The Second Asia-Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art exhibition catalogue (APT2)

Yupha CHAIIIDOII Lives and works in Bangkok, Thailand Right Wailing for the moon II 1994 Etchings on envelopes in perspex box 170x123cm Collection: The artist Bottom Detail, Wailing for the moon II 1994 One of very few young women artists in Thailand, Yupha Changkoon has proven her talent and ability by winning several awards in art competitions. In 1991, she won a special prize at the exhibition 'Contemporary Art by Young Artists', organised by Silpakorn University. From 1992 to 1994 she was the award winner of Toshiba's 'Bring Good Things to Life' competition and received the grand prize in 1995. She also received the grand prize at the 'Contemporary Art Exhibition', organised by the Thai Farmer's Bank, and received a bronze medal at the '1st National Exhibition of Art', organised by Silpakorn University in 1995. The artist's work is represented in private and public collections in Thailand and Hawaii. Yupha Changkoon has always executed her prints using the intaglio process. Her favourite technique is etching. The artist's early works (from 1989-94) are small-scale and deal with her life and memories of her childhood in Kanchanaburi. Yupha Changkoon's work reflects her life, experiences and a belief in the power of faith. Most of the artist's prints deal 82 I A RT I s T s : sou T H A ND sou T H- EA s T A s I A with a journey of the mind towards happiness and tranquillity. The artist states, 'During this journey we may meet with obstacles and goodness before arriving at the destination. So I analyse all of these life experiences. Then I transmit my memories, dreams, thoughts and hopes through my art work'. Yupha Changkoon uses sombre colours to express her feelings. Her prints are always black and white. The colour and her mood merge harmoniously. Moonlight is used in the artist's early works to represent a sense of loneliness and the melancholy of the night-time. The recent series 'Waiting for the moon' was inspired by the artist's belief in and love of the moon. The moon is a common symbol of happiness among Thai people. Yupha Changkoon responds strongly to the moonlight. She feels that it has a tremendous spiritual energy and one could beg the moon for all of the precious things in life. This belief is a part of the cultural life of her home town in the rural area of Kanchanaburi. Waiting for the moon / 1994 and Waiting for the moon II 1994 have developed from two-dimensional prints to three-dimensional art objects. Contained in a large perspex box, the artist's life experiences are collected and translated into artistic images. These magnificent images are sensitively printed on a number of small envelopes. Human figures, natural elements and objects around the artist are used to depict her memories and impressions of the past. These small envelopes function as a personal diary and are composed in such an order that the viewer has to contemplate the images from the beginning to the end. The eyes have to move from one envelope to another to capture the stories, dreams, inner feelings and meaning. According to the artist, the white space which is used as a backdrop to the envelopes represents meditation. Each envelope is open to collect the thoughts and imagination of the viewer. The envelope contains nothing but emptiness.The imprints of lines drawn on the outside of each envelope derive from the artist's imagination. The delicate lines are subjectively manipulated in both realistic and abstract manners. Somporn Rodboon,Associate Professor, Silpakorn University, Bangkok.Thailand