Talk Reflection : Pathompon Mont Tesprateep in dialogue with Silke Schmickl - Celluloid Dreamstate, Composing Memories through Decay

On the dialogue programme by Newwave between Pathompon Mont Tesprateep with Silke Schmickl, the talk went tad bit personal to get a better sense of the film, which can be foreign for narrative filmgoers. His interdisciplinary practice of art and film, in this case, is relevant on the attempt to push the fine line as a basis to their norms as story and medium. A short summary is included to slightly give a picture to the dialogue discussed.

The format started with 13 minutes screening of his two trimmed short film due to the time limit, continued with a discussion.

Titled Endless Nameless and Song X respectively, both are black and white film recorded using celluloid film which intervenes its aesthetic with apparent texture. No dialogue was involved throughout as it primarily relies on gestural action. The tension is hinted by the sense of danger amplified through natural acting as if shown on hidden record documentary. Emphasis on the sound also played a part.

In summary, to make sense of it would be in itself an interpretational attempt due to its surreal narrative. Gesturical wise, it consisted scenes where soldiers did common activities that went gradually strange, which turned out to be based on artist’s memory on an actual private soldier's garden run by his family. One of the scene includes a snake purposely unleashed by two soldiers to attack another soldier.

I did not notice intermission. Supposedly it started with a man discovered a corpse on the bushes and dragged him over the river for cleansing. Most of the scenes took place in the river, with various activities of climbing down the tree, a group of people bathing in the river festively, rowing a bamboo raft, pedaled them with a contented face (sorry if it is really vague). The men being topless aside from taking place on river had to do with artist's fascination with the way skin looks on the screen.

Presumably hinted political implied narrative, the follow-up discussion clarified with his personal motive behind the use of soldier. It was meant to be a personal attempt to reconcile with his unease and guilt having witnessed his parents performed authority toward the soldiers. It is manifested from the accumulated observation over years being around. Knowing that I assume the non-linear scene jumbledly comes from what he saw, unintentionally heard, that it forms peculiar subconscious state transmuted into a visual disturbance. As he mentioned it himself, he was also moved by curiosity as to why soldiers do the things they do, to be even drawn into taking the role in the first place.

On the Song X film, he revealed the sentimental loss stage he had, the idea pokes me that his real-life tragedy could’ve suggested the way tragedy is portrayed in the film. Even though we are left clueless as to what extent the significance each gesture portray the actual event, or in what way it is so. But for sure he underlined the word self-hypnosis a couple of time, to sum up what he has achieved throughout the process of the film.

The fact that the personal motive disclosed makes a big shift to the way his work's perceived reminds me of how an intrigue toward visual artwork is significantly affected by findings on research. These films are somehow acceptable in both spectrum of contemporary art context as well as the independent film which fine line has increasingly blurred. He himself said that in the midst of both work of visual art and film, he felt like an outsider for both worlds. It is not entirely bad for he doesn't find any necessity to be put into one box.

There's a time when as things sink in you are overwhelmed by how much the speaker just took the word out of your mouth, what has always been wanted but in need of reassurance. He is a master of fine arts graduate and has respect for feature film, both conventional and experimental. When asked about crossing the disciplinary, to him different context and expression requires experiment on various medium and approach to bring it forth better. Knowing his practice is important in this phase where clearer direction is needed. Being in the same space with someone with a longer stretched experience in an unconventional hybrid domain helps to open up the possibility of the long way ahead.

He mentioned as though film has always been intriguing, it is intimidating at the same time with the big workloads of team that come with it. Film is a big responsibility, the endless name listed in the credit role for a few minutes short films shrink guts, especially if you have been passive. The discussion land me to the thought that the element of film that makes it approved as one, is as attainable as having one camera as an extended vision of the artist/creator. The rest of technicality and logistic followed up depends on the extent of negotiated output standard with available resources (man and space). It is about making and worrying less as to what level a work is seen valid to be on a particular category it is under.

Shall the works lean toward film context more than art, I have learned to notice that I appreciate how originality and rawness have helped in translating genuine vision of the creator. It can connect audience to different level through its peculiar articulation regardless of the genre. Art, from what I understood favors rawness and authenticity and big part of it is highly attainable with medium of film, and it is up to the artist/maker in deciding how much of certain authentic element of story is implied and the form it should take shape.

The talk went a little slow, but it was still thoughtful. Although articulation and flow of discussion might require the audience to actively gather up the points, as long as it came from a speaker who initially think to bring something forth through the works to begin with, there is important notable points to take home. 

Written by Ahdini Izzatika

On Newwave dialogue program.


Picture source :
http://emergeredelpossibile.blogspot.sg/2015/02/endless-nameless.html
http://cargocollective.com/ptesprateep/Song-X

Bras Basah Complex Mural

Around a month ago we registered to a mural open call competition, which will be held in Bras Basah. What quite interested me was their objective to brighten up the mood of Bras Basah Complex, to visually appeal more to the youngster and tourist. I know, we were spoonfeeding the much-needed Instagram post background, but it can't only be that, right.

Some brainstorm later, we were looking at how their shops sell mostly antiques, arts, so we figured that sums it up and vintage seems to make its comeback, or perhaps it is indeed timely. I am a regular visitor for secondhand books and art supplies here.

After a few days waiting, we received information on the corner given to every single group. We were one of a few unfortunate ones that got an outdoor spot. Being the only group which wall is on the side of the road, it will be pretty exposed, right across the traffic light where passerby is. Consideration as simple as color palette that won't overpower traffic light was taken into account. The project was to start on December where rain pour down almost daily. It was a big challenge and it drained us out, even more day by day.

However we had fun sketching out our ideas, perks of having close friends in your group. We narrowed down to put the idea of time and made a copy of a staircase and shop next to it and insert all nostalgic elements, the figures represent the old childhood days' of our current pioneer. After a few stages; panels presentation, revision, we were good to go.

By the time we reach there, we were hit by the fact that the wall is an enormous thing stretched out of a rough-textured cement. The sun burned and squeezed out the sweat in a flick minute. We had to whiten the whole wall as we kept thinking how to work our way out of it and the only artistically convenient solution was to simplify everything to the lines and minimum colors. I have to say the cliche that less is more. This time, it has to be less, but how do we make it more!

The first day when the wall is no longer so hard to look at. See the grey wall behind her? That is the amount of space added to our work so the composition is a little more decent.

Drizzle lasted long enough for us to paint the most we can do. The attention we got is real and locked brief eye contact is enough to initiate conversation. A couple of question came mostly from old people, asking if we were permitted to do so and a couple of compliments as the drawing took shape.

"It is a big wall everyone can see it, it better be good." He laughed, we ached.

Some took pictures of it and even wanted us to pose in the frame.

We had to hide under the shadow of a tree whenever the heat got unbearable, a few seconds under a shade is like a recharge before we struck back to the heat. None of us got sick oddly. As the rain subsided and the sun went down, the after-rain sky compensated what the extreme weather did. The light switched on changing the mood of our painting. The pinkish square paint is approved by the sky like a pat to our head.

As the color took shape more various sort of interaction happened.

I heard audibly vague yell from the street, which turnd out to be directed to us. Two men on motorbikes gave us thumbs up as the traffic light hold them still. One rolled down a window and yelled, "nicee!!" as we turned around, he hid behind dashboard, the driver laughed and run the car. We were confused but I don't see much of childishness of working adults in Singapore so it was quite funny.

On the last day I could not come down so Amirah and Lisa were left to do the final touch up. I had my trip back to Indonesia so I could only help by suggesting some visual preferences. They think over the suggestion from the beginning which had smoothened so much internal progression and made it fun. They reported that they got interviewed randomly by someone whose research involved mural in Haji Lane and found it fortunate to stumble upon us. Our chat has implied an ending to the mural.

It was not a constant fun and excitement, there came a point near the end of the day where all your joints could seem to come off anytime. The first day the reluctance was undeniable as we were quite stuck to work it out on such an unexpected spot, the rain teased us as it heavily poured down.  "f*ck it we stick to previous concept."and finally we could do something, solid progress. None of us would expect an uphill process afterward, we were tired  but the attention that at first put us in an awkward situation became a booster. People showed enthusiasm. It is not all that matters but the pleasantly pushed you forward bit by bit. All it took for us was anything but a glamorized idea of a finished outcome, our printed sketch was not even your appealing artsy-fartsy piece at all. It was a lot of on the spot decision constituted of small step one at a time to at least get up walk to the freaking spot. The daily narrative is pretty much about squeezing in as much as you can do before the rain gets you soaked.

I can't remember what a comfy weather was it to stay home spoilt by a recently bought good book but my friends came from the end of Singapore.

I don't want to sound like all motivating self-help guru but we really had no willpower at all at the beginning. It happened simultaneously with our school assessment which gives a convenient excuse to withdraw at least now we are kind of glad we did not.

It applies to me personally that when outcome and feedback is least expected, there is a valuable process to take away. I bet my friends too, have forgotten that this is a competition and there is a reward for the winner. It has never been to win. "Come on just do it we won't win anyway" the mentality of competing is rarely with me but it has made things easier to focus on, also doing it for the sake of doing it fills you up in its own way. There was no drama our temper is rarely triggered there was a lot of singing, icecream, and cheesefries too I guess we had a nice balance of fun.

Wants to Go to Art School? My Two Cents.

Maybe you would expect me to go against all the classic that say art is difficult! Don't go to art school, you will graduate unemployed! Do practical stuffs!

Well I still disagree with parents discouraging what their kids actually want for sole purpose of the job after. But been studying in arts college for two years, I would like to give my two cents.

College is structured LEARNING system. it means that whatever major you're taking, they will give you an intense learning broadly and deeply to equip you with what you have paid for. So when you get into an arts college, not just you will be given some time to practice in studio, but they will also provide knowledge on how art becomes what it is today, how other artist do their works, and how you have to broaden your option to make your arts.

I might disagree before when I was in high school but life got me a lesson, that college major should be a considerate decision. I won't say that the major you pick limit you from other area of practice, I don't think human's mind is that rigid unless you set it to. But it definitely makes a big deal for interesting learning you will go through for years. We are talking about years made of daily attendants listening or practicing something specialized for hours. 

I have heard many stories of people  stuck up in engineering or administration dreaming of studying arts. BUT being an arts student, oddly I have heard the same thing coming from the arts student. Not just once, but dozen probably! How could you regret learning about something so much close to your heart? so thought our naive. But yeah, my friend shared publicly how she regret taking design and wished she would stay taking medical school instead. I don't refer this just to fine arts. I have talked to students from illustration animation, graphic communication, and fashion. They have the same problem. But mostly I want to highlight fine arts because it is so called as the one with the least job field out of all.

When you think art school is just about beautiful drawing, then in my humble opinion I'd suggest you to take short course or workshop instead OR do dozens of research on arts school. Most of art school no matter how contemporary their genre is, has fundamental lesson for drawing yes. But rooting on structured based institutional learning they want to direct you into arts industry. It varies depending on which school you go, but I find it that it has become a condition for them in order to compete with other institution, that they have to equip the students to make it in a tough world out there. I am not saying that sole beautiful drawings are not arts, I think it is. The point is how much you are prepared to actually learning with an open mind, and not just boost your ego presenting your beautiful drawings. There will be lecturers asking you why you do what you do, why this and that. They could rip you off in front of people if they have to, you can't fool them bullshitting around, when you don't bring anything solid on the table. Institution no longer supports your art solely as hobby, it prepares it for the career as well.

It's going to make a long essay if I go deep on traditional arts vs contemporary arts which is on current trend so I'll skip to my next point. 

The power of words when it is said from heart is that it rings over and over again in your mind. I am reminded by what my lecturer said when he went mad looking how the students did not seem to have passion for learning for his class and always clueless about recent arts updates in Singapore. He was frustrated because in arts school you were supposed to be surrounded by passionate learners. He pointed out students randomly to answer "why do you make arts?" The air was tensed and most students answered unconvincingly. (maybe I would too, if that finger was at me)

That class drags up to this far, that now I bring it up again. Art is hard, make a living from art is hard, paying tuition is hard, why'd go all that trouble if we don't have a reason? It sinks in me the more and more it relates to my observation of arts industry recently.

It makes sense in a way how some people are put into a major where the job field are wide open under practical reason "easier to get a job" which is still naive in a way. But you can't have that reason  for arts. It's going to be hard. So I understand his frustration, if you are not eager to learn then what for?

I myself still try to find my place in arts. See? How could it be that tricky? It used to be just about drawing before I enroll, now it seems that I have to include some research on why I do what I do. Arts has a lot of genres and positions. Some people are good at making one, some are good at selling one, presenting one, writing about one, or teaching about one..

Some of non-arts people might just knew this but most artist have so much love and hate relationship with what we are doing. We are not forever on top of high spirits energy flowing through our hand making connection with universe through painting and all what shit.

If you just like to draw and that's it, think twice before going to arts school. (Or research which department suit better to your interest. Are you more of a designer or artist)

If you just like shopping clothes, think twice about majoring in fashion. (Actually, think dozen times)

If you just like watching anime, think twice about going to arts school. Not that the input of your anime reference won't be useful, but because it's gonna be tougher than binge-watching 10 episodes a day.

If you are a learner with open mind, I'd say go ahead. But remember taking it to that serious level of going to college, you'll encounter pressure of arts as professional practice not just as hobby. You'll be surrounded by people who do things like you if not better. Lecturer will treat your works not just as doodle in leisure time, but actual meaningful works that could be potentially invested or thrown to the bin. If there is no good reason to stay and learn, it is gonna eat up your passion. I mean if you want to keep it a hobby, you definitely can alongside with other things that is more practical and pays more. That is one healthy choice. You can also twist your mind trying to make it a hobby out of professional activity that you are doing. That is one level higher and well kid I'd be jealous for you are so much on the right track. But the point is.. know that any school won't be that simple, easy, and laid-back just because it has label arts in it. 

I have seen my classmate only came to school on the last two weeks, and I never saw him again. I've seen people giving up their attendance because art has never been their interest in the first place. They were not good at any other subjects, art became the only option. I think it is fine to come with zero skill, as long you have that energy balls to learn forward. Talking about skill, art does not always include about skill anyway, nowadays. (that will make a whole new essay so skip forward)

College is tough like anything else. I have to admit the major I am taking now is the least tough out of all other, BUT everything comes with a price. For my major, it is going to be hard once we graduate if we don't prepare what it takes, or AT LEAST love what we do. So it is the same, there is an extra preparation.

As much as I have no control over the effect, I hope my writing is taken more as an insight of arts school and industry for a more considerate input rather than a discouragement. Like what I have said earlier, I support everyone who follow up their passion. and I understand passion changes, that's part of the process too. My friend wants to be politician after two years study in fashion and I support it I saw how much she light up when talking about one. My point is, school takes time and money,  and ALL major comes with good and bad but does it worth the glitters? Knows the difference of what we like or what we are prepared for AND what is only romanticized.

Series : Last One Second and Half

One of the good thing about series is that you are allowed to expand your ideas into many direction, under one theme. Or you could say in writing case, it elaborates your argument. 

On this series, I wanted to explore on raw looking faces, a moment before passing out. I have interest in consciousness, which you might have sensed in a lot of my works. I often think of the last few seconds before one is passing out. Their pale looking skin, eyes shut, or swollen, bluish bruises. Consciousness (maybe) on the stage of in between. That was the idea behind this series.

The color tone was something quite new too, since I don't really put pink on my painting unless the red accidentally smudged over the white. Back then it was one top color I hated the most. Weird it does not seem to matter the older I get.

I use acrylic and I am not that type of artist who likes the trouble of pushing many colors out of tubes and leave it dry unused (acrylic mocks you from the distance) so I always make the palette to minimum colour variants, unless I want to go crazy with fast stroke abstracts. In this series I use three dominant colours, and one extra alternatively.

What I have noticed about painting in series is that out of cohesive characteristics naturally or deliberately performed, you still see slight changes. It is interesting because in my case those changes seems to be caused by a change of interest, mood, and sometimes, paintings I have recently seen quite intensely. Human constantly change their stage of mind and often I found it hard to re-perform a painting with a level of concentration as intense as the previous one. That's why I got to more understanding when they say every piece is unique, not just in terms of visual but also the energy performed in every piece of it. Some artist could set up their level of focus consistently, but I believe there is always change. That is just how unique layers of human's experience is! 

This series were done in relatively short period of times. I have reversed psychology best works at me that if I loosen up a little and rely on a step at a time action, I tend to finish more than when my mind militarily command to not procrastinate.

Here are pictures of my paintings.

They are going to be exhibited on ARTas 2017 Singapore, along with my short animation. The exhibition picks " Changes / Flux" for its theme this year, and they see my works quite fitting! Heads up to their account here : https://www.instagram.com/artas2017/.

Drunk Potatoes Wrote Poetry (November Project)

Writing, or specifically poetry writing has always been a seasonal hobby for me. Well basically everything is, because I am easily distracted and attracted by new things. (hope that does not suggest you a loyalty issue) and recently I had been stumbled upon my peer's poetry works on her blog. We have not been friends for a long time, say we started talking around two months ago but it was really occasional encounter like once in a month. Then after, we asked to be paired in one room during our learning trip in Cambodia for five days, and that's where crazy stuff happened. Every night our room is as if inside is two loud women in their 40s laughing at our old days. If you see Ahdini and Nadya next to your room, you'd better inquire a new one because as much as I try to contain I just can't, everything just seems so funny.

I did not expect myself to go that much on that but oh well, fun time back then. After reading her poetry, I texted her casually explaining my ideas and sent her my artworks, and soon she sent me back pictures of her poetry. Great, my productivity is not used to immediate respond from me (my bad). So as soon as everything seems well-suited, I compile them all, and tada... It is on my website for you to read it for free.

Basically this poetry is about our queries of the unclear thing about life, the question that is not new of course, since it might have been covered by a lot of phillosophers : The temporary things. It has five artworks and six poetry in total, written in Indonesian.

click here to read

 (or you can open through my website www.ahdiniizzatika.com, under "project")

So there you go my bit of fun and productivity on November. Nobody would imagine that these two loud drunk potatoes walking on the street would write poetry I guess.

Indonesian Artist Talk, Art is Pain in The Ass???

A few weeks before the show, I have been told by my friend, a fellow Indonesian year three sculpture student that she is going to translate the talk hosting three Indonesian artist. It is going to be held in Nge An Kongsi Gallery alongside with their works being exhibited, located in my campus.I was like, Holy mama you are so cool, Lija!

The day rolls in a blink of an eye and we came to that day. It has been my weird symptom to have anxiety feeling before talk started, even though I only present as an audience. I am not a very nationalist person though I'd thought human is human regardless the nation but I can't lie that having people from my hometown doing great job and being invited with honor gives me some pride.

the students were somehow very crowded at that time and as I know a few of them were obliged to come by their lecturer. The talk started and honestly it went a bit slow in the first 15 minutes because they talk slowly especially that being bilingual, you end up hearing two information repeated which is fun at some point yes. I could not help but laugh at some part watching my friend attempting her best to translate some overtly poetic words that even Indonesian can't figure out. Some of the students were Malay Singaporean and even though our language has a lot of differences, they get the talk and the joke. As the time went by the talk got more and more interesting.

It was said that three of them went through study in ISI Jogja (Jogja Institute of the Arts). They explained what's interesting being an art student there, the self identity crisis they went through and how they seek the answer from the works they were creating.

They said that Indonesian government are not as supportive as here in Singapore which we instantly agree on, yet there is a plus and minus point to that. Plus point is that the artist in Indonesia can have freedom as much as they want as long as it does not insult certain religion or cultural practice (yes religion is one sacred thing in public there). Indonesia is a huge land and very multicultural, the nudity approved in one place is being against hard a few yard away across the city border.

What I am getting from the show is that I think being an artist is one painful thing if you don't believe in what you're doing. It certainly applies to everything but being artist you risk your time to do something that doesn't give you steady income, and people (often) don't understand. You build or make things which can take up to years, handmade or factory made. There has to be strong reason that would push your will up to that level of hardwork which is really amazing for me.

on the gallery I previously gallery-sitted, the artist was said to had started the project since seven years ago and factored it in China sending them worldwide all the way.

how does that inspire your art practice?

for me I don't think I have that much of patience but who knows what will happen in future for now I just keep trying to stimulate myself to create and think aka distract my overreacting thoughts so at least its existence will make any good if muting it is one impossible thing . XP

We are not allowed to take picture of the artworks so I'll snap some from the catalogue given.