Human(e)

Photo: MOCA Bangkok

Drawing on social and historical narratives, human behaviors, and beliefs, artists in the Human(e) exhibition use their work to explore the complexity of humanity. Laced throughout are the premise of the moral negotiation, the humane.

Artists: Kanya Charoensupkul, Pairoj Pichetmetakul, Imhathai Suwatthanasilp, Temjai Cholsiri

Venue: Museum of Modern Art Bangkok (MOCA Bangkok), Period: Dec 2021-Jan 2022

Humanity is a big word. It is a broad term and has several meanings – the human race, a field of study, and humaneness. Of all the definitions, the last one can be said to be requisite for the survival and sustainability of others. Nevertheless, it is the most difficult to assess due to its abstract nature and tends to be overlooked.

Drawing on social and historical narratives, human behaviors, and beliefs, artists in this exhibition use their work to explore the complexity of humanity. Laced throughout are the premise of the moral negotiation, the humane.

Part of an ongoing series, Kanya Charoensupkul uses pigeons as a symbol to represent people and ideology. Here, Buddhism has been the main theme, representing the division between the worldly matters of temptation and the transcendent state beyond. The artist believes that humans are born from a pure soul. It’s our actions in life that later affect and define us.

Pairoj Pichetmetakul’s work is an expansion of his ‘Hope in the prison’ project in which his team works with inmates to paint a mural on prison walls. The project aims to give prisoners hope, skills, and a second opportunity in life. Work in this exhibition was made in collaboration with prisoners from Ratchaburi Central Prison, revealing the truth and lives behind the closed walls.

Imhathai Suwatthanasilp uses found images as an inspiration. The images were turned into negatives to emphasize something of the historical past that continues to present itself in contemporary Thailand. The artist intends to present its subject matter as straightforward as possible, with the implications of its representation of power and institution, international relations, politics, and morality.

Looking inward, Temjai Cholsiri’s work is a reflection of the human mind and mental states. It represents tensions and balances through the assemblage of found objects, art, and non-art materials. Her work involves consciousness and concentration, core aspects of meditative practices, focusing on what is happening in the present and the changing moment.

Subjects in this exhibition include humans in social and political structures, free will, and individual physical and psychological conditions. It encourages us to consider and examine the state of being humane in both the authorities and the populace. Now more than ever, with high social inequality and an imbalanced power structure, what is normally left unjudged and unspoken, needs to be brought to light and become a requirement that comes with power and freedom.

News

https://www.bangkokpost.com/life/arts-and-entertainment/2247483/group-exhibition-explores-depths-of-humanity

https://artbasel.com/stories/must-see-exhibitions-thailand-biennale

https://www.fineart-magazine.com/humane-exhibition/