Tag: Barry Macdonald

PHOTO ESSAY : THE FABRIC OF SOCIETY

September 22, 2024

by admin

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TEXT & PHOTO: BARRY MACDONALD

(For Thai, press here)

‘The Fabric of Society’ is a metaphor that refers to the underlying structure, relationships and interconnectedness that hold a society together. Just as fabric is made up of individual threads, woven together to create a cohesive whole, the Fabric of Society is composed of various elements such as shared values, norms, laws, institutions, and cultural practices. These bind individuals and groups together, and make us all a part of the common thread of society as a whole.

Phaa Bai (blue & white plastic tarp) is the flag of the working class, but everyone’s life depends on it. Every meal we eat, the food is grown, fished, transported, sold, cooked or eaten with Phaa Bai being involved somehow in the process. All construction, plumbing and electrical work will rely on this versatile material, every building has needed it at some point. All of the things that we buy might have used Phaa Bai for the transportation, storage or even making entire market stalls. Floor, table, walls, roof and all. From simple objects on the street to the most precious Buddhist Statues in a temple, Phaa Bai is trusted to protect them all.

This project is about Phaa Bai, but is also about society as well. Through focusing on Phaa Bai you can see globalisation and homogeny of design, with everyone using the same products from the same suppliers. Environmental issues of plastic production, reuse and upcycling, as well as the Thai flair for improvising materials into new forms and functions. It is also linked to issues with migrant workers and the trades they take up in Thailand, and how they sometimes live in housing constructed with Phaa Bai.

Without it the country would not be able to function, It is literally the embodiment of the social fabric.

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Barry Macdonald (born in 1984) is a freelance photographer from London, England. He started off shooting musicians and found out about the enjoyment of travelling from going on tour with bands around Europe and the USA. His work has evolved into a hybrid of street and documentary. He is interested in sociology and tries to look at culture and human nature through his photography. He has lived in Bangkok since 2022.

barrymacdonald.co.uk
instagram.com/barrymac84

PHOTO ESSAY : DIY THAI CHAIRS

March 10, 2024

by Ketsiree Wongwan

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TEXT & PHOTO: BARRY MACDONALD

(For Thai, press here)

I am a photographer and I have been documenting the DIY-repaired chairs of Thailand’s streets. When something is broken it is not thrown away, but mended with found materials and given a new lease of life. Where some people would see a useless piece of furniture, the people who repair the chairs see possibilities and solutions. These chairs can be found everywhere from motorcycle taxi stands to markets, public seating is limited and making your own place to rest is important.

The designers and engineers are normal people who use their ingenuity and the best of up-cycling and recycling philosophies to make their creations. A lot of the time the design is purely practical, but sometimes it creates a different kind of beauty when assembled from lots of different materials. Techniques such as carpentry, weaving, tying, welding, glueing, cable tying, carving, taping, bungee cording etc are all employed. Sometimes the objects around can become part of the support, and the street and the chair merge, like the chair that sits inside the tree branch to make an armchair.

Cheap products that break quickly encourage waste and more consumerism, the art of repairing anything we own is becoming lost as companies employ planned obsolescence. These chairs symbolise urban design, working with the restrictions of damage and limited materials, to create seating that makes working on the street possible. These kinds of skillets are important as global resources become limited, the mindset to repair and not replace will be just as important.

I think the resourcefulness and flexibility of these designers is an important part of the fabric of Thailand, and should be considered and embraced when planning the future of public spaces.

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Barry Macdonald was born in London, UK. His dad used to take photos with a 35mm film camera as a hobby and taught him how to use it when he was quite young. He had his own film camera by the time he was 15. The camera opened up a way to interact with the world that made sense to him. Composing a frame and timing the moment brings satisfaction when everything falls into place. His camera has allowed him to travel and meet a lot of people, and he is always grateful to it for changing his life and helping him make sense of the world.

instagram.com/barrymac84

PHOTO ESSAY : CHRISTMAS IN THAILAND

March 4, 2023

by Ketsiree Wongwan

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TEXT & PHOTO: BARRY MACDONALD

(For Thai, press here)

Christmas in England and most Christian countries is our main holiday and celebration of the year. In the dark and cold winter months it is something to look forward to, a chance to spend time with family and loved ones. The whole country shuts down for a few days, with New Years so close they become intertwined. It’s a chance to celebrate, rest and reflect on the year that’s gone, and the one that’s about to start. I got to spend Christmas 2022 in Thailand, and was fascinated by how enthusiastic Thai people were about it. From giant shopping mall displays, to office Christmas parties and secret Santa’s between friends, so many of the traditions were embraced fully or slightly altered to fit Thai culture. It was interesting to see Christmas interpreted through a different culture and I hope my project shows the spirit of Christmas in Thailand.

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Barry Macdonald was born in London, UK. His dad used to take photos with a 35mm film camera as a hobby and taught him how to use it when he was quite young. He had his own film camera by the time I was 15. The camera opened up a way to interact with the world that made sense to him. Composing a frame and timing the moment brings a satisfaction when everything falls into place. His camera has allowed him to travel and meet a lot of people, and He is always grateful to it for changing his life and helping him make sense of the world.

instagram.com/barrymac84