Thai artist Pornpraseart Yamazaki will try to answer the big questions in a series of works in used petrol and his own blood at his latest exhibition at Bangkok’s La Lanta Fine Art.While his previous exhibitions have been abstract explorations of such issues as industrialization or the Thai political protests of 2010, in his “Swallow” exhibition, which runs from April 30 – May 26, he goes much deeper, asking: “Why are we born?”As a press release from La Lanta explains, “throughout history, humans are in search for the answer to this prevailing question through our assumptions and numerous theories. In today’s world, humans are faced with insurmountable problems in all aspects of life; environmental and political issues, wars against each other, and issues of living itself.”In this exhibition, Yamazaki will tackle these issues through an exhibition divided into three parts. In the first, Yamazaki will present a number of drawings where tendrils of red above murky backgrounds are produced using petrol and blood. The drawings represent “the artist’s surroundings,” with both substances representing themselves and their wider metaphorical meanings, such as industry against humanity, and life versus death.Part two consists of single-color canvases, with blood-like shapes and forms painted on top of a color, representing to the artist “loss and distortion,” as well as “symbolizing the ideas that reflect the making of our society.” The third part, comprising sculptures, seems like an extension of the first part, with many of the spindly forms of the mixed media sculptures appearing like the images of the blood-petrol drawings have come to life. Yamazaki sees them as “the emergence of a new form” following the “extinction of humanity,” suggesting that the blood and oil of the first works will lead to the extinction, allowing the third group of works to emerge.“Swallow” runs April 30 – May 26 at La Lanta Fine Art
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