When we first met French sculptor Paulo Grangeon, he broke out his business card in a casual manner. But it was no boring, rectangular card we're used to seeing everywhere. Grangeon's card was black and white, and, obviously, shaped like a panda.
Surrounding the 65-year-old artist were, you guessed it, papier-mâché pandas in different shapes and sizes. He picked the pandas up, putting them on his lap and shoulder, all the while flashing a bright smile to the camera.
"In my family, my name is now Papi Panda," he said with a laugh.
Since the beginning of this month, Grangeon's pandas -- all 1,600 of them -- have been making the rounds in three-hour flash mobs at different landmarks throughout Bangkok, as well as in Ayutthaya and Chiang Mai. The pandas always pull huge crowds wherever they go -- from Hua Lamphong train station to the Giant Swing.
The 1600 Pandas+ World Tour was launched in 2008, as a collaboration between the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Grangeon, who led the creation of the 1,600 pandas to match the number of pandas living in the wild at that time. Reportedly, since the inception of this project, the population of wild giant pandas has increased by 17%.
The cuddly black and white troupe has been making rounds across the globe from Europe to Asia to advocate for animal conservation. They were brought to Thailand with support from Central Embassy, AllRightsReserved, the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.
"The world loves pandas, and for me it's the best one," he said. "We even have copies in China, with my name on them, but I'm not really happy about that."
All the papier-mâché pandas, said Grangeon, were made in Thailand. He was first introduced to the Thai papier-mâché technique in Frankfurt in 1999. And the fascination brought him to our shores, straight to the locals in the central part of the country with whom Grangeon now shares a close working relationship. He currently employs local Thai women to make his troupe of pandas based on the first models he constructed.
"All of the pandas are still being made in Thailand," he said. "It has to be this place only, as it all began here. The women have been with me for a long time. Some people have proposed that we do this elsewhere at a cheaper cost, but I said no. I respect the people here and so we'll continue it this way."
The art of panda-making is clean, remarked the artist. Each panda was handmade with recycled paper, rice glue and water-based paint. It requires no factory or engine. At the end of each exhibition, the pandas can be "adopted" by the locals, and all the proceeds go towards WWF's ongoing effort in conservation of wildlife and endangered species.
The panda flash mob at Hua Lamphong train station.
"We make sure the pandas find families, and then we make them all again," said Grangeon. "For an exhibition, it takes around 40 people to complete the work -- and we're talking about thousands of pandas. It's an ongoing occupation for the locals, too."
It delighted Grangeon to see his papier-mâché creations finally touring their birth country. He especially loves having young visitors and small children coming to the flash mob.
"We hope the pandas open their eyes to something. At the end, something stays in the head of the people. That's the most important part for me."
Grangeon remarked that the pandas are just one side of his life, taking up two to three weeks of his time per year. His other side revolves around other forms of artwork. Grangeon used to study architecture and fine arts before beginning to work in sculpture and woodwork design, which makes him quite adept to various techniques in artistry. Even his family members are also artists.
When he's free from his panda business, Grangeon often organises ceramic workshops for children, as well as operates a gift shop with his wife and family in Grenoble, France. He is now looking forward to being a "nice" grandfather to his grandson.
The artist admits that, since his fame is so tied to the pandas, it's quite difficult for him to break away from his current image.
"It's hard to change. Even my agent won't really let me do other things. I also want to prove that I can also do something else with papier-mâché."
Grangeon said he's looking into making a rooster next year to fit the Chinese zodiac year for 2017.
"Maybe we can make a thousand of them, in flashy colours?"
While the artist remains tight-lipped about the pandas' next destination, he said he would love to see them under cherry blossom trees in Japan, or even on the Great Wall of China.
The 1600 Pandas+ World Tour in Thailand will be exhibited on G Fl., Central Embassy, until April 10. Panda adoption is available. Visit 1600pandasplusth.com
