By Queensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)
'The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' (APT8)
The sharply realistic
drawings, paintings and conceptual works of Paphonsak La-or (b.1981) critique
Thai politics and history. His ‘Silent No More’ series features empty
landscapes around Fukushima and Futaba in Japan — areas abandoned following the
2011 nuclear disasters.
Viewing the terrain obsessively through Google Maps, La-or discovered a connection between his fascination with these quiet, uninhabitable landscapes and his frustration with the political situation in Thailand.
Finding similarities between the beautiful, lush landscapes of Japan and those around his hometown of Chiang Mai, La-or emphasises the contradictions between the apparently peaceful scenes and the turbulent situations they represent.
Each painting in the series bears text painted with dust, conveying a sense of unease and distrust, and further undermining the idyllic tranquility portrayed.
'Silent No More' Series (2014/2015) by Paphonsak La-orQueensland Art Gallery & Gallery of Modern Art (QAGOMA)
Since 1993, The Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT) has been the Queensland Art Gallery | Gallery of Modern Art's flagship contemporary art series. APT has driven the Gallery's focus on the region and enabled the development of one of the world's most significant collections of contemporary Asian, Pacific and Australian art.
The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT8)
21 November 2015 – 10 April 2016
© QAGOMA
