The Alchemy of Air, Water and Strom and Me

Blur Borders International Performance Art Exchange 2024

6th August 2024 : 2nd-day @Talumpuk Cape, Nakhon Si Thammarat.Thailand 

organized and curated by
Mongkol Plienbangchang and Aor Nopawan

Photography by 

Apisak Ratchakwan

Doudwang

photo modification  by 

Ender Rodriguez

This performance was at the seaside, a beautiful spot where the land shaped in a triangular edge connects to the sea. The team told us that there were many mosquitos on the beach. We had the honour of meeting the mayor of the Nkhom si Thimmarat, along with an inspiring environmentalist couple who are passionately dedicated to their buffalo farm. We went in the mayor's car to see the beach spot where we had to perform. It was afternoon, Sun was sharp. We had to choose our spots and think about our actions.

I went around the beach area. I came across many seashells and a tree branch, so I collected them and chose a spot for the performance. The next day, we had a performance in the evening. I spent time deciding what to wear and preparing my props, which included branches and tying all the collected shells. This time, we were in a different hotel where they warned us to be careful of snakes. I also sewed a flag for my performance. On the day of the performance, the program had two parts. First, there were two performances, followed by a long lunch break, during which we were eager to perform.

The second half started, and my turn was 8th. Suddenly, the weather changed when it was my turn to perform; it was stormy and windy with heavy rains. The curator, Aor Nopawan, asked if I still wanted to perform in the rain Since the photographers would not be able to"document the performances due to the heavy rains. I was restless and desperate to perform in the sea, but despite the chaos and stress, I was determined to go to sea. The sea was calling, and I couldn't hold back any longer. It was intense with the strong rains and wind, making it difficult to control the elements.

 

I was there in the sea, waving a flag and balloon tied to my branches, dancing in the wind. The experience was powerful, and I felt small in front of nature. The alchemy of air, water, and storm created a unique and magical environment. These conditions and situations are rare, and even if artists ask for them, they cannot replicate the power of nature. I merged into the environment, still playing my mouth instruments and communicating with the universe. Words cannot describe how wonderful that moment was. I wish I were a writer. It is difficult to capture the transformative power of nature when humans are small in comparison. I felt like I was still a part of it all. The emotions were overwhelming and intense. The photographers who were brave enough to capture me in that rain - I'm so grateful to them for allowing me to share pictures of that incredible moment. The action was an attempt to give back the objects given by sea to us, the sea shells and things I had collected from the beachside, the balance of aspiration, hope and life in the heavy tides of a storm.

Dimple B Shah

In Search of Siam (Suvarnabhumi - The land of Gold)

Blur Borders International Performance Art Exchange 2024

3 August : 1st day @Talenoi Phattalung,Thailand 

organized and curated by
Mongkol Plienbangchang and Aor Nopawan

Photography by 

Apisak Ratchakwan

In Search of Siam (Survanabhumi – The Land of Gold): This First Performance in Thailand. It was in response to the old name of Thailand, Siam. The term Siam (Thai: สยาม RTGS: Sayam) might have come from Pali (suvaṇṇabhūmi, meaning land of gold), Sanskrit श्याम (śyāma, meaning -dark), or Mon (rhmañña, meaning stranger), possibly having the same root as Shan and Ahom.

As I researched Thailand, I was inspired and drawn to the historical significance of the temple, space objects and things that resonated with my subconscious mind. A vision of objects and connections started creating sequences and scenes in my mind like a film reel. Gradually, I developed my work by learning and observing the wetland, a beautiful green zone in small segments of the island. The environment was very similar to the Kerala backwaters.

 On the first day, we went on a tour in a small boat. On the way, we saw a large fishing structure made of bamboo. The landscape transformed with the first ray of sunlight, and this beautiful bamboo structure sometimes looked like an animal walking on water. Still, the morning image is fresh in my mind. We came across people fishing, floating rice fields, beautiful lotus fields, and the island site where we had to perform.

Upon first glance, the site and the water seemed fantastic. Numerous images of potential actions flooded my mind. The challenge lay in figuring out how to transport the materials. With this in mind, I began collecting bamboo. I stumbled upon many bamboo sticks on the ground and noticed several other artists working and gathering bamboo. At first, I considered abandoning the idea. However, I started to rethink the possibilities. I chose a location for my performance. Later, we returned to the hotel room and found ourselves in a cozy, beautiful wooden room filled with wonderful memories of the day trip and the experience of the lotus field. 

At night, the phrase 'Siam', lotus fields and fishing structure strongly resonated with me, and I performed In Search of Siam (Suvannabhoomi - The Land of Gold). The passage explores the origins of the term 'Siam' and its possible connections to India and the Prakrit language. It also discusses the metaphorical interpretation of "Shyam" (Krishna) and its association with the colour blue. Metaphorically and poetically, it was an attempt to reimage and touch upon the idea of the imagination of people of the land, Siam people arriving via a sea route.

I want to call out to the name Siam, the Dark/ Krishna and the people of Thailand. Many thoughts echoed in my mind simultaneously. It might have created a response from an audience trying to connect and understand my performance. It was strange that many locals needed to learn the history of Siam in Thailand. Is the young generation cut from the past? I wonder why they cut off or were just ignorant of the history of Thailand. There are a lot of trade and cultural connections between Thailand and India. I tried to reestablish it through my actions.

Dimple B Shah Performed on 3 August 2024 1st day @Talenoi Phattalung