Salt of the earth

To Isaan-born artist Maitree Siriboon, artists and farmers have much in common, not least the struggle for daily subsistence in order to fulfil their visions and their dreams. Nine bags of Thai rice, each containing 55 kilograms of high-grade rice donated by his farmer friends are featured in his current project “Rice is Art” at Art Stage Singapore, which opened last Thursday and continues until tonight.

Now in its third year, Art Stage Singapore at Marina Bay Sands Exhibition and Convention Centre is a contemporary art fair featuring about 100 international galleries over its four-day period. Maitree is representing Bangkok’s White Space Gallery and a photo of his rice project is featured on the cover of the fair’s guidebook.

The artist collected the rice donated to him by his friends from his native village in the northeastern province of Ubon Ratchathani. 

“It represents the artistic connection between my art and those who support my work, and it emphasises my vision of art based on the natural world in Thailand. Rice farmers rarely have any savings at all and depend almost entirely on annual harvests. The farmers’ support, given the sacrifices they made to produce this rice and their meagre means, shows their respect for my efforts as the first contemporary artist from their village. By enabling them to give rice in support, the farmers become linked to the world of art and the fulfilment of a vision and dreams,” says Maitree.

The donated rice is not only used as a medium, but is also the subject of the work, and more practically, the sale of some of the rice has helped fund the production of the project, and covered the travel expenses of the artist.

Maitree's early mirror mosaic work draws from his boyhood in his province, transforming half-forgotten memory snapshots into colourful abstractions of rural life. More recently, he has turned to contemporary photography and installations. 

      

about Maitree

_ Find out more about this talented artist at:

_ www.MaitreeSiriboon.com

_ www.YouTube.com/IsanBoyDream

_ www.Facebook.com/IsanBoyDream

 

 

our men in Singapore

_ Thai artist Anusorn Charoensuk is also in Singapore representing Bangkok’s Numthong Gallery with his photographic installation “Charoensuk World Tour”. Featured alongside the photographic works are new painted backdrops of various cities re-creating a 1970s style photographic studio. The audience is invited to pose against a chosen backdrop and take their picture with their favourite cityscape.

 

_ Art Stage joins force with School of the Arts Singapore to conduct a comprehensive tour programme with free of charge to ticket holders. The tour will introduce visitors to the vibrant art scenes of Southeast Asian countries such as Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Singapore. Maitree and Anusorn are also joining the tour. Visit www.ArtStageSingapore.com.