contents


Prajñâ Vihâra, Volume 6,Number 2, July-Decmber 2005, 133-135 133
© 2000 by Assumption University Press

CULTURAL SNAPSHOTS

Artist: Mr. Boonpard Kangkamano (1966 — )

Bachelor of Arts (Sculpture), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Master of Arts (Sculpture), Silpakorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Diploma (Sculpture), Shinshu University, Nagano, Japan

He is now a lecturer in the College of Fine Arts at Lad Krabang in Bangkok

These works are a commentary on the growing consumerism in Thai society.

The artist sees this consumerism and materialism becoming so powerful,

that it is also feeding upon and destroying indigenous Thai culture.

Taberu - Consuming (2001, 2002) was originally developed and sculpted

in Japan, when the artist was studying for his diploma, and later revised in

Thailand. It suggests  that we human beings, live in this world in a manner

where we both use the world, but in the process, also destroy it. Chopsticks

suggest a traditional manner for eating and consuming for the benefit of

self and body. Their elegance also expresses the paradox more clearly

between traditional culture and destructive consumption.



134  Prajñâ Vihâra

Taking Advantage (2002) was developed after the Taberu -

Consuming. The idea is that in this materialistic, consumerist society,

people allow others to take advantage of them to satisfy their materialist

desires. But here the artist chose the portrait of a woman, implying the

condition of poor women, like prostitutes, who are exploited. And this

would also include those women who wish to marry foreigners for a better

life. Even those who reject materialism are taken advantage of because

they are in a position which is too weak to fight or escape. Thus the face

of the portrait has a look of sadness.



The Manipulation (2002) discusses how Thais sometimes use other

people’s hands (like foreigner’s hands) and trade-in our own ancient,

valuable things because they desire wealth. The Khon head indicates

something very precious being traded easily and openly. The big ladle also

indicates consumption. The hand could be anybody’s hand, but the artist

chose a man’s hand because it is unusual for a man to hold a cooking

ladle, at least in traditional Asian culture, so it creates a feeling of conflict.

And a man’s hand also indicates a manipulation which is stronger and

more destructive than a soft and weaker hand of a woman.

Text and photographs are by Preeyanuch Nhukate, Graduate

School of Philosophy and Religon, Assumption University of Thailand.

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