Light, Life, Live: Open studio with artist Anurak Tanyapalit
Wednesday, April 3, 2019, 6:00 – 8:00 PM
In English with Khmer translation
Sa Sa Art Projects, #47 St 350 (off 95)
Anurak' residency is made possible through the support from Rei Foundation.
During the first few weeks Anurak collected flies lying dead on the floor of Sa Sa Art Projects every morning. They were roaming lamps the night before. He was particularly drawn by a book by Yuval Noah Harari, “Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind,” which traces the development of human actions and inventions on the planet over time and their impacts. Like these flies, perhaps we can see that they come to life and then die, because of the night lamps – a human invention. The artist turns the flies into a sculpture in an organic form as if a hive floating in the air.
Anurak is impressed by the diversity of Phnom Penh art communities who are from various backgrounds and disciplines including architecture, design, performance, film and art. Furthermore, above Sa Sa Art Projects' office, there is a non-profit organisation, Rainbow Community Kampuchea, who dedicates to support Cambodian LGBTQ communities. The artist is interested in the multiplicity and shared presence of these communities. For the Open Studio, the artist invites the audience to bring their personal fragrance such as perfume, essential oil, or shampoo to create a shared space of smell. The fragrance of various personalities diffuses in the gallery space creating a sense of shared, invisible, yet connected collective space. Anurak was also thinking about the recent recently PM2.5 air pollution in Chiang Mai and its impact caused by humans.
The artist observes the similarity between Cambodian and Thai culture, from food to folklore and superstition. Drawing reference from Thai Krasou and Khmer Arb, Anurak installs a few clusters of flickering lights floated by balloons throughout the space. The work also recalls the changes in Phnom Penh city with new buildings and night lights and the increasing experience of alienation we have in the city. Next to the light and balloon installations are two videos - blue sky and rainy night sky - which the artist filmed on 24 March 2019, the day of Thai election. They seem to hint at before and after happenings. Anurak will release the light and balloon installations at the Open Studio.
