07/12/2024
Winter turns colorful sea of cosmos, greenery rice fields and shady mountains into living sculptures and installation art at Jim Thompson Farm in Nakhon Rachasima.
Opening this weekend (December 7, 2024), this year’s festival is more impressive with plenty of massive contemporary art works sitting harmoniously with beautiful landscape transforming the 96-hectare-farm into the exciting land art projects.
Curated by The Jim Thompson Art Center, “Art on Farm” brings nearly 20 Thai and international artists to the farm for creating site-specific works to dialogue with nature, architectural and Isan culture.
The participating artists are invited to work inside the farm with emphasizing on using local materials, craftsmanship, sustainability and eco-consciousness.
Marvelous shocking pink and orange floating installation “Trapping the Flows” by Thai architect collective all(zone) greets visitors at the entrance.
Inspired by bamboo fishing trap of Isan farmers, the collective creates floating architectural form moving and shading amid the wind blow and the sunlight.
“This moving architectural work dialogues with wisdom of Isan fishermen that crave movable bamboo trap inside there the fishing traps,” explains Rachaporn Choochuey, founder of all(zone).
After entering and taking the shuttle with local guild into the farm, visitors explore both newly commissioned works and permanent landmarks.
At the front of the farm, series of Pinaree Sanpitak’s 2018 steel sculptures “Breast Stupa Topiary” covering with greenery creeping trees sit harmoniously with surrounding nature.
Heading to the heart of the land, the sea of cosmos waving with the wind amid the backdrop of gigantic shady Phaya Phab Mountain which inspired many participating artists.
In the rice and cosmos fields, Nakprat Autthayota’s sculptures depicting Phaya Prab guardian and scarecrows - dressing in Isan costumes stands surrounded the nature.
At the first station near cosmos fields, Kuerkamol Niyom’s installation “Lan Siao Home” making a trail to explore other artworks with symbols and storytelling.
Begin the journey with Chata Maiwong’s massive inaction “Cocoon (Instinct)” made from bamboo, woods and recycled silks leftover from Jim Thompson’s fabric firm. Visitors are invited to sit on the transparent rock-shaped bench made of silk weaving and relax inside his greenery cocoon while looking up to see the blue sky.
Nearby Chata’s recreation, there’s another permanent landmark- colorful movable installation “People’s Tunnel” by Mit Jai Inn. Walking inside the tunnel, visitors can close up look his vivid abstract paintings on tripped canvases. Nearby is his work “People’s Pillar” made of the same materials of pained canvas and metal poles.
Continue the journey along the large cosmos fields, farm-goers confront with
Sanitas Pradittasnee’s new signature mirror sanctuary entitled “Pilgrimage Within” stands against shady Phaya Prab Mountain as the backdrop.
Stepping up to the house, smell of aromatic herbs welcome visitors. Nothing inside, except a couple white long sheets portraying the scenery of the outside landscape of cosmos fields and the sacred mountain upside down reflecting from Camera Obscura.
Sanitas creates inside-outside-in architectural sanctuary aiming visitors to reconnect nature and life.
“Visitors are invited to explore the inside, where they can take time for self-reflection and observe nature through the natural light projection of a Camera Obscura. The
sanctuary is surrounded by a growing forest, allowing viewers to witness the changes in nature over the years,” explains Sanitas.
Walking across cosmos fields, the festival-goers can take a rest under shady bamboo shelter weaving with variety of creeping flowers and plants attracting dozens of dragonflies. The massive architectural installation “Ligature” 2018- ongoing is created by architect collective thingsmatter comprising of Savinee Buranasilapin and Tom Dannecker. Since the farm housed this bamboo piece in 2019, the work has been yearly blended to the surrounding nature. Creeping plants gown upon the external structure, while protected the natural material from the sunlight and heavy rain. Naturally, the work now sits humble against the powerful sacred mountain.
Hidden in the land is invisible site-specific work
“Seven of Pentacles - Forest in Progress (2024-2026)” by Angkrit Ajchariyasophon.
Teamed up with a rare plant gardener, Angkrit plants 425 rare native Isan plants of 53 species - some are extinct - for his first year of the project. Aiming to restore biological diversity, the artists and his team plant these rare species in the mulberry field in the farm.
During the three-year project, the plants slowly grow up and fertilize the land. After finishing the project, the forest of rare plants will spread their branches refreshing the air for the future festival-goers and benefit to the farm’s sustainable management.
Explore more works at the ancient Isan wooden house located near the rice field. Named “Mrs Sarai House”, it houses impressive abstract paintings and unique ceramics by veteran artist Somluck Pantiboon. These colorful paintings dialogues to the scenery surrounded the house, while his ceramic pots in primary shapes as well as a large paddy rice perfectly fit in the courtyard.
More highlights are housed in the Isan Village surrounded by rice fields.
Navin Rawanchaikul’s mini truck with wooden poster board “Lost in the Farm” is another permanent collection at the farm since 2017. The billboard depicts joyful lives of the farm’s owners and their teams in this farm.
Housed in an old house near Navin’s truck, the exhibition of architectural projects by Columbia students is among the highlights.
As a lecture at Columbia University’s Gaduate School of Architect,
Rachaporn turns the farm into field-study class for her graduate students. They resides here and created degree projects.
The fruit of residency is exhibited in one wooden house which inspired some students. On display are models, fabrics and video. Interestingly, some projects present ideas of how to make use these dead-house into lively residency studios, while some projects suggest sustainable exterior designs by planing trees harmonious with these houses and can use then for respiring the old houses.
In cordyard, Kelsey Merreck Wagner weaves her new textiles from recycled cottons found at the farm and plastic wastes she collected from Mekong River. Spending over 100 hours, she finished two long plastic textiles and hangs “Golden Land Project River” and “Land and Mountains” above her loom.
Giles Ryder also uses recycled found objects at the farm to recreates his colorful light installations decorating these ancient houses.
Sittikorn Khawsa-ad reinterprets Isan merit making tradition of “Boon Pha Wet” through his contemporary mural painting on canvas.
This tradition is related to the Jataka tale of Phra Maha (Prince) Vessantara, which deals with the 10 virtues that the Lord Buddha demonstrated in his last incarnation before becoming the Buddha.
Based on Jataka tale, the artist inserts contemporary stories of local villages in his homeland Rod Ed who are facing land conflicts with the bureaucratic and the issue of forest protection into his new murals.
In Bounpaul Phothyzan’s 2017 installation “Lie of the Land”, metal bombshells have been repurposed as planters filled ferns expressing strong message about the resilience of the human spirit and one’s ability to innovate in the face of obstacles in his homeland, Laos during Cold War.
Giles Ryder’s light insulations co
There are many more activities to learn and play with Isan’s essence, such as the ‘Lam Lok’ Molam exhibition, the ‘American Isan’ exhibition accompanied by country music, and the Rice exhibition, which will feature daily workshops like rice tasting, roasted rice tea tasting We also have traditional Isan and Korat architecture on display, along with workshops like indigo dyeing, ceramic crafting, and making traditional Isan desserts.
At pottery station, 93-year-old pottery master Bank demonstrates how to make traditional Korat pottery. Meanwhile the veteran candle craving master show how to make dedicated candles for making merit in Isan culture.
Contemporary ceramic artist Somluck collaborates with “Dan Kwian” pottery master Mien Singtalay to create collectible pottery collections including coffee cups, blows, plates, tea sets and vases. They are available at the festival.
Live morlan performances show during the festival held from December 7, 2014 to January 1, 2025.
Photos by ANN : Art News Network and courtesy of Swita Uancharoenkul for The Jim Thompson Art Center
