Category: PICKS

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.