Korakrit Arunanondchai
b. 1986, Thailand
Untitled (History Painting), 2013
Denim, inkjet print, canvas
218 x 162 cm
Untitled (History Painting) sees Korakrit Arunanondchai contemplating ideas with perception as they intersect with the geo-historical moment of the Anthropocene. Since human cultures can only be described and studied after the fact, Arunanondchai sees them as remnants of human activity, in other words “human cultures as ghosts”. Denim has become a pertinent material for Arunanondchai, who was inspired by his observations of its growing popularity back home in Thailand. For him, not only does denim have a democratic quality in making everyone look the same in their pursuit for individuality, but it also shares the same trajectory as canvas as something that became ubiquitous since their origins in the West due to forces of globalisation. Thus, the use of denim serves as a foundation for discourse surrounding global labour and trade systems. As this stretch of denim is bleached and burned, the resulting flames were photographed, printed and layered over the hole in the fabric. This metaphorical destruction of Western dominance over global cultures prompts Arunanondchai’s aspirations of “an upload of ourselves to a greater network where we are no longer human”.
Photo: Isabelle Le Normand
Korakrit Arunanondchai (b. 1986) is a Thai artist who delves into music, fashion, painting, sculpture, performance, and video to reveal a common ground in artistic experiences. Exposed to various cultures due to his unique familial background, Arunanondchai’s works use the lens of cultural transplantation to tell stories referring to history, authenticity, self-representation, and tourism. Arunanondchai is also well-known for collaborating with his friends and family in the making of his works, believing that it is important for these collaborative relationships to “build upon a past” as his practice serves as an active archive of a life lived. Arunanondchai received his BFA from the Rhode Island School of Design and before going on to earn an MFA from Columbia University. His works have been presented at biennales and festivals such as the Gwangju Biennale (2021), the Yokohama Triennale (2020), and the Venice and Whitney Biennales (2019).
