People of Ari hosted a flower installation by Naraphat Sakarthornsap between 12-27 March 2022 at PoA Glass Box, Yellow Lane. Naraphat was inspired by the dichotomy of diversity within the Ari community. On one hand you have sois of extremely wealthy families with their large homes perched within manicured gardens and isolated behind high walls. On the other hand you have areas like soi Satsana where lower income families live side-by-side in nestled harmony. The two communities couldn't be more different, yet they coexist within several hundred metres of each other. To highlight this dichotomy, the artist uses the marigold flowers in the reflection of sunlight.
Sunlight originates from the same source, yet how it ultimately reflects in our lives is always unique, shaped by the physical structures of our world around us. Naraphat explores this idea by capturing the sun's reflection through the windows of three soi Satsana homes, and exhibiting them into our building. In doing so he temporarily builds a bridge between these two polar-opposite communities, giving us a glimpse into our neighbours' unique world.
The flowers in this exhibition are a very fitting medium because they are beautiful at their prime, but their existence is always fleeting. Those who experience this exhibition are wowed by the beauty of the flowers and the message behind them, but eventually they move on with their lives and largely forget the experience. Similarly the bridge built between these communities through this exhibition will wilt away, and again these two groups will continue to exist, so close, but so far away. Marigolds were used due to their egalitarian and spiritual associations in Thailand. Commonly used as offerings for spirit houses and temples, no matter the socio-economic standing, the flower's temporal qualities are universally valued
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Naraphat Sakarthornsap Lives and works in Bangkok. In many of his works, Naraphat Sakarthornsap presents stories of inequality in the society and gender discrimination through photography and installation art, in which flowers play the leading roles. Many kinds of flowers that Naraphat uses usually comes with profound meanings. Those flowers have become the keys to finding the answers that are neatly hidden in the works of art. And sometimes the photographs of these delicate flowers of Naraphat may possibly come from the deepest part of his devastated heart.
Naraphat’s early works presented the challenge against nature in trying to prolong the freshness of the flower before he develops the ideas to become the challenge against power and influence in the society through the pictures of these flowers. Therefore, do not believe in what the flowers in front of you appear to be. But look for the messages these flowers are hiding. Perhaps, what Naraphat is facing and trying to present is the same as the ones many others are inevitably struggling with, over the standards in the society, where inequalities are all around them.