้ยากเย็นเต็มที

การเมืองภาคประชาชนถูกผลักเข้าไปสู่ท้องถนน และผู้คนกำลังแยกไม่ออกระหว่างการใช้กำลังกับการมีจิตใจแห่งสิทธิ เสรีภาพ และภราดรภาพ ซึ่งต้องอยู่ภายใต้กรอบแห่งความไม่รุนแรง

รัฐบาล และพันธมิตรประชาชนเพื่อประชาธิปไตยต่างยืนอยู่บนอุดมการณ์ที่แตกต่างกัน ทั้งสองฝ่ายต่างปรารถนาดีต่อบ้านเมือง แต่ทั้งสองฝ่ายกำลังอ่อนล้าทั้งกำลังกายและกำลังความคิด และกำลังเปิดโอกาสให้ปิศาจแห่งความรุนแรงเข้าสิงสู่

พวกเราในฐานะประชาชน – พระผู้เป็นเจ้าที่ถูกอ้างชื่อ – จะต้องยึดอำนาจกลับคืนมาจากกลุ่มบุคคลเหล่านั้น

ประชาชนชาวไทยจะต้องประกาศตนเป็นผู้รักษาสันติภาพ

ประกาศไม่ยอมรับความรุนแรงใดใดในบ้านเมืองอีกต่อไป

ประกาศหาหนทางการเปลี่ยนผ่านทางการเมืองอันชาญฉลาด

ประกาศหาความฝันของชาติบ้านเมืองร่วมกัน

และประกาศหาวีรบุรุษ/สตรีที่มีหัวใจกล้าหาญ เปิดการเจรจาเพื่อยุติสงครามศักดิ์สิทธิ์ในนามของเรา

ผู้ได้รับประกาศฉบับนี้ ได้โปรดเผยแพร่ไปยังเครือข่ายของท่านอย่างทั่วถึง

ด้วยความรักและเชื่อมั่นในเสรีภาพ ประชาธิปไตย และความเป็นธรรม

ประชาชนหนึ่งเดียว - ไม่มีผู้ใดแบ่งแยกได้

วันอังคารที่ ๒ กันยายน พ.ศ. ๒๕๕๑

ขึ้น ๓ ค่ำ เดือน ๑๐ ปีชวด

from --- On Tue, 9/2/08, C. Anukul <c_anukul@yahoo.de> wrote:

Land of Forum

โลกแห่งกาย โลกแห่งใจ โลกใหม่ ใบเดิม

The land foundation Chiang Mai will organize a month forum each Friday, Saturday and Sunday July 4-6, 11-13, 18-20, 25-27, 2008

the forum is open for everyone who interested to

Session 1 Theme: Arts of applying Dharma in Contemporary Society

Dr. Pramuan Peng Chan, Kamin Lerchiasipert, Ajarn Sulak Siwahlak, Ajarn Siripron Kankulsultorn

Session 2 Theme: Rural life and Globalization

Salunee Anchawatnatakool, Phor Kamdueang Pahsri, Dr. Sun Suwatjanarapinan, Dr. Pandit Janrodtjanakit, Kanjorn Jiamram, Pati Jorni Odochow, Ajarn Chatchawan Boonpan

Sesion 3 theme: Art and Culture and Media in daily life

Kam pa ga, Ajarn Tasnai Settaseri, Nattagan Limsathaporn, Ajarn Weerahpan Janhom, Thanapol Eusakul, Chuwat Lulgsirisook, Ajarn Utit Atimana

Session 4 Theme: How Thai Art be so-called Contemporary?

Gridthiya Gaweewong, Pratan Tiratada, Dr.Rachapon Choochuey, Prabda Yun, Assitant Professor Taneet Wongyanawa, Ajarn Ark Fongsamut, Ajarn Lampat Godgaew, Dr. Witee Panichapan, Ajarn Chachawan Tongdeelert, Dr. Pensupa Sookkata Jaiin, Dr. Apinnan Posayanun, Ajarn Tanom Chapakdee, Aroon Puritat, Aprichatpong Weelahsetakul

I will encourage my students to come too but for myself.. will show up only for the last session... well, chatting on art with professional either have fun then fight with them, isn't it? ohhh democracy era...

more info pls follow the land foundation link

Lifeboat #2551 at Gallery 4A

Sydney Biennalle Parallel Exhibitions

exhibition Contemporary Art Media From: Phuttipong Aroonpheng/Tin Tin Cooper/Sittsak Jiampojaman/Preeyachanok Ketsuwan/Momokomotion/Olarn Netsiri/Jakrawan Niltumrong/Sakarin Kru-on/Wit Pimpakul/Sathit Satarasart/Pramot Sengson/Michael Shaowanasai/Suchada Sirithanawuddhi/Manit Sriwanichpoon/Sutthirat Supaparinya

Curated Michael Shaowanasai

Stuck together in a small vessel, Thai media artists must work together to stay afloat. At the same time they are also trying to out-live one another. While lost at sea, they are waving and screaming in order to get any kind of attention hoping to be rescued. Some of them are fortunate and have been ‘scooped up’ by a passing European liner. The rest of them can only watch and hold on to what they have – their talent, their pride and their hopes.” Michael Shaowanasai

Lifeboat #2551 is curated by one of Thailand’s key contemporary artists, Michael Shaowanasai. It brings together a cross generational mix of media artists from Thailand.

Join Michael Shaowanasai for a Roundtable discussion (Saturday 14 June, 2pm) and Curator's Talk (Saturday 21 June, 2pm) as Lifeboat #2551 docks in Sydney.

Events

FLOORTALKS featuring Michael Shaowanasai, Vipoo Srivilasa and Vienna Parreño on Saturday 21 June, 2pm
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION Saturday 14 June, 2pm featuring Michael Shaowanasai, Phaptawan Suwannakudt, Khaled Sabsabi, Aaron Seeto. Chaired by Dr Thomas Berghuis. On Saturday 14 June, 2pm

more information on my video works pls follow this links

http://som.universe.googlepages.com/art3

http://som.universe.googlepages.com/videodocumentary2

Image: Momokomotion, still image from Toy, 2008. Courtesy the artist

Ecosystems in Genova!

In co-production with the Kaohsiung Museum of Fine Arts, ContainerArt presents Ecosystems. Art, nature and spirit in containers from all over the world. 23 Containers spread around Genova. Open from May 29 to June 8. Presentation cocktail at Palazzo Ducale on the 27th of May at 18.30
http://www.containerart.org/eng/ecosystems_genova.html

“Tree of Life” (L’albero della vita)

news from http://containerart.wordpress.com/2008/05/25/tree-of-life-lalbero-della-vita/

Light Team:
Sutthirat Supaparinya (Thailand),
Chakkrit Chimnok (Thailand), Chatchai Suban (Thailand)
Pittura ad olio, fogli riflettenti.

Imitare l’ambiente “verde” degli alberi tailandesi e riempire di vita la creazione umana che chiamiamo “container”.
Le verdi immagini degli alberi tailandesi possono essere ammirate anche di giorno, ma specialmente di notte, quando il pubblico può usare la luce delle candele per illuminare l’immagine verde. Dato che le immagini sono create da fogli riflettenti, splenderanno nell’oscurità notturna della zona in cui è esposto il container.
Per usare la luce delle candele di giorno, il pubblico può entrare all’interno del container.

Location: Corso Italia (Ge)

Containers Art is going to Genova, Italy!
opening next week!
1-container arts on ship 2. container arts in Kaohsiung, Taiwan 3. Genova port today.