A “Soothing” Idea of Art for “Natasha”

“The work [collectively called The Sanctuary (2022)] actually in two parts. One is my garden sanctuary in Chiang Rai and the other two videos [“The Sanctuary”, 27 minutes and 30 seconds; and “Rain”, 14 minutes and 23 seconds] about it that you can watch in the same room at a new venue Singapore Art Museum (SAM) at Tanjong Pagar Distripark. I told the curator [June Yap, one of the four co-artistic directors of Singapore Biennale 2022] that this work's actually my gardening practice,” says Angkrit Ajchariyasophon, founder of Angkrit Gallery Chiang Rai and ARTIST+RUN in Bangkok.

The 46-year-old Chiang Rai native artist, curator and gallerist then explains the background of this 60-rai garden sanctuary, “My dad bought this plot of land around 1989. As you'd find out in the first video, he's a Bangkok-born pharmacy salesman who about 50 years ago moved to Chiang Rai—where I was born—to open a drugstore. He dreamed of owning a plot of land there, having lived in rental places for most of his life. He loves gardening and agriculture. He started from 10 rai and kept buying: now it's about 60 rai. I named it Anuson Garden after his name which also has a good meaning [Anuson means ‘memorial’]. He didn't name it at first: our family had been calling it ‘Daddy's Garden’. I used to come here to play with my friends in middle school. It wasn't until two years after I graduated from Chiang Mai University, though, that I started planting trees and got serious with it."

Angkrit credits his love of gardening to ex-senator Rosana Tositrakul’s Thai translation of Japanese philosopher Masanobu Fukuoka’s The One-Straw Revolution which he read in his last year of high school. The manifesto about farming, eating and limits of human knowledge was quite a contrast to the period when he was studying for the university entrance examination.

He says, “I came to realize that we humans could create our freedom. Fukuoka explained this through the do-nothing agriculture which struck the right chord with me. This book has played an important part in my artistic career.”

His gardening approach is quite different from his father’s as he, for example, plants more local trees.

“I’d like to make sure that the environment of this garden is convenient for other animals, not just humans. I’m not its owner; just one of its inhabitants and so I’m neither bringing in nor taking out anything.”  

“Anyone could come in and some were herding animals there while others hunting in the forested parts and fishing in the large pond. As the nearby forests were gradually becoming farming areas, many wild animals fled to our area. Many years ago, I had an octagon pavilion built next to the pond. I recently put a Buddha image there and then held a ceremony to officially announce that it's a khet aphaiyathan (“animal sanctuary”) which you see in the first video. An interesting fact is that most villagers in the area, including my main gardener Nui whom you see in the first video, are Christians,” says Angkrit with a smile. 

"Knowing about this, some friends have bought cows from nearby cattle farms, saving them from the slaughterhouse and putting them in the garden. I also allow visitors to pick fruits, like bananas, or vegetables, like bamboo shoots, for their consumption, not for sale. Nearby villagers are also welcomed to plant vegetables or fruits here.”

The journey to the Singapore Biennale took more than a decade, as Angkrit explains, “11 years ago, my friend June Yap, who's working at The Guggenheim at the time, visited this garden and became very interested in an artist’s sustainable practice of. I told her, 'But there's no art in it. It's purely nature and I come here regularly because I love planting trees. That's it.' She also planted a Malabar ironwood tree. Earlier this year she came back to see how it's already fully grown. Actually, any friends who've visited me here would plant a tree. June then invited me to join Singapore Biennale but then I said, 'I don't want to be making art [out of this garden]' and then she responded, 'It's an idea of art, not making art, and this may reflect many other things.' We then discussed what we'd actually exhibit. It's the same time I was planning the aforementioned ceremony for the animal sanctuary. I was wondering whether she'd need to exhibit this Buddha image in Singapore but she said, 'No!' So we agreed to make videos instead: the actual work is here in Chiang Rai and planting trees in Singapore for me just doesn't make sense.”

For the other video titled "Rain", Angkrit has been working on its concept since 2008.

"On YouTube, I've been posting videos, with various lengths, of this garden taken by either my mobile phone or compact camera on a tripod. I sent June this collection and she commented that they're very soothing. For Singapore Biennale, since I'm not a professional video artist, I asked my junior friend Sakan ‘Bomb’ Ayuraphong, also a Chiang Rai native, to create a similar video. You can see me in the video, sitting and doing nothing, like the way I do when I'm there, as opposed to the hyperactive me away from it."

One of Angkrit’s takeaways from The Sanctuary experience is that “I've come to realize that the scope of contemporary art is really wide, wider than most of us think. It's about our stories here and now and not ideals or imagination. Besides, art doesn’t belong to any particular person; anyone can be part of art in their own particular way.” 

“As I grow older, gardening is more than a fun hobby. It has more benefits for others too. Spending time in this garden for 20 years has taught me many lessons and inspired me as much as when I look at art works.” 

The ongoing Singapore Biennale 2022, named “Natasha”, is conceived as a series of spaces inviting the audience to come in and explore. Angkrit notes, “I think every art biennale strives to be different, either in its theme or concept. This is the seventh edition of Singapore Biennale and so they're trying to introduce new concepts. For me, ‘Natasha’ reminds me of names of typhoons or hurricanes, like Noru and Katharina. It sounds friendlier and this biennale has four co-artistic directors—all female [the other three are Binna Choi, Nida Ghouse and Ala Younis]. It sounds more intimate when someone says 'Let's visit Natasha', instead of 'Let's visit Singapore Biennale', doesn’t it? I think they're trying to convey certain concepts that are different from those we usually attach to art biennales. That's intriguing.”

You can visit “Natasha” at many locations throughout the island state—including the famous Singapore Flyer, the lesser known Southern Islands as well as regional libraries—until March 19, 2023. For more details, visit https://www.singaporebiennale.org/

 

The writer wishes to thank Tate Anzur’s Natalie Sim for all kind assistance.

Pawit Mahasarinand

Photo: courtesy of Angkrit Ajchariyasophon