Thai artist Naraphat Sakarthornsap is undertaking a one-month residency at Rimbun Dahan in August 2024.
About the Artist
Naraphat Sakarthornsap is a Bangkok-based artist whose work explores societal inequalities and gender discrimination through the medium of photography and installation. Flowers serve as central motifs in his practice, imbued with profound symbolic meaning. These floral elements function as keys to unlocking the complexities concealed within his work, often reflecting his personal and emotional depths. Naraphat’s early artistic inquiries focused on the ephemeral nature of flowers, mirroring a broader exploration of challenges imposed by the natural world. Over time, this interest evolved into a critique of societal power structures, as expressed through his floral imagery. His work invites viewers to look beyond the superficial beauty of his compositions and to contemplate the deeper messages embedded within them. In doing so, Naraphat’s work resonates with the experiences of many who grapple with societal norms and inequalities.
www.instagram.com/naraphat_s/
www.naraphatsakarthornsap.com
About the Residency
Passport photo for the outsider
by Naraphat Sakarthornsap
The complex visa application process and stringent document checks faced by many Asian citizens highlight the unequal treatment of people based on one’s country of origin as indicated on their passports. In a similar vein, the garden within Rimbun Dahan can be seen as a microcosm of a nation, where the gardener is the supreme ruler. Cultivated plants represent legal residents, coexisting with ‘outsiders’ such as grasses, weeds, and creepers whose seeds are carried by wind or animals. These uninvited plants strive to establish their presence and claim the right to exist within a space that isn’t their native habitat. Their presence creates conflicts within the garden’s ecosystem, sometimes competing for nutrients with the primary plants selected by the gardener, yet simultaneously demonstrating a desire to secure a place to survive.
The attempt to capture the individuality of these plants through black and white portraits against a white background is akin to passport photos that establish a clear identity, serving as a starting point for seeking residency. This is a way to affirm their existence and claim the right to live, even as unauthorized outsiders. However, the ultimate decision-making power rests with the gardener, leaving these plants vulnerable to expulsion or eradication. This raises questions about the circumstances of these plants’ existence as outsiders. Will they be granted the right to coexist with other living beings when all life seeks a better place to thrive?
