Party

(Nighttime) The Samyan-Suanluang area was originally a community of Chinese-Thai people who moved from Yaowarat. Most of them were traders, and their community grew larger and larger. A fresh market was set up and became well known for fresh, quality products. With good resources at hand, people in the community prepared their various recipes for sale and the area Samyan and Suanlauang became host to food shops and stalls, notable for Chinese food. Since the area was a business and educational district, the customers varied in their occupations, mainly consisting of laborers, office workers, and university and school students. These customers come to the food shops all day, from morning till night. Consequently, the Samyan-Suanluang area became a place for a “party,” where people of all ages and status can relax from their work or studies and enjoy a meal alone, with friends, or with family.
Nowadays, the Samyan-Suanluang area is remodeled as a well-organized and more modern education, art, and commercial district. Businesses hazardous to safety and environment were closed. Some original inhabitants moved out as their families grew, and some newcomers and new shops have moved in, mixing with the community’s remaining old base, with its communal culture of Thai people of Chinese descent.
In this sculpture project, the artist is assigned to the Suanluang commercial quarter, a center of food shops both old and new. These shops expect the area to be in a “party” atmosphere, vibrant and full of customers. Accordingly, the artist has made use of the Chinese-Thai belief in auspicious things and designed a sculpture that imitates the octagonal paper lanterns used to decorate houses and shops to call in auspiciousness—including customers. Normally, favorable designs such as Chinese characters with good meanings or sacred beasts are drawn, painted, or inscribed onto paper and affixed to the lanterns. The artist has extended the form of an octagonal lantern into a big stall and decorated its wall with perforated designs imitating the Chinese art of paper cutting. The designs are in the four cardinal directions, each depicted by a sacred guardian beast according to ancient Chinese cosmology as follows:
The black tortoise, guardian of the north, represents the water element and winter. In the artwork, the black tortoise is entwined by a snake, signifying wealth, longevity, and happiness. The accompanying motifs are waves and lotus flowers.
The vermillion bird, guardian of the south, represents the fire element and summer. The bird has a blazing plumage signifying rebirth, fortune, and assets, and is decorated with plum blossoms.
The azure dragon, guardian of the east, represents the wood element and spring. The Chinese dragon is a mix of animals, with Qilin’s head, a snake’s body, and a fish’s tail, signifying prestige, honor, and prosperity.
The white tiger, guardian of the west, represents the gold element and autumn. The white tiger signifies power, protection, and respect.
The design on the gable of the artwork, based on the style of Chinese shrines, incorporates the four directions and elements. The gathering of these four auspicious beasts signifies the assembly of happiness, longevity, fortune, assets, prestige, and power. Finally, eight Chinese alphabets with auspicious meanings decorate eight directions of the stall’s walls and roof, communicating additional positive meanings to viewers.