Apichatpong Weerasethakul
20 Feb - 17 May 2009
© Apichatpong Weerasethakul
primitive, 2009
courtesy: kick the machine films
photo: chayaporn maneesutham
primitive, 2009
courtesy: kick the machine films
photo: chayaporn maneesutham
APICHATPONG WEERASETHAKUL
"Primitive"
an installation by apichatpong weerasethakul
20 feb 09 > 17 may 09
the stories by the award-winning thai filmmaker apichatpong weerasethakul (*1970) are based on myths and memories. for his new project ‘primitive’, the artist travelled to the northeast of thailand – an area where inhabitants’ lives are dominated by animist beliefs and where the belief of souls migrating between people, plants, animals and ghosts still exists. ‘primitive’ is a multi-part project dealing with reincarnation and transformation. one of the villages near the border to laos is the focus: with its suppressed and forgotten history nabua reappears symbolically. much like earlier films by the artist, ‘primitive’ shifts between documentation and fiction, and is characterised by quiet settings and great simplicity: the camera moves slowly across a landscape flooded by the phenomenon of a ghostly light, it approaches hills where lights dance, the terrain is gently adjusted and a tree bursts into flames by itself. ‘primitive’ combines the mediums of film and installation: visitors explore the work in their own way and according to their personal timing.
"Primitive"
an installation by apichatpong weerasethakul
20 feb 09 > 17 may 09
the stories by the award-winning thai filmmaker apichatpong weerasethakul (*1970) are based on myths and memories. for his new project ‘primitive’, the artist travelled to the northeast of thailand – an area where inhabitants’ lives are dominated by animist beliefs and where the belief of souls migrating between people, plants, animals and ghosts still exists. ‘primitive’ is a multi-part project dealing with reincarnation and transformation. one of the villages near the border to laos is the focus: with its suppressed and forgotten history nabua reappears symbolically. much like earlier films by the artist, ‘primitive’ shifts between documentation and fiction, and is characterised by quiet settings and great simplicity: the camera moves slowly across a landscape flooded by the phenomenon of a ghostly light, it approaches hills where lights dance, the terrain is gently adjusted and a tree bursts into flames by itself. ‘primitive’ combines the mediums of film and installation: visitors explore the work in their own way and according to their personal timing.