Traverse   by Jedsada Tangtrakulwong

■ Period : 28 November - 30 December 2015 (Tuesday – Sunday, 4-10pm)

■ Place : WTF Cafe & Gallery in Bangkok

                   (7 Sukhumvit Soi 51, Wattana, Klongton-Nua, Bangkok 10110)
                   www.wtfbangkok.com

* Opening reception : Saturday 28 November 2015

* Artist Talk : Saturday 28 November 2015

The site-specific installations in this exhibition are inspired by the
artist’s experience of walking through a 2.5 km road tunnel. At first
he was fearful of the darkness and silence and the sense that the
tunnel stretched on into infinity. But after 20 minutes he found
himself slowing his pace and a strange calm overcame him, filling him
with a certainty that there would be light at the other end. Logic had
nothing to do with it: any road tunnel has two ends. It was the
strength of his feelings that surprised him.

In the gallery, Jedsada has built two covered passageways from
different materials. Some are reused, recycled materials from other
artworks, if only to reduce waste and the sheer amount of stuff that
litters the art world.

The complex passageways use every inch of the small exhibition spaces
to prolong the viewer’s engagement with the work, promoting
mindfulness and positive thinking.

Jedsada graduated with a BFA from the San Francisco Art Institute, USA
(1999). And an MFA from the Slade School of Fine Art, University
College London, UK (2006).

His work is often site-specific and he undertakes extensive research
before articulating the format and concept, with inspirations drawn
from multiple sources. One work builds on another as he tries to
formulate his ideas more fully, and he frequently reuses materials to
achieve greater sustainability. His materials are often humble,
including wood, fibre, wire, tin, string, paper and a plethora of
found objects.

Long-term preoccupations include the integration of works into
architectural structures, with a view to encouraging viewers to
explore and interact intimately with the surroundings and allowing
them to explore their unexpected beauty.