shashasha

This catalogue was published on the occasion of the exhibition “Kneaded Water”, held at RABA in Tokyo (May 26 – June 4, 2023).

While Harit Srikhao, Kamonlak Sukchai, Naraphat Sakarthornsap, and Natthaya Thaidecha, the four artists featured in the publication, each pursue their own distinctive artistic practice, they share a common background. Having grown up near Bangkok in the early to mid-1990s, all four have been witness to the political turbulences in Thailand since the 2000s.
“Kneaded Water” refers to a Thai idiom about “kneading water into something tangible,” i.e. fabricating stories and untruths. Each of the four artists, represented in the book through a series of their works as well as extensive interviews, reflects on the power of norms and intangible structures to affect the daily lives, actions and beliefs of individuals and entire societies. Their complex, multi-layered images take the liberty to go beyond the boundaries of reality to explore issues rooted in the real world.

The book was co-curated by Bangkok-based ARC Tribe and edited by UNLIRICE, a platform that aims to promote creativity and foster networks between artists within the Asian region.

All texts are included in Japanese and in English.