Illustrating the reflection of transforming trashes and waste materials for continual usage by Wishulada Panthanuvong
OVERFLOW – from trash to art
By Wishulada Panthanuvong
January 23 – March 21, 2021
Bangkok, December 17, 2020 – Warin Lab Contemporary announces the inaugural art installation in its newly renovated art space in the 100 year old residence-turned-art-space in the culturally rich area of Charoenkrung Road soi 36.
In keeping with Warin Lab Contemporary’s mission of providing a space to discuss social issues through art, and its focus of an environmental theme in 2021, the first exhibition “OVERFLOW – from trash to art” reflects on waste accumulation while introducing the idea of continual use of the same resources.
Based on the notion of Circular Economy, “OVERFLOW – from trash to art” points out that the same product can be used longer through recycling, upcycling, repairing and refurbishment in order to create a closed-loop system by minimizing the use of new resources.
Wishulada Panthanuvong creates a site-specific art installation made primarily from consumer waste. The entire exhibition room from wall to floor is covered with plastic caps from water bottles, aluminum drink cans, wrappers of snacks and household products and various other types of aluminum and plastic waste. The artist places grandiose articles, all of which are made of waste materials, such as a functional sofa, table, ceiling lamps and hanging sculptures inside the space with the intention that the viewers can have a pleasant time in this invented living room. “OVERFLOW – from trash to art” creates a paradoxical condition where people can have a pleasant time in a room filled with trash.
From the outset, the installation provokes the feeling of inundation from the mountains of waste we collectively create on a daily basis. On a more profound level, it instigates a regenerative approach to repurpose waste materials instead of abandoning them.
As part of the exhibition, Warin Lab Contemporary engages with the local community around Charoenkrung soi 36 and Wat Muang Kae to separate, collect, and contribute their garbage as art materials. The art space also involves the community’s assistance in creating 5 ceiling lamps from the collected materials. The 5 ceiling lamps will be given to the community at the end of the art exhibition in March 2021. Once the lamps are turned upside down, they will become usable color-coded garbage bins for the community’s waste management initiative.
Apart from community’s involvement, Warin Lab Contemporary also solicits trash donations from corporations which encourage their employees to separate, collect, and contribute their office’s and home’s garbage to the art installation. Corporations who donate trash in support of “OVERFLOW – from trash to art” installation include Bangkok Glass Public Company Limited, Central Pattana Public Company Limited, Chevron (Thailand) Limited, Makao Restaurant, Siam Cement Group, Siam Commercial Bank, Michelin ROH Co., Ltd. and Omise Co. Ltd.
Furthermore, Wishulada has also received trash donated from the general public through her online outreach.
“OVERFLOW – from trash to art” installation will be open to the public from January 23 to March 21, 2021. The opening reception will be Saturday, January 23 from 5 pm to 7 pm.
The exhibition also offers an educational workshop run by Wishulada to create a functional item from upcycling daily waste on Saturday, February 6, 2021 at 13.00 – 15.00 hrs. In addition, an artist talk with a television presenter-cum-activist Wannasingh Prasertkul takes place on Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 14.00 – 15.00 hrs. Interested people can visit IG and Facebook page warinlab to get more information and book a seat for the workshop and the talk.
Warin Lab Contemporary’s mission is to engage with the global audience by addressing prevailing issues through leading-edge curatorial projects. The art space intends to create meaningful dialogues through non-conforming art practices that provoke thought and stimulate actions. Warin Lab Contemporary is located at unit 3101, O.P. Garden, Charoenkrung Road soi 36, Bangrak, Bangkok. Opening hours are Tues. – Sat. from 10.30 hrs. to 19.30 hrs.
–end–
For media inquery information contact
Tom Van Blarcom
TQPR Thailand
662 260 5820, tom@tqpr.com