Artist Thidarat "Mariem" Chantachua is known for using Islamic patterns, threads and embroidery but because she wears a hijab, people assume she comes from one of the three southernmost provinces. At the exhibition "Invisible Town", Thidarat reveals that she grew up near a landfill and waste management centre in the On Nut area of Bangkok.
"People expect me to embody a specific Islamic identity associated with the South. They seek this identity in me, but I don't even speak Malayu. Since I started wearing a hijab, people began to question me as if I am an outsider and not a true Bangkokian. I had never considered creating art about the On Nut landfill because it seems like an unsolvable problem. I simply want to change the image that people have of me as an outsider," explained Thidarat.
Since Thidarat's parents and relatives have garbage-related jobs, her house is located next to a waste management centre. They have lived there for several decades. When she was young, Thidarat didn't realise she was living in a polluted area.
"I am allergic to waste pollution, but I did not realise it until I travelled overseas. Walking in the rain abroad, I did not get sick because the air was clean. However, when I arrived home, I suddenly developed allergic symptoms," said Thidarat.
"In the past, there was not much hazardous waste, so the odour was not as severe as it is now. Currently, a waste-to-energy plant in On Nut emits a strong burning odour. Residents at a housing estate located near the plant have filed complaints and the plant shut down for a while, but it later resumed operations."
The exhibition title, "Mueang Lab Lae", in Thai refers to a hidden town in the folklore of Uttaradit. In the story, Mueang Lab Lae is a hidden town and inaccessible to most people. The English title, "Invisible Town", reflects this concept.
From left, Landscape Of Mariem's World and Landscape Of The Real World.
Landscape Of Mariem's World.
"According to the folklore, people rarely see Mueang Lab Lae. Those who are lucky enough to enter the town never return once they leave. The area where I live is similar to Mueang Lab Lae since people know very little about it. Even those who have the opportunity to visit do not want to revisit it," she said.
"I enjoy capturing photos to tell stories. While many people may have beautiful scenery in their homes, the photos of my neighbourhood depict recycling plants, incinerators and garbage cemetery trucks. 'Invisible Town' reflects the reality of where I live and resonates with my own life."
The exhibition begins with Landscape Of Mariem's World, which is crafted from embroidered cotton thread on fabric, and is displayed next to Landscape Of The Real World, created with oil paint on fabric. These two artworks were inspired by an abandoned waste sorting plant in On Nut. Thidarat explained that several plants in On Nut closed down at the end of the fiscal year. Landscape Of Mariem's World features Thidarat's signature Islamic patterns in black and white and utilises thread and embroidery as its medium. Meanwhile, Landscape Of The Real World was created with a painting technique which Thidarat does not often use.
Smog Town was inspired by a photograph taken by a journalist showing air pollution in several layers. Thidarat often uses strong contrasts like black and white fabric, but in this exhibition, she chose light-coloured fabrics to symbolise dust and pollution. She also used a mesh fabric layered on top of dyed fabric to create a visual representation of layered air pollution.
From left, Shape Of Air Pollution and Smog Town.
From left, Unrevealed Landscape 1, 2 and 3.
Three paintings -- Unrevealed Landscape 1, 2 and 3 -- were painted with Chinese ink which is another technique that Thidarat used to represent air pollution. She also combined other techniques such as embroidery and tie-dyed fabric to make paintings more intriguing.
"Chinese ink appears like dust and exhaust from car emissions. One painting was inspired by an area used for abandoning as well as washing garbage trucks. People in my neighbourhood see things like computers, printers and paper which are thrown away at the end of the fiscal year. Another painting was inspired by a waste incinerator. The blue and pink colours may look beautiful, but they symbolise something toxic. Most of my artwork includes embroidery of Islamic patterns to signify that I am Muslim and I live there," Thidarat explained.
Another side of the exhibition displays three large installations, Wall Of Falling Village 1, 2 and 3, which represents Invisible Town. Each installation was made from wrought iron and filled with numerous beverage cans. On the walls, there are geometric images inspired by colour tones often used by legendary artists like Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Ruiz Picasso.
Thidarat developed a strong passion for art at a young age. Despite coming from a low-income background, she worked hard to find the financial means to support her education and eventually earned her master's from the Faculty of Painting, Sculpture and Graphic Arts at Silpakorn University.
Due to her creativity, she has won several awards, including the Silpa Bhirasri Silver Medal Award at 33rd Exhibition of Contemporary Art by Young Artists in 2016 and Gold Prize at 38th Bualuang Paintings the same year. Additionally, she was selected to participate in the Artist in Residency at Fukuoka Asian Art Museum in Japan in 2016. During her residency, she learned how to incorporate Japanese fabrics into her work. Thidarat explained that artists applying for residency should present a new idea that utilises local materials to promote and reflect the local area. Later this year, she will be participating in the Artist in Residency at Fabrik Arts & Heritage in Australia.
From left, Transform Window 5, Wall Of Falling Village and Transform Window 4.
Smog Town.
Thidarat believes that waste pollution in On Nut is an issue no one wants to handle. Her neighbourhood is being ignored and overlooked much like an invisible town. But she does not expect the exhibition to have a big impact on the issue.
"I want people outside the On Nut waste management centre area to know the truth. Currently, there are many sustainable projects that allow middle- and high-income people to help others, but low-income people affected by waste pollution do not benefit from those projects. Since middle- and high-income people are the primary audience for art exhibitions, I hope they will see the actual issue. Moreover, if possible, I hope people will urge the government to establish more organisations responsible for managing waste sorting and recycling."
"Invisible Town" runs at SAC Gallery, Sukhumvit 39, until March 23. Admission is free. For more information, visit facebook.com/sacbangkok.
Wall Of Falling Village 1, 2 and 3.
