Winds of Artist in Residence 2013 Part 1

The Artist in Residence Program Fukuoka Asian Art Museum (FAAM) invites emerging artists from Asian countries and regions to promote diverse artistic and cultural exchange programs though art-making and workshops.

For this year’s first term of the program, Chen Sai Hua Kuan from Singapore and Charinthorn Rachurutchata from Thailand were invited and stayed for 70-days from May, 2013.  We are pleased to announce an exhibition, “Winds of Artist in Residence 2013 Part1,” highlighting the achievements of the artists during their time in Fukuoka.

Getting together the soil collected in Fukuoka, the electric power generated from the soil, and earthenware bowels created from the same soil, Chen Sai Hua Kuan has created a sound installation, which produces resonance sounds.  On the other hand, Charinthorn Rachurutchata has made two works; a video and a series of photographs. The video depicts a woman, who has lost her lover, and the healing of her grief through a journey to Fukuoka and her rebirth by knowing about the philosophy and truth of the Japanese traditional culture and ritual ceremonies.  Furthermore the photo works show the birth and the end of the love, symbolically.  On top of their art making activities, they have carried out workshops for elementary and junior high school students.  We would like to invite you to see the outcome of their art-making and exchanges in this exhibition.

Chen Sai Hua Kuan
Born in Singapore, 1976

The artist creates installations and objects using everyday items.  In Fukuoka, the artist created a sound installation, utilizing soil gathered in Nanakuma, Fukuoka.  The soil is specially used for Hakata clay doll making.  Placing the brass and zinc electrodes within the soil in the bamboo tubes, the artist generates an electric current from chemical reactions and move vibrators attached on the earthenware pots to makes resonance sounds.  The earthenware pots are made of the same soil to ones in the bamboo tubes.  The resonance sounds only last while the chemical reaction occurs.  When the whole chemical process is over, there will be no sound.  Thus a recorded video of the sounds will be screened along with the installation.

Charinthorn Rachurutchata
Born in Bangkok, Thailand, 1982

Also being a freelance photographer participating actively in fashion magazines, this emerging artist is known for her photos and videos depicting her own unique interpretation of the world. With her strong interest in the Japanese traditional culture and ritual ceremonies, the artist created two artworks, a video work and a series of photographs in Fukuoka.  Focusing on a woman, who is a projection of the artist herself, the video depicts a tale of her profound grief of losing her lover, the healing by encountering the Japanese culture, and her rebirth.  On the other hand, the photo works show the forms of love, the burgeoning and the end, performed by the same characters in her video work.