PRELUDE: by Wittawat Tongkeaw

“… In a battle of thought attempting to contend for a meaning, in between moving forward and pulling back to reverse, they established a canny era in terms of thought and action. Among chaotic rumors within the discourse battle, no one knows that now is dawn or twilight or midnight that full of obscure darkness …

… Apart from the sincerity of what we do, being ourselves and doing what we feel are the things that artists must do. Everyone has diverse feelings for things around them. Everyone can do anything, think anything; but, one thing artists must realize is that artists must be responsible for what happens in the art history. As an artist, creating any works at any time is your choice; but when you do, those will be included in the national history. They are inscribed what you do in your own time.” - Wittawat Tongkeaw, April 2018

Having spent more than three years creating exquisite works of art, artist WITTAWAT TONGKEAW returns to the Bangkok art scene with his latest solo exhibition, entitled PRELUDE. In this series, he has immersed himself in literary and field research including meetings and interviews with victims who have effects and suffer from political and governing problems in Thailand and the conflict of opinion among Thai people.

All tragic experiences that the artist has learned are expressed through paintings, sculptures and installations. The subject in this series is still an investigation into the systems and regimes in Thailand—a place that is rich in beliefs and faiths. Since Thailand’s society is driven primarily by discourse and myth, the artist invites audiences to explore a bit the various phenomena occurring within Thailand’s social strata.  It’s an exploration that weaves its way through a variety of symbolic objects, as if to remind people to set forth questions pertaining to their own beliefs… and of the possible consequences of those beliefs.

The exhibition “PRELUDE” will be held on the first and second floor of Art Centre Bldg., SAC Gallery from 19 May until 1 July 2018. The official opening ceremony will be held on 19 May 2018, 6:00PM onwards.

"... ในพื้นที่แห่งสงครามทางความคิดที่พยายามต่อสู้เพื่อช่วงชิงความหมาย   ระหว่างการขับเคลื่อนไปข้างหน้าและการฉุดรั้งให้ย้อนกลับหลัง ได้ก่อให้เกิดยุคสมัยที่แหลมคมทั้งในทางความคิดและการกระทำ ท่ามกลางความสับสนอลหม่านของเรื่องเล่าที่ปะทะกันในสนามแห่งวาทกรรมนี้ไม่มีใครล่วงรู้ได้ว่าชั่วขณะนี้เป็นเวลาย่ำรุ่ง พลบค่ำ หรือเวลาเที่ยงคืนอันมืดมนอนธการ...