| EXHIBITION |
Group
Terraformation
Nipan Oranniwesna, Chris Chong Chan Fui, Jedsada Tangtrakulwong, and Disorn Duangdao
Terraformation
11 March - 5 June 2023
Artist: Nipan Oranniwesna, Chris Chong Chan Fui, Jedsada Tangtrakulwong and Disorn Duangdao
Curated by Kittima Chareeprasit
Selected works from the collection of AMARC, Bangkok and MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang Mai in cooperation with the ART FOR AIR project. At MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum
MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum presents Terraformation, a group exhibition featuring artists Nipan Oranniwesna, Chris Chong Chan Fui, Jedsada Tangtrakulwong, and Disorn Duangdao. Curated by Kittima Chareeprasit, the exhibition will run from 11 March to 5 June 2023, showcasing selected works from the collection of Asia Medical and Agricultural Laboratory and Research Center (AMARC), Bangkok, MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum, Chiang Mai, and a private collection from the artist - Mit Jai inn - in collaboration with the ART FOR AIR project.
Terraformation is an exploration of the relationship between humans and their environment, focusing on the ways in which humans have transgressed upon or otherwise significantly transformed the earth's landscape. Through a range of media including painting, sculpture, video, photography and installation, the artists in this exhibition examine the ecological, social, and cultural impacts of human intervention on the natural world.
‘Terraformation’ refers to the process of modifying an otherwise hostile planet’s characteristics to match those required for the sustenance of human life, whether it be the atmosphere, temperature, geography, or even ecology to approximate Earth. This can be often observed in numerous science-fiction media, where humanity must take to the stars in search of other planets to settle. In these stories, the reasoning for mankind’s exodus to this ‘New Earth’ often boils down to the destruction of the old, an inevitable consequence of continuous human expansion. Robbed of her resources, the Earth no longer has the vigor to sustain any organic life.
As such, the works in this exhibition not only lay bare the issues, but also the paramount importance of nature. The artists will take audiences through an exploration of the destruction of natural rock formations in the Mekong River in Chiang Kong District, Chiang Rai Province, to accommodate a deep-water route for large shipping boats; the ways of life of the fishermen living along the Chi River in the Northeastern region, which must
constantly adapt to changes within the ecosystem; the nefarious efforts at protecting the corporate interests of the Malaysian birds-nest industry, bringing about unspeakable consequences for countless small lifeforms; to the days of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left us unable to interact with others in person as before. These works remind us that humanity’s fate will always be directly tied to nature’s well-being, and any tampering with that process can have unfathomable consequences on all of mankind.
Science-fiction would have us imagine a future on an infinity of new worlds, filled with clear waters, pristine air, and abundant natural resources enough for every human alive. But all of these things still remain mere optimistic imaginings of our own making, and are unavoidably close to the truth currently confronting humanity.
This exhibition is part of the second edition of ART for AIR, a contemporary art festival aimed at promoting awareness of the numerous issues surrounding the air pollution and environmental crises. The ART for AIR Festival will be held across the entirety of Chiang Mai Province, scattered throughout a multitude of notable art and/or cultural spaces. More information can be found at https://www.artforair.org/
Installation View
