Liquidscape: Southeast Asia Today

Arts Maebashi

Finished

Artists

Wit Pimkanchanapong, Kawita Vatanajyankur, Khadim Ali + Mumtaz Khan Chopan + Ali Froghi + Hassan Ati, Korakrit Arunanondchai, Citra Sasmita, Charles Lim, Nawin Nuthong, Natasha Tontey, Ho Tzu Nyen, Mech Choulay + Mech Sereyrath, Gegerboyo, Jakkai Siributr

In today's Southeast Asia, rapid economic development and urbanization are driving diverse lifestyles amidst changing living conditions. At the same time, the region’s history, landscapes, land-based beliefs, and relationship with nature remain deeply embedded in society. These elements sometimes merge and sometimes clash, leading to rapid changes that continually shape new realities, lifestyles, and worldviews in the current era.

This exhibition, titled "Liquidscape," introduces the cultural and social dynamics of this fluid Southeast Asian region through the works of 12 groups of artists. The participating artists include seven groups from the younger generation born after the 1980s. They have witnessed global events such as the end of the Cold War, the rise of the internet, iPhones, and social media, as well as significant shifts in the global framework and the rise of Asia. Additionally, four of the female artists seek to challenge existing values by re-examining the female body and its social positioning, adding new perspectives to established viewpoints. Through their experiences, these artists capture the "diversity and fluidity" that characterize Southeast Asia.

A common theme in these works is the artists’ gaze and attempts to answer the question, "Where have we come from, and where are we going?" Through this exhibition, visitors not only gain insight into the multifaceted world of Southeast Asia but also encounter attitudes toward confronting the contradictions and chaos of contemporary society, as well as the new hopes and possibilities that exist worldwide.