Category: PICKS

THE ALPHABETICAL ROOM

December 23, 2023
by Ketsiree Wongwan
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TEXT: LIAD SHADMI
PHOTO: LIAD SHADMI & MICHAEL KOHLS

(For Thai, press here) 

The project ‘The Alphabetical Room’ is a systematic exploration of the boundaries and limits of writing within a strictly calculated mathematical three-dimensional grid within a flat digital space. Engaging with the three-dimensional grid in a two-dimensional digital space has always been an intriguing matter for graphic designers, programmers, creative coders, and visual artists.

 

Starting from Josef-Müller Brockmann’s grid proposal for the design of interior spaces in 1961, the perspective of the viewer changes throughout the pages of the leaflet as does the resolution of the three-dimensional grids in which the hypothetical letterforms are displayed. 

Also, I would like to thank Prof. Pierre Pané-Farré for guiding this project.

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Liad Shadmi is a freelance Graphic Designer and Art Director based in Hamburg. He graduated with honors from Shenkar College of Engineering & Design, one of the leading design schools in Israel. Liad specializes in Graphic Design, Brand Identity, Art Direction, Type Design, Print & Layout, and Web Design, with a strong emphasis on Typography in his work. He is passionate about researching design, particularly vernacular design, and believes that design should be rooted in deep and meaningful research. Liad strives to combine heritage and classic attributes with contemporary virtues.

liadshadmi.com

RESONANCES OF THE CONCEALED

October 7, 2023
by Ketsiree Wongwan
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TEXT & IMAGE: NAPASRAPHEE APAIWONG

(For Thai, press here) 

Resonances of the Concealed is an ongoing project that uses generative artificial intelligence (AI) to help create images that are not limited by conventional rules or expectations but are purely driven by my own imagination and intuition.

The images came from various sources of inspiration, from the seemingly insignificant subjects and themes in life to the more apparent and pressing concerns, and were presented in ways that the viewers can interpret the images according to their perspectives and experiences without being limited by any predetermined narratives.

The title refers to how I feel that the AI-generated images reveal hidden aspects of the artist’s personality, emotions, and inner world. The images are not literal representations of reality but rather symbolic expressions from my subconscious thoughts and feelings.

This project seeks to push the boundaries of photographic storytelling by utilizing AI to create images, challenging the importance of a traditional camera in an era when the definition of photography has become increasingly ambiguous.

Through this approach, I aim to spark meaningful conversations from the viewers about not only the interpretation of the images themselves but also the evolving nature of photographic art as well.

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pale flare (Napasraphee Apaiwong) is a self-taught photographer and visual artist based in Bangkok, Thailand. His work explores the themes of mental health, cycle of life, and beauty in little things, often overlooked, in life. He aim to challenge the conventional notions of happiness, sadness, and mortality. And to invite the viewers to reflect on their own experiences and emotions. He firmly believe that photography transcends the simple act of capturing moments. It becomes a medium for expressing the intangible, fostering human connections, and exploring the depths of our collective human experience

instagram.com/pale_flare

ZILLUSTATION

September 30, 2023
by Ketsiree Wongwan
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TEXT & PHOTO: ZILLUSTATION

(For Thai, press here) 

My interest and passion for the beauty of built structures since an early age have motivated me to travel to different cities and discover their unique charms. Memories have been transformed into architectural/map drawings interlaced with elements of painting. Unusual perspectives capture different urban landscapes in broader and more detailed views.

The work’s concept stems from a desire to explore into the astonishing births of cities, their history profoundly anchored and evolving over time, shaping every aspect of their existence. Particular focus is placed on architecture, which serves as an archive of a place’s past, present, and future.

Much like humans, cities develop their own distinct identity, characterized by unique features and beauty. The essence of this creative process lies in the endeavor to construct perspectives that enable the depiction of a place with great thoroughness and detail.  Using a pen, each line is drawn, one by one. The recreation of a city through each stroke of a pen feels like revisiting the city’s birth and growth through the passing course of time. 

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Karoon Jeamviriyasatean, an independent artist and owner of ZilluStation Studio who conveys his love and passion for cities and urban spaces through his fascinating pen strokes.

facebook.com/Karooncity
instagram.com/zillustation

INSTANT SCULPTURE

September 2, 2023
by Ketsiree Wongwan
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TEXT & PHOTO: CAN SUN

(For Thai, press here) 

The instant sculpture series created by Can Sun focuses on transforming and recombining daily objects and ready-made items into playful and self-mocking sculptures. Different objects are derived into one or more metaphors in his works, which is akin to writing poetry and the end result of these instant sculptures is recorded by photography. The artist combines different symbols and objects to form new images and associations that challenge traditional notions of sculpture art and photography.

The photographs in the series showcase Can’s unique perspective on the world. By contextualizing daily objects in new and unexpected ways, he invites the viewer to look at the world with fresh eyes and see the absurdity that surrounds us.

Humour is a key component of the series, as Can Sun uses it to both acknowledge and rebel against the absurdity of the world. The self-mocking sculptures created through the combination of different symbols and objects evoke a sense of playfulness and whimsy, while also serving as a critique of the society that surrounds us.

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Can Sun, 1992, born in China. Having already earned a bachelor of Arts and a master of Politics degree from China, he graduated with a Photography Master’s degree from the Royal College of Art in 2022 and now lives and works in London. Can Sun’s works mainly focus on the absurdity of the world and the relationship between people by taking daily objects that people tend to ignore as the subject of creation.

instagram.com/suncannot

CALL ME NABET

August 9, 2023
by Ketsiree Wongwan
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TEXT & PHOTO: THANABET CHANPREECHAYA

(For Thai, press here) 

Thanabet’s homesickness during his study aboard inspired him to create this fascinating collection of dioramas. Instead of traditional structures such as temples or traditional Thai architecture, he chose locations and scenarios that most Thai people can relate to and are fondly familiar with.

Thanabet’s first piece was a diorama of a public phone booth, which told its own story through traces of time, stains, bumpy pavement, and the tangled electrical lines that Bangkok is famous for.

Hua Seng Heng, a long-standing establishment selling gold bars and jewelry in the heart of Chinatown, is another remarkable piece. To acquire all of the necessary data, the development process comprises a variety of approaches and techniques, ranging from photography to drone flight to a three-dimensional scan of the building’s interiors and exteriors. Thanabet hopes that all of his works will transport people to locations and memories while they imagine themselves inside these miniature constructions.

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Thanabet Chanpreechaya is a painter who enjoys making dioramas. He holds a bachelor’s degree in animation from the United States and works as an administrator of the ‘CALL ME NABET’ facebook page.

facebook.com/callmenabet
instagram.com/callmenabet

THE ART OF TRAVEL POSTERS

March 28, 2023
by admin
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TEXT & PHOTO: ARTHUR VERGNE

(For English, press here) 

Travel posters began in the early 20th century as a form of powerful advertising. With their brilliant colors and ability to radiate a sense of adventure and exploration, they enticed people to travel the world. With my posters collection, I wanted to celebrate this beautiful country where I settled . As an architect, it is also a way to explore and highlight the richness of its temples and heritage. Inspired by the vibrant style of Japanese animation, these artworks seek to express all the diversity of Thailand in a romantic way. A mysterious pagoda under the moonlight, a golden rice field in the wind, a busy street under a vivid blue sky … 

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Arthur Vergne is a French architect and illustrator based in Chiang Mai for nearly 10 years. Aside from architectural design, he is creating a collection of posters depicting the beauty of Thailand.

instagram.com/arthur.illustration

NEW KHMER ARCHITECTURE

January 3, 2023
by admin
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TEXT & ILLUSTRATION: POUM MEASBANDOL

(For Thai, press here) 

Having an education in architecture, I am inspired by the works of Cambodian and foreign architects during the Sangkum Reastr Niyum between the 1960s and 1970s in Cambodia. I started researching and began collecting old photos of Cambodian modernist buildings and sharing my finds with social media. I found out that not many young generations knew about architects in the 1960s. In addition, there was still little research on Cambodian modernism in the country, and this architectural legacy was gradually being destroyed everyday. Witnessing this over the years motivated me to engage with the topic more intensively and to record it in the form of illustration.

In this graphic series New Khmer Architecture, I highlight distinctive elements of buildings designed by Cambodian national architects such as Vann Molyvann, Lu Ban Hap, Mam Sophana, Ung Krapum Phkar, and the works of foreign architects like Henri Chatel, Leroy & Mondet, Georg Lippsmeier, and others.

The creation aims to reminisce great past achievements and represent the unique Cambodian modern architectures in a new and impressive look and feel. The illustrations depict unique elements from each buildings. The result is a great homage to the pioneers of Cambodian modernism, whose legacy is slowly but surely threatening to disappear.

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Poum Measbandol is an architect based in Phnom Penh. He graduated from the school of architecture and design at Pannasatra University of Cambodia.