Noraset Vaisayakul went to the hospital earlier this year and paid 10,000 baht for an MRI scan of his brain. But there was nothing wrong with him. He just wanted the scan sheet and turned that into the centrepiece painting of his current exhibition "Fault Lines" at H Project Space.
Noraset and his paintings of an MRI scan of his brain.
Curated by Brian Curtin, it's a mixed media installation, but all the pieces by the 39-year-old artist — paintings, video, lines on the floor and interactive devices — tell the same story.
"The inspiration for this project came from my curiosity about how humans manipulate themselves and the behaviour of other people," said Noraset.
He began thinking about this project last year, when he contemplated his own behaviour; why his character is the way it is and why he thinks the way he does.
Noraset studied painting at Silpakorn University for both his bachelor and master degrees but he has always mixed mediums in his work. In his 2009 show "Subconsciouspace" at Gallery VER, he used a robot with a camera to try and explore the minds of viewers who interact with the work. In this exhibition, however, he said it is an examination into his own self, specifically his brain, with a much simpler method.
"The link between 'Subconsciouspace' and this show is how they are both a speculation and an experiment on human behaviour," said Noraset. "I think I'm more mature this time, the works are smaller, the mechanics used are much simpler but everything is clearer."
Noraset Vaisayakul.
In the low-lit gallery space, the golden glow from the background of the canvas makes a series of differently shaped brains which Noraset painted in blue look as if they were still alive and functioning.
"At first Brian asked me why I didn't just put the real scan result up," recounted Noraset. "But I didn't want to just put the information on display. It's the learning and understanding about myself through the process of painting. I use my hand and that's a link and interaction with the brain. There's some sort of manipulation and false representation through this process."
Noraset said he felt as if he was operating on his own brain. Every time he applied paint on canvas with his brush, "it was like cutting my brain open and learning how it works and functions, discovering the roots of my troubles".
"I read some research on the minds of serial killers," said Noraset. "Their brains are different from ordinary people. My theory is that the issues we have with society or with other people could be the result of the physical nature of each person's brain. It could be the rules and customs constructed by society that have turned some people into perverts."
The space also features a surveillance camera capturing movements of the viewers and a projector displaying them on the wall. Because the camera quality resembles that of a webcam with bad internet connection, the movements on the screen are delayed, creating a division between reality and one's representation. There are white lines on the floor, making a path that guides (or restrains) the viewers' experience in seeing each piece of artwork.
"This is an interactive part," said Noraset pointing to the camera installation. "It links to the white line on the floor. The small white square is a symbol of rules laid down by society. It challenges the viewers to react to this structure — to follow it or break away from it. The projection on the wall is like a mirror reflecting some truth in you, your soul maybe."
Further in, there's another painting of a brain on black canvas. This is placed next to a video installation showing Noraset himself moving in blurred slow motion in a dark sewer.
"The filthy environment reflects a really terrible period in life that I went through. It's something that's still hovering in my conscience. The projection on the wall and this are linked together because they are more of an image of my thoughts and dreams rather than a straightforward representation of the reality."
Noraset said that so far he has received good feedback about his work which was previously considered complicated and inaccessible.
"There's more of an element of science blending into the art. I'm still experimenting, I think there's a long way to go for the art to become more multidisciplinary."
"Fault Lines" on display until Nov 9 at H Project Space, H Gallery, Sathorn Soi 12.
Noraset’s video installation.
