The Tangible Tales

The Tangible Tales
A solo exhibition by Vipoo Srivilasa
At Art Jakarta 2022

JAKARTA CONVENTION CENTER, 26 - 28 AUGUST 2022

The migration route brings about skills, knowledge, and cultural exchange. Each nation has its own story and beliefs. Vipoo Srivilasa, a Thai artist who migrated to Melbourne, is interested in multiculturalism and Thai literature. Vipoo creates ceramic artworks based on the character from local myths and stories.

As shown in the character of Sita, for example, from the epic of Ramayana which is a common culture of India and Southeast Asia. Keaw-Nama (A horse-faced woman), a Thai classic romantic folktale, as well as the Gold Conch, another classic folktale about the prince who has born with a golden body. In addition to the Thai folktales, Vipoo also used the classic literature “Inao” influenced by the Javanese long narrative poem “Hikayat Panji Semirang”, and created the artwork in the series of Blossom Deity. The myths and beliefs of Southeast Asia also inspired his artwork, as we can see from the sculpture of Garuda and Nagas in his own creative characters, as well as other characters such as ghosts, elves, and gods that allow the audience to interpret it their own way.

In 2022, Vipoo created a new series from the research on Thai traditional painted ceramics porcelain “Benjarong”, a significant exchange of knowledge between Thai and Chinese artisans. This Bejarong painting is made on the Vipoo’s bear character, his signature character that is recognized to be Vipoo in Melbourne. It was sent to China to get the whitest porcelain in work and then sent back to Melbourne for gold, and then sent again to Benjarong painter in Thailand. This artwork is considered to use the skills and knowledge of people from different cultures.

Vipoo’s artwork is to be called the artwork that brings a hidden culture in literature, myth, and beliefs that are filled with stories beyond imagination such as transformation, epic battle, romantic love, and the supernatural comes out in the form of ceramic art for the audience to be able to appreciate.

“The Tangible Tales” is part of Art Jakarta 2022 which will be held at Jakarta Convention Center, Indonesia from 26-28 August 2022.

Presented by SAC Gallery, Bangkok