FIVE EMERGING THAI ARTISTS JOIN FORCES UNDER A COLLECTIVE AIMED AT ACCOMPANYING THEM THROUGH THE PROCESS OF QUESTIONING THEMSELVES, WHAT THEY’VE LEARNED AND WHERE THEY’RE HEADED.
“TAIGERS is a made-up word referring to young artists who find themselves in this dead time zone after taking the jump from art school to the art world,” describes the wall text at the recent first exhibition of the collective’s efforts held at NACC in Bangkok. “As a student, it is sometimes difficult to be taken seriously – you’re not yet the professional you aspire to be, you’re still learning, in the process of becoming. Graduation comes around, you’re still not quite there yet and yet have to start fending for yourself, away from the comfort and support of art school.”
Video interview with Anon Chaisansook © Taigers
art4d caught up with Pierre Béchon, Co-director of TARS Gallery to learn more about what the TAIGERS project aims to facilitate and foster.
Could you introduce the TAIGERS project, what its objective is and how you got involved?
Pierre Béchon: The project is supported by myself and TARS Gallery as well as Pokchat Worasub, the manager of the TAIGERS project. Together we kind of carry them while at the same time helping them to understand and generate their own language in the professional art world. TAIGERS selects young artists for the quality of their works, their maturity and their eagerness to be a part of the larger art scene. We provide support during the creation process and organize exhibitions to showcase the works. At any rate, creativity needs an audience.
Video interview with Pim Sangwarnphan © Taigers
Are there any similar characteristics to the ‘TAIGERS’ that you saw coming through, either in the artists’ works or their character/approach toward artistic practice?
PB: In terms of the artistic approach, not really. When you look at the exhibition, it is really difficult to create or find a related topic or theme for the show and we didn’t intend to do so. The first edition of Taigers had to work as a window of possibilities like a beta version in the programming/ computer world of what will eventually find a more defined form/content. But we do have to say that the way we selected the artists was in an individual manner, so we were looking for individuals. That’s why the content is so eclectic.
Of course bringing together these young artists under one name while also being aware of the importance of keeping their individual identities creates friendships and eventually may lead to further collaborations between them.
Video interview with Napat Vattanakuljalas © Taigers
In your opinion, what is most needed within Thailand’s art community in order to successfully support young and up and coming artists?
PB: Financial support, spaces and programs dedicated to push, help and guide these young artists that are done with their studies and are too young to be trusted, followed or supported by the professional art fields such as galleries, museums, collectors, curators, critics and so on. By using TARS Gallery as an argument for them, these young artists are able to gain some credit for what they are doing and the quality of it.
Video interview with Thanart Rasanont © Taigers
Plans for Taigers 2? In what ways do you hope for the project to evolve from here?
PB: The next Taigers, not only the second but others as well, will include much more in terms of the question of curating, scenography and facilitation of dialogues between the artists themselves.
Video interview with Alisa Chunchue © Taigers
PB: It think it is important to keep questioning what you are doing if you don’t want to fall into the boredom created by your own satisfaction. For me, interesting artworks are not necessarily the ones that are justified by mastering a technique or process, but more so the ones questioning the forms and possibilities of creation. So that’s our aim for the next upcoming exhibitions, not guiding or organizing things but more so stimulating these young artists to generate questions that could lead to interesting projects, works and future exhibitions.
