Sacrifice: A Conversation over Grievance Voicing, Adisak Phupa, Penwadee Nophaket Manont

열람 시간: 41mins

An interview between POOH and GAI

An interview about the making of artwork ‘Sacrifice’ between Penwadee Nophaket Manont (POOH), Independent Curator based in Bangkok, and her selected artist Adisak Phupa (GAI).
As part of Project-PRY#01, a collaboration of curatorial practices emphasizing the creation of a new platform to exhibit contemporary artwork that goes beyond the orthodox gallery space ― to address ecology, to embed curators and artists working within communities to define and enact social change, Penwadee Nophaket Manont has been traveling to Mahasarakam province to conduct curatorial research with a local community where the artist Adisak Phupa is based. Working together with the locals, the artist expects to put himself into an actual communal grievance and learn about their struggle to survive, in order to voice out about their dreadful fears of starvation over the pandemic. By using household utensils, Adisak presents a story that reflects the desperate submission of Isaan people to the ruling class and central power of Bangkok. Through their approach, the artist and curator have worked with the community, documented and narrated the vibrations of everyday life, the suppression by unjust structures, the limitation of choices between dream and distorted reality, as a record of those who sacrificed to power.

GAI: Which one?

POOH: The one that was closed down… How did you start at that time? How did you invest with friends?

GAI: There’s a cousin who was unemployed. He is a very skilled chef and could cook as we call… from Folk to Jazz; he can cook various kind of food, from Isaan to western style.

POOH: Is he your first cousin?

GAI: Yes, he used to be a chef in a hotel at Samui island. He’s very experienced, and it's quite interesting for me.

POOH: Where’s he originally from?

GAI: He’s from Yasothon, living in the same village as my hometown. So, I’ve asked another partner from Roi Et to invest together. He was also unemployed and interested to join. The property was just for lease at that time.

POOH: Was this the beginning of 2020? When was it started?

GAI: Approximately at the end of the year 2019. So, I agreed to pay for the lease of 60,000 THB.

POOH: Together or only you?

GAI: With the friend from Roi Et. Everyone thought it would become great, because we already had quite a chef.

POOH: Was it a shared investment of two people?

GAI: Yes, two people. We used hiring system with the chef, but he was OK not to be paid at first. He wanted to help and understood it was the beginning which would take much effort. We renovated and decorated quite a lot.

POOH: When was it officially opened?

GAI: November 2019.

POOH: Oh... it was actually opened since the end of last year. Where is it, far from the university?

GAI: In the middle of Mahasarakam city.

POOH: How far is it from the university?

GAI: More than 10K. We invested almost a hundred thousand each for decoration. It was all my savings...

POOH: Hmmm... The two of you lost a hundred thousand each?

GAI: Almost, we bought many things especially cooking equipment, for various kind of food. I also thought about making it an art gallery, creating activities and discussions for art students. It was like a normal fantasy we all have…

POOH: The shop looked nice, I saw in the pictures...

GAI: Well…before COVID-19 struck, people actually began to know about us a lot. My students began to come eat and talk about their work. People passing by started to stop by. We also did online delivery, we tried everything we could. Then, when COVID-19 situation started, we still insisted to keep it going. But when everything became silent, all restaurants were forced to close.

POOH: But at that time, the COVID-19 infection had not arrived here, right? Were there any cases in the area?

GAI: No, not in Mahasarakam. It was the time the government monitored which province can continue to open. Until the lockdown restrictions employed, everything was completely closed.

POOH: Even there were no cases, here was as well hit?

GAI: Yes, all the shops were under prohibition... We only saw people gathered in front of Seven-Eleven. They have all kinds of food, so people queued up full (high voice).

POOH: Prohibition meaning you needed to completely close?

GAI: Right, some had to be completely closed; people were not allowed to sit at the shop. Only take-away or online-delivery were permitted. But our style wasn’t like that; we made a restaurant for customers to sit in. And it's not just me. In total there were four people, including a chef's assistant.

POOH: It was you, a friend from Roi Et, chef and his assistant?

GAI: Right…so we decided to close down, because it was completely silent. The students went back to hometown. It was really quiet, like nothing was going on for awhile.

POOH: Was everywhere in Mahasarakam like that?

GAI: Yes, except for small shops, doing everything themselves. If it's tiny family businesses, they can survive.

POOH: What about the gallery part, had it been done yet?

GAI: Not yet, just painted the space. But I already presented students’ watercolor works to people who might be interested to reserve them. It was more like a pre-sale process, and later planed to show them there.

POOH: Is a friend from Roi Et an artist as well?

GAI: No, he’s…a rich kid (laugh).

POOH: But he’s interested in running a restaurant together?

GAI: At the moment he lost his job, became unemployed from Bangkok and came back to hometown.

POOH: And before that, what did he do?

GAI: He’s an engineer at a watch factory, Seiko I guess. Because his mother had cancer, he resigned to come stay at home. But when his mother passed way, he could no longer go back to work.

POOH: For the students’ artworks you contacted people, were they sold?

GAI: They hadn't decided to buy, but asked to see if they were interested.

POOH: But you had already dealt with the students about a show? What month was it?

GAI: Yes, the deal was made around New Year or a little after. But everything became closed down.

POOH: I thought the lockdown was around March, wasn't it? How about during January - February?

GAI: At the beginning, there’re first wave, then second wave… students then had to start studying online.
Our chef had to go back home to take care of his children, so we had to close the shop. It was actually starting to be well-known, due to our full effort. But when the lockdown measures hit, we were suddenly frozen. With the thought that it should be able to re-open around the beginning of semester, we continued paying half of the rent during April-May-June. The landlord was kind enough to let us leave our belongings there, because we all expected to open again. But, as mentioned about the chef that he could not help as much. His wife was also sick, so it coincided... we decided to stop.

POOH: How about the shop now?

GAI: We went to get all the stuff out. An old lady who’s the owner of the house rented to other people. At first, we’d announced for a lease, a lot of people were interested. But the rental fee went up, and no one fought for it.

POOH: Was there any attempt to try it again?

GAI: Yes, I talked to the partner even if the chef couldn't come, we would sell the Guay-Jub (rice flour noodles). We had tried, and it was still quiet (laugh). It was completely silent in Isaan. There’re approximately 7,000-8,000 'hidden population' in college who usually go back to hometown during school holidays.

POOH: Has your life changed, once everything must be stopped?

GAI: Definitely, my debt is getting more and more. Because there’s no more savings left, I sometimes must use the credit card. Before the investment, my cash flow was much better. I didn't expect this; I thought it would go well from the start. But, of course, I’m trying to find a way…

POOH: And from that point on, to the point of making the artwork… tell us about how you feel, and how it all started?

GAI: It has affected me in the first place. As I said, my savings… my dream that... (laugh) it’d be a business that could go well together with my career as a lecturer and an artist. But the dream was suddenly dropped and completely cut off. I turned out to start consuming lots of news about COVID-19, suicidal cases, registration issues of the No-One-Left-Behind1 project. That's all messed up.

POOH: Can you tell me how you started to work on the old pots?

GAI: As mentioned... when I run the shop at the beginning, before COVID-19 struck, I took my students to do field research for their Thesis process. I had bumped into the message "only 40 baht, you can buy, eat and become full". I then connected it with a pot, imagined how the same pot doesn't exist in a kitchen anymore, a gas stove is completely abandoned, and no more cups and plates in the kitchen. Usually, my family would have breakfast altogether before going to work, and dinner together in the evening. We rarely realize such social changes though these kinds of images. We often see the changes of an urban city through increasing numbers in a household or a dormitory. But, we never really look at it through a small family’s view how it has changed—the kitchen is not the same nowadays; family members have no time to eat together.

POOH: Was it because during the shop opening, you were into the subject of cooking?

GAI: It was a fringe… but anyway, I’ve always been into cooking (laugh).

POOH: When the shop had to be closed down, how and why did you start to work on the No-One-Left-Behind wordings on a pot?

GAI: Well, I drilled the other pot with "only 40 baht, you can buy, eat and become full" wordings before, but with an inverter air plasma cutter. I’ve felt the process was too quick. An artist friend has recommended me to try drilling nudge method, but somehow I still didn’t know how to. I’ve figured to use a hand saw.

POOH: What’s actually urged you to drill a pot again?

GAI: Of course, it was because of the issues about the No-One-Left-Behind project. I had previously worked on a pot concerning something about family or basic life structure. But for this one, I guess the idea has gotten deeper to survival issues. I also felt the challenge of trying the new process and technic I had never done before, but should be fun to make it matched up…

Adisak Phupa, Sacrifice

POOH: How did you feel when you actually start drilling?

GAI: I firstly felt for the injustice…how lots of people have been rejected by the state aid with various reasons, causing tons of people to have to claim for their rights. There were also increasing numbers of suicidal cases due to economic downfalls. So, I couldn‘t see…how 'no one‘ really left behind? I then started with looking for the right pot and collecting them first. Some pots are still in good condition. When I asked from my grandma, she wanted to know what I’d do with it…

POOH: How did you plan to ask someone?

GAI: Asking from someone I’m acquainted with first… or looking for the pots being used in unusual ways or no longer used. For instance, once I found some pots that seemed misplaced, overturned or placed on the floor, I’d ask if they still use it; some are in use, but not regularly. Whenever I went into retails, I’d also aim at each pot. Once, I walked around one house a few times, aimed at the same pot... then, I realized the pot was at the same place three days in a role. I went into another house next to it, to call for help if they could ask for that pot for me, because I didn’t know the other house’s owner who I’d like to ask for the pot.

POOH: How long did it take you to get the right pots? (laugh)

GAI: It depends; sometime I got it right away. But I always checked if they were still in use or not. Even it was actually broken… the ear was broken, but they still used it to roast dried chilies and roasted rice, because using a new pot for roasting could leave lots of traces. This was why they didn’t throw them away, no matter how broken it was. I was puzzled about what people should let go, but wouldn't. The ones I’ve got were almost dropped; some of them were still in use, but rarely.

POOH: What about the actual pot you use to make an artwork?

GAI: As I can remember, it was the first pot I dared to ask for. It's as close to the way I first thought, already broken but still kept for some other usage. This pot wasn’t in the kitchen... but at the barn, I think. It’s turned upside down, looked chipped and the ears were broken. I started to question why it was still there and asked if it was still in use or not. The owner asked back ‘Would you like to have it, Master?

I’d always be friendly with the community people. Because I came from outside the area, local people would call me Master Gai and talk about me as if I was a foreign matter. Villagers often know me first… When the owner asked if I would like to have the pot, I just simply asked back if it was still in use. She said some days they still used it to roast dried chili, but if I wanted it just take it. So, I did...

Adisak Phupa, Sacrifice

POOH: Why did you use such mindset when choosing pots to do this work?

GAI: Seems like it’s about something could be thrown away, but cannot be abandoned. I think there’s something superimposing in the story, which I am like that as well. As you’ve seen stuff kept in my house… I feel like throwing some away, but it might be usable one day. In the end, we do not give up, as if we realize it still has some benefit to us or may still satisfy us somehow.

I’ve interpreted the term ‘No-One-Left-Behind’ as if people need ‘to pull to get the longest end’. If you registered for the project fast enough or with some tricks, you tended to receive the fund. The government tried to show they support everyone, but what about those who didn’t get it. If the project planned out well and easier, it should be able to help all. In this case, a person is somewhat like a pot they are about to lose, so they try to maintain it, but not the same way. One pot that was once used to make soup, but in the end it’s just used for roasting chili. Because it's still somehow useful, people don’t dare to abandon it while not giving it the same value…

POOH: You have thought it very through… (laugh)

GAI: I had just blown away at that time. Who would have known one day someone will interrogate me like this! (laugh) Other people also thought it was crazy to see me drilling the pot and collecting many pots wherever I went.

POOH: Once you’ve got the pot, how did you initially feel when starting drilling process?

GAI: Even though the words struck me at first, but when it's become an artwork, it makes me feel more relaxed. I wasn’t thinking much at that time. Seeing the form, the material, the text, and solution to solve each making process obstacles made me feel like… it was cool (laugh).

POOH: After your attempt to finish it, what next?

GAI: I laid it out, looked at it and smile (laugh). I thought, wow… I accomplished something. I found the process quite new and very difficult at first, even made my wrist swollen. But it’s finally come out as close as I expected, so I wanted to try again. I then continued to drill the pot lid, as if I played with it.

However, it was still a matter of the poor people struggling to survive during pandemic crisis at the time. I just put myself into it and felt with it. It hadn’t been interpreted as poverty issues just yet, until we’ve discussed and developed the work together...

Adisak Phupa, Sacrifice

 

Adisak Phupa (b.1978, Yasothon, Thailand)

Adisak Phupa received a Bachelor's and a Master's degree at Mahasarakham University and Chiang Mai University respectively. He has become interested in installation art through the beliefs of ISAAN people, initially towards their traditional Rocket Festival. He has participated in group exhibitions include Jim Thompson Art On Farm project by Jim Thompson Art Center, Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand (2011/2012), Little Big Print at PSG Art Gallery, Silapakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand (2013), Common Exercises : Isaan Contemporary Report at Bangkok Art and Cultural Center, Bangkok, Thailand (2018), Ling Dao presented under KhonKaen Manifesto Pavilion at Biennale Jogja XV Equator#5, Yogyakarta, Indonesia (2019), Der Nang Der in Spectrosynthesis II–Exposure of Tolerance: #LGBTQ in Southeast Asia Exhibition (2019-2020), sacrifice as part of Project-PRY#01 at WTF Gallery & Café, Bangkok (2020-2021).

Asst.Prof.Adisak Phupa is also a lecturer at the Faculty of Fine Art, Mahasarakham University.

Project-PRY

Project-PRY derives from the dialogues among the three founding members and collaborating curators on the subject of surviving the current virus and political pandemic reality. How will art practitioners and art institutions reinvent themselves? And who will do the reinventing? Will the main stewardship lie with institutions themselves, or will it shift more toward the public?

The purpose of Project-PRY is to demonstrate the “immune systems” of society’s self-reflection through socio-political practice of contemporary art. When a “virus” such as the commodification of our senses attacks us, and the developing identity of the city’s life is challenged, the immune system is (or should be) active in restoring a plausible dialogue involving some sense of resistance. (Olafur Elaisson, 2003)2.

For Project-PRY#01, three chosen artists working with three curators to showcase artistic flexibility in solving problems and engaging with pressing social issues of often overlooked communities or regions. The project aims to encourage collaborations in artistic activities in order to respond to an urgent need to allow expression by long-suppressed critical voices of cultural activists.

Project-PRY 01: https://fb.me/e/VWfhlPqq