“The artworks, grand in scale but introspective, embody the paradox of what people, numbering in the millions around the globe, relentlessly seek and strive for – a quest for emotional security, a pursuit commonly known as ‘stability’.”–introduction to the Illusion of Stability exhibition
After visiting the sacred Buddhist ruins of Ayutthaya, Thailand I returned to Bangkok and spent some time in Talat Noi, a historically important, Chinese-influenced ‘vintage’ area in central Bangkok near the river (more on that in the next post). There was a new art exhibition in that area in a gallery at the River City Centre. The first solo exhibition, The Illusion of Stability, by the internationally acclaimed artist WAL, also known as Wal Chirachaisakul, on display from March 21 to April 23 2024. It was stunning but also philosophically provocative considering the current political climate in Thailand and what many people there say is a military dictatorship ruled by the Thai Royal Family since the military coups in 2008 and 2014 [1]. The curated artworks, without explicitly referring to politics, covered themes of diet, junk food, lack of ‘nutrition’, material and inherited wealth, military power, aristocratic/royal privilege, death, beauty, the fragility of ‘woman’ and our ‘bodies’ and ‘souls’. Here is my brief review of the exhibition and works below.
The River City Bangkok Art Centre is not what one would expect from a contemporary art gallery. Having spent years in London and visiting the many galleries there (as well as other major capital city art centres), it was strange to see art exhibits and galleries in a shopping mall for those with expensive tastes. Nonetheless, the exhibition immediately caught my eye among the various others on show there.
The introduction to the exhibition reads:
“This exhibition is a curated collection of WAL’s oil paintings over the past 5 years, inviting viewers to peel back the layers of strength and delicacy, solid yet fragile, substantial yet ethereal. The artworks, grand in scale but introspective, embody the paradox of what people, numbering in the millions around the globe, relentlessly seek and strive for – a quest for emotional security, a pursuit commonly known as ‘stability’.
The artist fervently hopes that this exhibition will encourage viewers to explore what they currently hold. Sometimes, what humans perceive as the utmost security and certainty might also be a manifestation of ‘instability’.”
There were several paintings that included skulls, gold coins, treasure boxes, golden masks with eyes closed, beautiful women eating ‘silver’ and ‘gold’ caskets and an army/military person with coins for eyes. The presence of death, money, consumption and the military in these works was a clear theme. Other works dealt with the ‘fragility’ of our lives and souls, with the words ‘body’ and ‘soul’ on the floor and pillars, and ‘joy’ and ‘fragile’ in the paintings themselves.
Another theme WAL focused on is woman/the feminine and its fragility yet objectification, one with a woman wrapped in postage tape bearing the words fragile, another of a Statue of Liberty bust wrapped in the same. Interestingly, WAL generally used non-Thai (or mixed race Thai with Caucasian features) women for several of these images too. One of the paintings depicted a woman eating a silver casket and the words ‘Joy’ painted in gold behind her. Another had a woman wearing a T-Shirt with the words in French ‘I love music’ eating metal coils. On the one hand, it was all too obvious what the artist was saying, on the other hand, perhaps not. One still had to read into the works what could possibly be meant by them. Other works as a contrast depicted women in more powerful poses and stances, playing guitars together against a backdrop of street art, women’s liberation via music and the freedom to wear what they want.
The most cryptic/interesting artworks (for me at least) were the paintings of the traditional Thai Chada headdress without any head wearing it (an invisible head) which also seemed to be melting. A reference to the intense heat/burning season weather in Thailand, perhaps? Another particularly striking painting was a skull atop some kind of Buddhist ritual offering plate with the words’ RETIRED’ painted in gold, with coins coming out of its eyes and surrounding it. A message perhaps of how futile accumulating wealth and greed is when we all face the same ‘retired end’ of death.
When I visited Thailand, I was surprised to learn that it is still one of the few Asian countries which has the lese-majeste laws that state a person can be prosecuted and imprisoned for criticising the royal family. Generally seen by most liberal, democratic nations as an illberal law indeed, and one whose use in Thailand has become an increasing concern of the UN on human rights on freedom of opinion and expression. Considering how liberal Thailand is in other aspects (particularly in relation to sex workers) such ‘gagging’ of public opinion was odd indeed, especially for a Brit like myself used to seeing the British Royal Family regularly and mocked and satirised in publications like Private Eye and comedy TV shows, like Spitting Image [2]. Another Asian country that has such laws is Bhutan, which has only recently had some kind of democratic accountability instituted there.
For that reason, the exhibition by WAL, although perhaps not so obviously or intentionally, seemed to be even more so a brave and powerful symbolic critique of greed, organised religion, the military and aristocratic wealth and how death strikes even those with masses of material wealth. Of a youth and nation prevented from speaking openly and freely about such matters, according to most of the young Thai people who spoke about it to me privately (for the record I am not involved in any Thai political movement though and am merely reporting what I heard in person while there). In fact, while I was in Thailand I visited mainly Buddhist temples and it seemed ‘on the surface’ at least to be a very liberal, free, well-developed country that many foreigners wanted to visit and understandably even settle there.
Most of all, I came away with a message of the glaring sense of a ‘lack of genuine nourishment and fulfillment’ mentally, spiritually and physically, despite excess luxury and wealth, and the mass commodification and objectification of women. A condemnation of ‘mass development’, luxury brands and internet technology too it seemed.
A few days later, I was invited to an event at a poetry/art cafe by a young Thai man commemorating the ‘red shirts’ protest movement in Thailand and noticed one of their posters in the cafe said ‘You Are Still Lovely When Sad.’ This quote brought me instantly to sobbing like a baby (and I had to leave the cafe immediately) as it summed up so much of the deservedly renowned Thai inner beauty and spirit, the ‘Land of Smiles’ (with one of the most delightful sounding languages I have ever heard in the world) behind which lurked a deep and terrible heartbreak, grief, sadness and sense of powerlessness. Yet, like the recently passed Tibetan film director, Pema Tseden, a voice and passionate creativity still not yet totally stifled by state censorship and social conditioning.
The artist WAL was not present at the gallery, so I did not get a chance to ask him personally about the works. Thus, I leave you to come to your own conclusions/ideas about them, as a picture can say a thousand words, and different minds have different perceptions. Here are some photos of the artworks I took while there. The exhibit runs until the 23rd April so if you are in Bangkok over the next few days, do go and see it, for the artist’s stunning painting skills alone.
Music? White Lotus by Thai pop star (and rebel) Pyra, This is My Country by Rap Against Dictatorship (banned by the Thai authorities), Hustler by Simian (for the excess consumption and wealth vibe of samsara) and for the root guru/hope, Soulmates Never Die by Placebo. Dedicated to the beautiful Thai people and their stunning land that so many globally enjoy, consume and profit from.
Written and compiled by Adele Tomlin, 19th April 2024.
The Illusion of Stability: A curated exhibit of artworks by Wal Chirachaisakul
Endnotes
[1] According to various media reports inside and outside Thailand, Thailand’s political system changed from absolute monarchy to democracy in the Siamese revolution of 1932. More than 10 coups occurred before the 1997 constitution of Thailand, widely hailed as a landmark in Thai democratic constitutional reform, was enacted. Four years later, Thaksin Shinawatra had become the first prime minister of Thailand to complete a full term in office, and his rule is generally agreed to have been one of the most distinctive in the country’s modern history. After 2005–2006 Thai political crisis led by the People’s Alliance for Democracy, Thaksin was overthrown in a military coup on 19 September 2006, accused of lèse-majesté. His Thai Rak Thai Party was outlawed and he was barred from political activity. Thaksin has since lived in self-imposed exile. He was sentenced in absentia to two years in jail for abuse of power. From abroad he has continued to influence Thai politics, through the People’s Power Party that ruled in 2008, and its successor organisation Pheu Thai Party, as well as the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship or Red Shirts movement that were crackdown by Anupong Paochinda and Prayut Chan-o-cha army, Abhisit Vejjajiva and Suthep Thaugsuban’s Democrat Party government in 2010.
[2] In Thailand, they play the royal anthem in public at a certain times, when everyone it seems has to stand still and sing it. Like playing the UK national anthem God Save the Queen, I think most British people would find it rather imposing but also rather counter-productive too.
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