YUMMY ROSE
A Solo Exhibition by Naraphat Sakarthornsap
Curated by Thiti Teeraworawit
4 May - 21 July 2024
Have you ever bought flowers?
And when you bought flowers, what stories did you see in them?
YUMMY ROSE, exhibition by Naraphat Sakarthornsap, tells the significant theme related to the production system, consumption, and trading of flowers in ‘Pak Khlong Talat’ the flower market of downtown Bangkok, particularly focusing on market manipulation and price control of flowers. It emphasizes on observing the fresh flower purchasing industry, which impacts the flower growers' production, marking the beginning of renewed attention to the origins of flowers that bloom from the dedication of flower gardeners.
In this sense, "flowers" hold significance in society, as they serve as representatives conveying individuals' thoughts and feelings, and tools for conveying emotions, love, concern, sympathy, or even sadness in life.
When flowers are used as a symbol of gratitude, people imagine their lives in a wide sense and create narratives to arrange flowers into exquisite arrangements that suit different occasions and the tastes of those involved. Beneath the surface of each layer of arrangement, among the enormous variety of flowers, are hidden flowers that have other details deeply overlaid through arrangement, trimming, and modification. From planting to harvesting to distributing, gardeners handle every step of the flower cycle. But the issue for gardeners comes from the costs and unstable purchase prices from middlemen, which forces small-scale gardeners to give up themselves to the economic circumstances they find themselves in.
The artist presents images of a hundred red roses that journeyed from farms in Chiang Mai province to Bangkok. The shaking force from their trucks caused some of these flowers to lose their shape.
About the Artist
Naraphat Sakarthornsap (Bangkok, Thailand)
Lives and works in Bangkok. In many of his works, Naraphat Sakarthornsap presents stories of inequality in the society and gender discrimination through photography and installation art, in which flowers play the leading roles. Many kinds of flowers that Naraphat uses usually comes with profound meanings. Those flowers have become the keys to finding the answers that are neatly hidden in the works of art. And sometimes the photographs of these delicate flowers of Naraphat may possibly come from the deepest part of his devastated heart.
Naraphat’s early works presented the challenge against nature in trying to prolong the freshness of the flower before he develops the ideas to become the challenge against power and influence in the society through the pictures of these flowers. Therefore, do not believe in what the flowers in front of you appear to be. But look for the messages these flowers are hiding. Perhaps, what Naraphat is facing and trying to present is the same as the ones many others are inevitably struggling with, over the standards in the society, where inequalities are all around them.
About the Curator
Thiti Teeraworawit
Gallery manager of HOP, curator and independent artist, holds a degree from the Faculty of Architecture, Art, and Design at King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang. His journey began as a curator in group exhibitions, stemming from his Thesis Project. He later transitioned to curate the "Secret Body" exhibition at the WHOOP! exhibition room in the HOP Hub of Photography. Thiti further expanded his role as a co-curator in the "BLOSSOM BODIES" exhibition at AVANI+ RIVERSIDE BANGKOK.
Thiti's interest lies in presenting art from diverse perspectives and exploring contemporary art presentation possibilities on thought-provoking issues. Including the content of the exhibition's creation and the artist's artwork.
