How art connects Canberra and Chiang Mai
An exhibition with an eclectic mix of prints, drawings and sculptures is currently showing at the School of Art Main Gallery.
You might not be able to decipher a theme for these artworks. But what unites them is that the artists have all taken part in an informal exchange program that has been running for almost a quarter of a century.
Chat, now showing at the ANU School of Art Gallery
The pieces are part of the Chat exhibition which features artists from the ANU School of Art and visiting artists from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Chiang Mai University (CMU), Thailand. Since the early 1990s, the scheme has seen dozens of artists travel to learn from each other’s cultures and art practices.
David Jensz, Sculptor and Lecturer at the ANU School of Art, was one of the first artists from ANU to visit Chiang Mai in 1990.
“The exchange, since it began, has always been based on friendship and personal relationships,” says Jensz.
“Practicing art in another country is very different to when you’re at home – you don’t have the same networks and local knowledge. Showing visiting artists hospitality and helping them make their work is an important aspect of the program, and has helped build strong friendships, leading to more opportunities for exchanges both ways.
“Through these exchanges, we’ve been able to share ideas about art, teaching, and the challenges of being artists working in a university environment. This exhibition is a chance to celebrate this exchange of ideas and the friendships formed along the way.”
The name of the show, Chat, has significance in both Thai and English languages – in English, meaning ‘casual conversation’ and, in Thai meaning ‘natural’. This reflects both the informal nature of the exchange, and the way that it has continued to evolve naturally.
The program was started by internationally renowned Thai artist Montien Boonma while he was working at CMU Faculty of Fine Arts. Boonma was one of Thailand’s most successful artists, and his work features in collections around the world, including at the National Gallery of Australia. His strong Buddhist beliefs in giving back led him to invite the first Australian artist to Chiang Mai.
Visiting artist schemes are a vital part of art school life. As well as being a valuable experience for the artist in residence, they also bring a fresh perspective and new skills that they pass on to students and staff across the school.
Students have learnt unique carving skills for example, from Peerapong Duangkaew, who has visited ANU a number of times. His artwork in Chat is a totem pole featuring a crocodile and a kangaroo, which he carved after arriving in Australia just ahead of the exhibition opening.
The idea for a show that brings together artists from both universities had been around for some time before coming together in 2014. The exhibition is a unique opportunity to see Australian and Thai contemporary art side by side.
Chat is currently showing at the School of Art Main Gallery until 3 May 2014.
The exhibition features work from 6 artists from the School of Art and 6 visiting artists from the CMU Faculty of Fine Art in Thailand:
Artists from CMU Faculty of Fine Art
Pongdej Chaiyakut
Rossalin Garst
Richard Garst
Gade Javanalikikorn
Thattchai Hongphaeng
Peerapong Duangkaew
Artists from ANU School of Art
Wendy Teakel
Patsy Payne
Nick Stranks
Paul Hay
Alison Munro
David Jensz