As the world dramatically changes, the energy crisis is more relevant and close to home than ever. In this outdoor light art festival, you will experience alternative energy first-handed and learn more about clean and renewable energy, especially solar power. All curated pieces will feature electric light generated by solar panels as the main element of the work.

Invited Artists
Krit Ngamsom
Nopchai Ungkavatanapong
Pongsatat Uaiklang
Wasinburee Supanichvoraparch
 
Open Call Artists
Kajornsak Pokpool
Komkrit Tepthian
Apirat Sawanglar
Rungruang Sittirerk
Eakchayong Pornkajornkijkul
H-Lab collective (Panarin Suejindaporn, Trirat Homchantra, Ruangrith Rithruangdech and Passawee Kasemwatthanachai)
ZIEGHT (Mont Watanasiriroch, Kitti Saengsuwan and Dujdao Vadhanapakorn)
conscious x KIMBAB :) (Wee Viraporn and Natthakit Kangsadansenanon)


Artwork Concepts

Krit Ngamsom
Title of Work: Red Heart
A solar-powered light art, “Red Heart” is inspired by the sight of cars’ tail lights at Pathumwan intersection turning the night-time street red. An important symbol of urban life in Bangkok, these glowing tail lights point to the fuel waste on Thailand’s roads. Krit took second-hand car lights of different models and put them together to create a heart-shape sculpture, adding wings made of solar cells to power the heart, enabling it to shine and fly. The sculpture has a contextual connection to Pathumwan Intersection, the heart of Bangkok, which consumes vast amounts of energy as the connecting point for motorists headed to various destinations around the city.

Nopchai Ungkavatanapong
Title of Work: Co-existence (As Spectrum)
“Co-existence (As Spectrum)” does not attempt to present a narrative through its physical form but through the history of the medium itself, found objects that were transformed to create a new work. Discarded flex neon tubes are cut and reassembled, creating a new relationship in a different form. These neon lights are powered by solar panels on the roof of BACC and transmitted directly from JarasLab on the 3rd floor. The challenge was in converting low-voltage energy into high-voltage electrical power capable of exciting neon gas to emit light of different colors. The lights are hung in the rectangular hall, the intersection point of the hanging frame determined by the golden ratio of the space. The golden ratio uses a mathematical formula to describe beauty and growth patterns in natural and man-made creations. “Co-existence (As Spectrum)” hopes to make viewers contemplate the possibility of co-existential relationships between Man and Nature and between the old and the new worlds, and of journey from the past to the future.

Pongsatat Uaiklang
Title of Work: Announcement of an Inaccurate Understanding
“Usually when I talk about something or some idea, I know what I’m talking about. But when it comes to solar power, I have only seen good concepts that are unable to be realized in the real world. Thinking back on childhood science class, I had flashbacks of myself learning about convex lens and then running to the lawn outside and training the lens on a piece of paper, concentrating the sun’s rays to set fire to it. That was my first experience [on the subject of solar power] that I can recall.”

Wasinburee Supanichvoraparch
Title of Work: Untitled 2019
The manufacture of earthenware pottery is a hallmark of anatomically modern humans, or Homo sapiens. “Untitled 2019” illustrates the use of energy in early human civilization through a suite of large-scale earthenware pottery created by applying and reinterpreting traditional forms of cooking and ritual vessels and jewelry. The suite, representing three outstanding periods in Thai earthenware pottery, namely Ban Chiang, Sukhothai and contemporary Thai, is put in play with solar-powered light. Each piece conforms with the traditional attributes and historical origin of the featured form: its role in the maintenance of life as well as in death, its value and questions about the truth of what came to pass. These two forms of energy use reflect past impacts of energy and the potentially history-changing impact sit can still have on human life.

Kajornsak Pokpool
Title of Work: Flower of Power
The light sculpture “Flower of Power” by Kajornsak and the ONGA Artful Light team took its inspiration from pink lilies, a symbol of pure love and blessings for new beginnings in work, family and finances. The light sculpture’s design took into consideration the public space and sustainable use of renewable energies. The light of love and new beginnings emits a welcome to viewers and creates a space of interaction where people can meet and engage in conversation.

Komkrit Tepthian
Title of Work: The Secret Life of a Rainbow Caterpillar
“The Secret Life of a Rainbow Caterpillar” results from the artist’s examination of his own childhood, which was influenced as much by his interest in art as by his passion for invention and scientific work. The sculpture is inspired by the history and importance of the Bangkok Art & Culture Center, a space created with the goal of accommodating diverse expressions representing the existing diversity of thoughts and ideas in society. Rainbow Caterpillar is an embodiment of diversity underneath differences that on the surface appear likely to lead to chaos but are in fact a representation of the beauty of life. When society is able to embrace differences, it becomes beautiful, like a rainbow caterpillar that has been nurturing itself for the night-time transformation into a splendid moth.

Apirat Sawanglar
Title of Work: Green Lantern 
Inspired by the artist’s childhood memories of his maternal grandfather lighting an ancient lantern to illuminate the house on rainy blackout nights, chasing away darkness that came with the rain. Known as Chao Phayu, the lantern was impervious to wind and rain and able to provide light even on stormy days. In the past, people would carry these lanterns to light their way during a journey on land or water. Chao Phayu lanterns are like a beacon guiding one on a dark day of trouble, when one loses one’s way or is unable to find a way out of a predicament. Not merely an artwork, this installation is intended to be reliable like a Chao Phayu lantern, helping all to see the light by using solar power in a sustainable way. 

Rungruang Sittirerk
Title of Work: The Lights of the Flower Field
“The Light of the Flower Field” attempts to take viewers into an imaginary world that exists in parallel with the real world and connected to it by the Thai ways of life and culture. The light and forms in this work replicate decorative lighting patterns common to traditional Thai festivities including temple fairs, weddings and ordination ceremonies.
Everyday objects representing urban dwellers from diverse origins are arranged to emulate a flower field in an attempt to establish a link with relationships tied to Thai beliefs and traditions and with the overlaps between ruralness and urbanness within the work itself. Light of the Flower Field examines the landscape of Thailand’s capital city through viewers’ perception and shared experience. 

Eakchayong Pornkajornkijkul
Title of Work: Wheel of Enbrightenment 
“Wheel of Enbrightenment” is a mechanical wheel of light powered by free energy. The shape of the Wheel of Dhamma is modified using the principles of the Da Vinci wheel and solar cell to create a perennial wheel that moves continuously and incessantly and glows at night. The intention is for the wheel to embody a coming together of innovation that has a scientific explanation and beliefs on which spiritual explanations rest, as both of these support the continuation of the human world. 

H-Lab collective
Title of Work: The Cycle
An installation featuring solar cell, lighting and sound systems within its structure, “The Cycle” is designed to present the story of the energy crisis through light, color and sound. The working mechanisms are designed to achieve the most efficient and cost-effective use of energy, as energy and resource usage is continuing to grow making it difficult to reduce the scale of the use-cycle.

ZIEGHT
Title of Work: Chrono
“Chrono” began by questioning what other uses could solar energy be put to, besides producing renewable energy to replace electricity. The sun gives rise to the circle of life and the shadow it casts can serve to indicate the time of day. “Chrono” is designed to resemble a sundial, the difference being that a sundial worksin daytime as the shadow cast by the sun moves around the dial, while this light installation works at night by drawing on the solar energy stored during the day to transmit electrical power to generate colors and shadow indicating time. It ‘replaces’ moonlight, which is not bright enough to cast a shadow at night the way the sun does during the day.

conscious x KIMBAB :)
Title of Work: Light Is the Word
“Jaras” is an adjective describing how light shines brilliantly. The word itself sounds powerful and consists of only a few letters. The team explores new possibilities of creating its letterform in three dimensional spaces, at a scale that allows viewers to walk through curtains of light and interact closely with the structure. This artwork is not only beautiful at night but also looks great during the day thanks to the use of colorful materials.

More information Click

"Jaras Light Fest" is a part of the Jaras Project bringing to you activities about alternative solar energy through various art engagements at the BACC from 2019 until August 2020. The project is sponsored by the Power Development Fund, Office of the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

For more information, please contact
Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
939 Rama 1 Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330
Tel. 02 214 6630 – 8 Ext. 531
Email: [email protected]
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