TEXT & PHOTO: DONLAPORN CHANACHAI
(For Thai, press here)
In early 2020, the world has experienced its greatest collective threat in the modern era. We are required to change and adapt to new requirements for our lifestyle, which ultimately is for our own survival. The ongoing crisis seems to get more and more serious every passing day. Our ability to go out into urban areas and public spaces has been curtailed, while physical and social interactions are becoming foreign to our daily routines. “Physical Distancing” and “Social Distancing” have become norms, which dictate our indoor and outdoor life. Our avoidance of close personal and conversational activities has morphed into a rule that our society has to live by.
When there are less activities outside and we spend most of our day at home, the emptiness of the streets allow us to clearly see the makeshift signs and messages on them in urban and public spaces or in front of shops and stalls. These usually-handwritten notices and directives serve to warn passersby and patrons about the required changes in routine. They are also a good indicator of both calmness and chaos of our society as we battle through this period. They are spoken directly to us. And we cannot help but wonder about the feelings and the moods of their owners and how they have to struggle to live through this crisis.
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Donlaporn Chanachai is a co-founder of Cloud-floor, an architectural practice focusing on research and design works that contribute to the development of urban and public spaces. Her interest also includes documenting daily routines and lives of city dwellers using various mediums, including photography, creative writing, mapping, as well as installation art.