SELF-ENQUIRY
by Kamin Lertchaiprasert in partnership with ATTA Gallery
"Since I was young, I have grappled with existential questions. Why are we born? What is life? What is the real meaning of life? These questions set me on a path of artistic exploration that I have followed until now. Throughout the past fifty-eight years, I have discovered that art is a process of understanding self, society, and nature—though, I must say that I’m still a novice at it myself, not yet sure of my own understanding.
The Self-Enquiry project is a continuation of that quest to learn and also a reevaluation of the lessons I’ve garnered over all these years. In an attempt to deepen my understanding, I will revisit my past works and analyze them using knowledge drawn from different disciplines, including philosophy, religion, science, and analytical psychology, to name but a few. Such an approach allows meaning to be reinterpreted, thus generating a new perception or language that may facilitate communication within our society and help develop a shared understanding. Ultimately, I have realized that we must deconstruct the artistic, or aesthetic, value structure in order to concretely understand creative processes (aesthetic mechanisms) and how the mind perceives the beauty of life.
The exhibition Form is Empty, Emptiness is Form signifies a bardo, an intermediate state of existence between death (the past) and rebirth (the future). Though it is the fourth and final exhibition of Pure Perception?, it also marks the beginning of Self-Enquiry, which is set to launch on September 11, 2022, at the 31st Century Museum of contemporary spirit.(office) This new project will hold rotating exhibitions every three to four months, running for approximately five years.
My primary objective for this project is to look inward to better understand myself. Whether others realize the value of life or the real state of being through this project is a matter of fate; some may find themselves living the rest of their lives more consciously, with the sincerity and pure mind that can only be achieved through the discovery of inner truth and inherent wisdom."
Kamin Lertchaiprasert
Location: 31st Century Museum of Contemporary Spirit (Office)
100/6 Moo 10 Soi Wat Umong 11, Suthep Road, Chiangmai
Opening hours: Saturdays – Tuesdays 13:00-17:00 hrs. or by prior appointment made via phone at 061-861-6824.
Website: 31century.org