Displayed on the second floor of River City Bangkok, Phannapast Taychamaythakool’s exhibition presents her signature whimsicality and invites us to ponder quintessential questions on human existence
Even the goddess of love, beauty and fertility like Venus is bound by traits of anger, disappointment, joy and jealousy. In her latest exhibition at RCB Galleria, artist Phannapast Taychamaythakool deconstructs the status quo of sacrality and righteousness through five acts: Venus in the Shell, Forbidden Flower, Moonlight Dive, Mandragora in the Vase and The Wanderer. Embark on the journey to discover the fantastical world of Venus in the Shell.
Welcoming visitors in the entrance room are the two turquoise lions against a vibrant red backdrop. The first act starts on the right-hand side of the space; Venus in the Shell features a series of paintings with little warriors performing different poses to resemble the letters of the English alphabet. From that, Phannapast questions the role of ‘you’ and ‘me’, the personas each of us is expected to perform in society and by society.
The second act, Forbidden Flower, continues to ponder the taxonomy of cultural texts through illustrations of cats and the sacred lotus blossom. While the feline embraces the flower between its legs and licks it, spectators are challenged: Is this an act of desecration or is merely deemed so in a certain paradigm?
In the ethereal Moonlight Dive, Phoebus is an alien vehicle that shines under the shadow of the moon, and it is on this flying saucer that you will get to know the monsters within yourself. A mosaic wall (made with the help of Cotto) depicts the fight between warriors and ferocious creatures representing human sentiments such as love, hatred, anger, fear and jealousy.
Speaking of monsters, the next act tells us that we all have two sides and that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Mandragora in the Vase is a series of lenticular prints of different characters with their faces switching between different persona as the visitor walks past. Like Mandragora, we all have different sides. When triggered in different ways, we become different characters.
As we enter into the last section, we notice a lot of movements from the rotating sculptures to the fully clad Spoon-billed Sandpipers wandering around the room. Titled The Wanderer, here you can feel the theme of travel and direction. Issues of time and memory are what the room is trying to convey. While forgetting seems to be the best method in dealing with certain memories, not many can forget voluntarily, even with time.
For those interested in immersing in Yoon’s world, the show will be on until February 28, 2021. Venus in the Shell also presents a special collaboration with Meitu photo-editing application where fans can find special stickers and frames illustrated by Phannapast. For more information on the exhibition, visit rivercitybangkok.com.
See also: Phannapast Taychamaythakool Wears Hublot And Reflects On Being Daring