Imhathai Suwatthanasilp
September 10th, 2010 § Leave a Comment
Imhathai Suwatthanasilp is a Thai artist who uses her own hair as a sculptural medium. The strands of hair are carefully crocheted into various kinds of objects, some cultural and some just humorous nods. The use of this material, precious but sustainable and cheap, stems from the artist’s strong connection to her family and her own life. By weaving stories with the fibers of her own being, she is (in a sense) making the work about her family, and her love for them, as well as including them in the creation of the work itself.
The use of hair also serves as a memento mori for the artist. By using the strands of hair that her body has already discarded, she is kept keenly aware of her place in the creative process, and that things will end as surely as they began. In a subtle gesture to the inevitability of her own death, she has decided to continue to add to works over time, such as the veil in the first picture. The work will continue to grow in size and complexity, even as she herself shrinks and, eventually, withers.
The second work pictured is called Scorpion, and the third is called Sleep. Both the animal and the tired stupa add another layer to the work beyond family, in this case symbols of her Thai background. Her work will be included in the upcoming Busan Biennial.
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The images above were borrowed from Imhathai’s portfolio page on portfolios.net.
