Ne- Na Residency, Monfai
Chiang Mai, Thailand
September -November 2014
In 2014, I had the privilege to work for 2 months as Artist in Residence at the Monfai Cultural Center in Chiang Mai, Thailand
It is both curious and insightful being an artist in residence. The artist becomes both a voyeur and an active individual in her surroundings. In this place she must learn a new role, absorb the culture and fit in..... well, as best she can...... to a family life, that is so culturally alien, it can overload the conscious mind.
And I wanted to immerse myself. Who are the people of Lanna,? How do they live, work, love? What are the roles of the men, women and children and how do they interact; behave; labour? What are their traditions, craft skills: and my special interest, farm?
The work here are just my first tentative steps in response to 2 short months at Monfai Cultural Centre.
Aesthetically I found myself particularly drawn to that wonderful material mostly untapped by Western culture and so impressively employed in Thailand - bamboo. I became fascinated, the tools made from it, ornaments, vessels, houses. And bamboo, became a metaphorical tool/vehicle to express my thoughts.
Thematically my work leans towards memory, the fragility of life and man's vulnerability to outside forces. I use materials and events from my surroundings (a farm in England) as inspiration and create sculptures that are unconsciously driven.
Two incidents led me to the work exhibited at Monfai, the sad loss of my hostess, Rampat's mother and the unexpected meeting I had with an American lady who is literally saving lives.
