Kade javanalikikara variable single page

Dimensions Variable เกศ ชวนะลิขิกร Kade Javanalikhikara ณ หอศิลปวิทยนิทรรศน สํานักงานวิทยทรัพยากร จุฬาลงกรณมหาวิทยาลัย แสดงงาน 19 ตุลาคม – 4 ธันวาคม 2558 วันจันทรที 19 ตุลาคม 2558 การบรรยายนิทรรศการ เวลา 17.20-18.30 น. พิธีเปดนิทรรศการ เวลา 18.30-20.30 น.

At The Art Center, Office of Academic Resources, Chulalongkorn University On Display: October 19 – December 4, 2015 Monday October 19, 2015 Talk: 5.20-6.30 pm Opening Reception: 6.30-8.30 pm

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เกศ ชวนะลิขิกร จากการเปลี่ยนแปลงของสภาวะภูมิอากาศของโลก (Climate Change) กลายมาเป็นหนึ่งในแรงบันดาลใจของผลงานชุด “การแปรเปลี่ยนในตำ�แหน่ง ขององค์ประกอบ” (Dimension Variable) เกิดจากความแตกต่างระหว่างการ สื่อความหมายกับการสื่ออารมณ์ความรู้สึก การแสดงลักษณ์กับการไม่แสดง ลักษณ์ ซึ่งเป็นประเด็นถกเถียงกันในด้านคุณค่าและบทบาทที่น่าจะเป็นของผล งานศิลปะ ข้าพเจ้าในฐานะที่เป็นผู้สร้างสรรค์ผลงานจิตรกรรมอยู่ก่อนแล้ว จึง ต้องการนำ�เสนอผลงานจิตรกรรมนามธรรมที่แฝงไว้ซึ่งความหมายทางภาษา โดยการสร้างร่องรอยของภาษา (เขียน) หรือการใช้ “คำ�” หรือ “ประโยค” ลงบนพื้นผลงานที่ประกอบกันด้วยชิ้นผลงานชิ้นเล็ก ๆ หลาย ๆ ชิ้น ก็จะได้ผล งานจิตรกรรมแบบแสดงการสื่อความหมาย ซึ่งสามารถอ่านและเข้าใจได้จาก ประโยคที่เรียบเรียงอยู่บนผลงาน จากนั้นได้ทำ�การปรับเปลี่ยนจัดตำ�แหน่งหรือ องค์ประกอบของผลงานชื้นเล็ก ๆ นั้นขึ้นใหม่ เพื่อตัดการเชื่อต่อของประโยค ทำ�ให้ไม่ปรากฏสิ่งที่อ่านแล้วรู้หรือเข้าใจความหมายได้ เป็นการนำ�ความหมาย (ลักษณ์) ที่เคยปรากฏอยู่บนผลงานมาละลายแยกออก เหลือเพียงเส้นลากไปมา ไม่สามารถ (อ่าน) เข้าใจได้ (ไม่แสดงลักษณ์) กลายเป็นนามธรรม ผลงานชุดนี้จึงเป็นผลงานจิตรกรรมนามธรรม ที่มีแรงบันดาลใจจากความ คิด ซึ่งซ่อนแฝงความหมาย(ลักษณ์) ไว้บนแผ่นระนาบที่ปรากฏอยู่ อีกทั้งขั้น ตอนสุดท้ายของกระบวนการสร้างสรรค์ไม่ได้เกิดจากการระบายสีอย่าง ผลงานจิตรกรรมทั่วไป แต่เกิดจากการจัดองค์ประกอบใหม่ เป็นการกลับไปสู่ การเริ่มต้นของการสร้างสรรค์ศิลปะบางชนิด คือใช้ความคิดมากกว่าความรู้สึก แต่ผลลัพธ์ที่ได้กลับกลายเป็นผลงานที่แสดงอารมณ์ความรู้สึก ไม่ได้นำ�เสนอ เนื้อหาหรือความหมาย กลับมาเป็นผลงานนามธรรม

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Artist’s statement

/ Kade Javanalikhikara Climate change has become one of the inspirations for Dimension Variable. It explores contention of value and role of artwork emerging from differences between communicating meaning and feeling - symbolic and non-symbolic representation. As a painter, I want to present abstract painting with obscured languages.

By doing so, word or sentence is written on segmented painted canvases and the painting is at first readable. Then, the segmented canvases are rearranged to isolate the meaning of word or sentence written, left only lines, colours, and texture, an abstract painting.

This set of abstract paintings is inspired by an idea, hidden with hidden symbols on the surface. Furthermore, the last process of creating an abstract painting does not come from the act of painting like for all paintings but arranging the compositions.

Therefore, these abstract paintings, unlike other paintings have equal importance between planning and expression towards the canvas. However, the final outcome is no less than abstract painting, submitting emotion and feeling, not content or meaning.

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“brown air, brown trees, brown ocean and a dirty automobile”, 1993

“sad dog”, 1995

“back against the wall”, 1998 4

From Brown Nature to Dimensions Variable: Climate, Climax, Criteria and Change.

/ Suebsang Sangwachirapiban

“pinocchio”, 1996

The subjects of Kade Javanalikhikara’s art have, from the beginning of his career as artist and instructor till the present time, always engaged these three elements: Human, Animal and the Environment, converted into mixed media art, installation, abstract painting as well literature. Most people recognise his abstract aesthetic representations as he has held a position of lecturer in painting at Chiang Mai University. Nevertheless, experimentation has led him to various artistic expressions and mediums. This same characteristic is rarely found in other artists.

In 1993, Kade staged his first solo exhibition, ‘Brown Air, Brown Trees, Brown Ocean and A Dirty Automobile’, at a space in Chiang Mai Plaza Shopping Mall. The show concentrated on mixed media art and was concerned with climate change. The artist had observed the rapid transformation of people’s ways of life, over-consumption and Thailand’s transition into an industrial country and its results in inequality and hierarchy among humans, animals and the environment. “Existing plants and animals have deteriorated and are consequentially on the verge of extinction. Air and water conditions have changed. New kinds of diseases emerge and new breeds of animals and plants have come into existence (Kade, 1993).” Montien Boonma contributed an article to the catalogue of this exhibition, commenting that Kade’s mixed media art had gone beyond the definition and depiction of traditional landscape painting. He wrote, “The combination of paintings and automobile parts is a new challenge to the creation of Thai contemporary landscape painting. His paintings reveal the new possibility of creating artwork and reflect the realistic society and the changing conditions of nature which occur in our present social state.”

Sad Dog’s installation in 1995 was a metaphor for the paradoxical togetherness of Mobile Phone, Man and Animal. Kade criticized people’s veneration of technologies, a sign of change in humans’ attitude, perception and relationships. On the other hand, Dog symbolises man’s best friend that has been abandoned as a result of technological literacy. “Humans’ relation to humans and to dogs can no longer deny the necessity to return to 5

the use of the old communication method (or better still, telepathy) (Kade, 2003).” For this exhibition, an unfinished house was constructed in the middle of the gallery. At the walls of gallery were composed of paintings and collected letters and correspondence materials. The essence of the latter was examined to find the meaning of communication and relationlessness.

The digital age has taken over living and phubbing has become a new habit of people in the 21st century.

Inspired by the tale of Pinocchio, the site-specific work ‘Pinocchio’, created in 1997 in an uncompleted theatre of the Chiang Mai Kad Suan Keaw shopping centre, offered the audience the rethinking of space function, the context of art and their relations. His artwork also questioned the distinction between the reality and the virtual world of this tale as they sometimes overlap and are difficult to differentiate. Indeed, Pinocchio as a character could be seen in reality. Again, for ‘Back Against the Wall’ in 1998, the artist emphasized the issue of telecommunication that was making the world a smaller place. The concept resembled an eye-catching motto of several companies. “We are proud to continuously make the world smaller and smaller until we have a space left only for standing with our back against the wall… One thing about the nature of painting is hanging on the “brown air, brown trees, brown wall (Kade, 1998).” Moreover, the issue of global warming was interpreted ocean and a dirty automobile”,1993 into a clay and gas stove installation to portray a heated globe we were living in. The last series of his mixed media art, ‘Amphur Mae Tang, Chiang Mai’, made in 1999, referred to the name of his hometown. Still unique was his utilization of objects and abstract paintings. Firmly believing in real, interpersonal communication, he turned to conceptual art, providing the audience with chairs of connection on which people were allowed to sit and talk to one another. The chairs were installed underneath the abstract paintings, representing the dialogue of relativity. Nevertheless, some seats were unusually set in a 45-degree angle and so wasn’t all that comfortable for sitting. This writer once understood that those chairs symbolised political complication!

In addition, ‘Hell University’: Faculty of Alcohol, Drugs and Firearms (some knowledge seems to have no explanation but could be perceived by the opening and extension of the mind) is an art project that decried the mainstream educational system. Kade made his own style of ridiculous literature to question what absolute knowledge was and what a proper university and a good teacher should be like as there was turmoil in the direction of the country’s educational system at the time. Here is an excerpt 6

“this drawing is a painting”, 1983

from his biting literature: “Why did I create such a name of Hell University?

I wanted to establish a valuable thing instead of a negative meaning. With various positive qualities in its name, the university often does the wrong thing. Henceforth, I will share with you both knowledge and amusement…

Wherever I work that’s where the office of the university president will be.

Contact during official working hours include holidays through the use of the telepathic communication. Classroom, teaching and learning will take place at popular bars and pubs. Studying hours are uncertain. Alcohology is a pretty popular program among learners. Teachers are kind. And students aren’t fully conscious and never get an F.” (Kade, 2002) Exhibited in 2003, ‘Sublime’ was a set of nonrepresentational paintings based on the environmental, spatial and temporal issues surrounding his beloved Chiang Mai residence. To allow for better comprehension of ‘Sublime’, the artist dropped a hint: “I want to forget all this and just paint beautiful colours. Absurd, meaningless but it sure feels good (Kade, 2003).”

His aesthetical comprehension of natural witness, specific emotions, experiences and studies were transformed into abstract subjects, which invited the audience on a journey through colours, texture and stains on meaningless paintings, abandoning their own reality for a moment. On the contrary, his previous show in 2009 at The Art Center, ‘No Valid Matter’, was arranged in a particular framework to make a comparison among three dissimilar categories of paintings: i) monochromic abstract, ii) still life and iii) gigantic abstract.

Somporn Rodboon wrote her interpretations on this idea saying, “Although the three types of paintings are different, they are harmoniously displayed in order to convey emotions and moods as well as to allow for imagination…

The contradictions in nature create at the same time the balance which is not different from the balance found in the human world where we often see differences but where people are able to live together without any conflict (Somporn, 2009).” Kade’s objective was to stimulate the audience’s appreciation, perception and deciphering skills when looking at his experimental method of displaying the works.

All above descriptions should provide enough illustration of Kade’s pragmatism in visual arts and his constant search for truths in existing beauty, life, social phenomena and things through his art practice.

Stepping away from traditional abstract art, ‘Dimensions Variable’ is Kade’s latest attempt in exploring the possibility of abstract expression, discussing both the change of climate and of human behaviour as well as the evolution of the nonrepresentational doctrine. For this extraordinary show7

“amphur mae tang, chiangmai”, 1999

Referrences:

Javanalikhikara, Kade, (1993). Artist Statement of Brown Air, Brown Trees, Brown Ocean and A Dirty Automobile exhibition, Chiang Mai. Boonma, Montien, (1993). “New visions in landscape painting by Kade Javanalikikorn”, Chiang Mai. Javanalikhikara, Kade, (2003). Sublime, Chiang Mai. Javanalikhikara, Kade, (2009). Artist Statement of No valid matters exhibition, Chiang Mai. Rodboon, Somporn, (2009). Painting without a brush by Kade Javanalikikorn, Chiang Mai.

case, Kade’s core concept is to intentionally combine two distinguished notions: i) the state of nature and man behaviour and ii) conceptual non-representative art versus (un)readable text. In total, 12 artworks are presented, divided into three following appearances: i) Pure Abstract Expression, ii) Text Painting and iii) Dimensions Variable Paintings. Especially, Kade’s the outstanding combination of text and painting is, since 1983, found in his ‘This drawing is a painting’ while studied visual art in United States.

As the artist profoundly realized, people always direct their complaints to the weather when they fail to perform their duties. Why do we blame nature? In fact, man cannot live without dependence on nature. Dimensions Variable aims to stimulate the viewer to question human impact on the environment, taking into account all the disasters originating from human ways of life that have taken place in the past few decades. So, how can humans maintain the equilibrium between the way they prefer to live and natural protection? Or is it simply impossible for humans to stop encroaching on the environment as long as they continue to pass on their consumerist lifestyle from one generation to the next.

Regarding the method of ‘variable dimensions’ in the paintings, this dialogue of rearrangement will perhaps baffle the audience slightly as it is the usual habit of the audience to seek the meaning of art, impelled to appreciate or decipher the paintings by employing their understanding of art elements. Meanwhile, readable texts, for instance, ‘Blame it On the Weather’, ‘Change’ and ‘Time’, squirted out of the paint tube onto the canvases, are rearranged from their original positions, rendering them unreadable.

Hence, literacy cannot be depended on, but it is the mind that can do appreciation. Kade’s explanation for the recomposition, which has endless possibilities, does not concern just the space and site management but it can provide fresh feelings, perceptions and conversations. Meanwhile, the process was calculated from the beginning, by no means a trick or a spontaneous attempt to solve any problems. Having reviewed past exhibitions, it appears that the concept of recomposing abstract art has never been used before. Therefore, the exhibition can be considered as a state of evaluating this individual process.

In sum, this exhibition enables the audience to rethink, reappraise and realize how we should treat the environment, nature, the earth and how visual art can raise people’s awareness of natural resource protection. This exhibition does not offer precise answers or useful models to follow. Yet, Kade feels it is important to pose these questions to all populations.

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Dimensions Variable / Art works

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“black”, acrylic on linen, 120x160 cm., 2012 10

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“red & black / black & red”, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 125x125 cm. each (2 pieces), 2014 12

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“without a word”, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 90x90 cm. each (3 pieces), 2014 14

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“time x�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 90x90 cm. each (9 pieces), 2015 20

“time�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 90x90 cm. each (9 pieces), 2015 21

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“change x�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 90x90 cm. each (6 pieces), 2015 23

“change�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 90x90 cm. each (6 pieces), 2015 24

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“blame it on the weather II�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 50x60 cm. each (12 pieces), 2013 28

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“blame the weather�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 60x60 cm. each (2 pieces) 120x60 cm. each (3 pieces), 2013 31

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“blame the weather �, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 90x90 cm. each (9 pieces), 2014 34

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“eventually�, acrylic on linen, dimensions variable, 60x60 cm. each (4 pieces) 120x60 cm. each (2 pieces), 2015 37

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“blame it on the weather”, acrylic on linen, 150x180 cm., 2012 40

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“blame the weather II”, acrylic on linen, 185x225 cm., 2014 43

“blame it on the weather III”, acrylic on linen, 80x102 cm., 2013 44

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Faculty of Fine Art Chiangmai University, Chiangmai 50200 THAILAND Mobile: +66(0)814540257 Email: helluniversity@gmail.com

Curriculum vitae

/ Kade Javanalikhikara

/ Profile

/ Solo Exhibition

2015 2011 2009 2007 2006 2005 2003 1998 1997

1996 - 1997 1993

/ Selected Group

Exhibition

2015 2014

Kade Javanalikhikara (b.1961, Bangkok) lives and works in Chiangmai.

After graduating BFA Painting and Drawing from University of North Texas, Denton, Texas, USA in 1985, Kade Javanalikhikara has come to Chiangmai and settled there. Since then he has been a Chiangmai-based artist and teaching at Faculty of Fine Arts, Chiangmai University, now an associate professor. Apart from his renown abstract painting, Kade Javanalikhikara’s practice also includes installation and print. His artistic creation is done at his Maetang studio, 40 km north of Chiangmai city center.

Dimensions Variable; The Art center, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand After Afterall; Art Republic Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand No Valid Matters; The Art Center, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand Without a Word; COFA Space, University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia Goodbye Snoopy, Hello Kitty; Jiqoo Art Space, Chiangmai, Thailand Colors Next to Black; Art Republic Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Sublime; H Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Amphora Mae Tang Chiangmai; Faculty of Fine Art, Chiangmai University, Chiangmai, Thailand Yes & No (Back Against the Wall); Faculty of Fine Art, Chiangmai University, Chiangmai and the National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Pinocchio; Small Theatre Kad Suan Kaew, Chiangmai, Thailand Brown Air, Brown Trees, Brown Ocean and Dirty Automobile; Art Forum, Bangkok, and Chiangmai Inn Plaza, Chiangmai, Thailand

Identity Non-Identity; Alliance Française, Bangkok, Thailand Chat 2 Exchange; CMU Art Center, Chiangmai, Thailand Chiangmai Breeze; Gallery of Saoh & Tomos, Tokyo, Japan Interchange; PSG Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Chat; ANU School of Art Gallery, Cranberra, Australia Mega-Metals Medley; Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan 54

2013 2012

2011 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 1990

/ Collections

Reclaim; Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum, Gallery Sakuragi, Tokyo, Japan Thai Ink/Japanese Paper; Serindia Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Thai Trend: from Localism to Internationalism; Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand Two Thai Artists; SACI Gallery, Florence, Italy 30 FOFA CMU; Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Bangkok, Thailand Confluence of the 9; The National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand The International Art on Paper; Chiangmai University Art Museum, Chaingmai, Thailand Asian Antics; Marianne Newman Gallery, New South Wales, Australia Music Through Art; Art Republic Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Confluence of the 9; The National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Abstract Art; CMU Art Center, Chiangmai, Thailand 0.01 Ricther; Gallery Panisa, Chiangmai,Thailand Mind’s Eye; Faculty of Fine Art, Chiangmai University, Chiangmai, Thailand Art Republic’s First Exhibition; Art Republic Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Hotdog; Chiangmai University Art Museum, Chaingmai, Thailand Thai Japan Vietnam Contemporary Art; CMU Art Center, Chiangmai, Thailand River of the King; CMU Art Center, Chiangmai, Thailand Golden Jubilee Art Exhibition: 50 years of Thai Art; Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand Art for King Rama IX; Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, Bangkok, Thailand Sad Dog; Chiangmai University, Chiangmai, Thailand Charity Auction Exhibition for the Kobe Earthquake Victim; Osaka, Japan Rebirth of Things; Ideal Art Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand The 4th Asian Art Show: Realism as an Attitude; Fukuoka Art Museum, Fukuoka and Setagaya Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan Chiangmai Social Installation; Chiangmai, Thailand The New Path; Contempus, Bangkok, Thailand Melancholic; Visual Dhamma, Bangkok, Thailand From the Outside Looking In; USIS, Changmai and the National Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand 3 x 1990; The Artist Gallery, Bangkok, Thailand Bangkok University, Bangkok, Thailand C.A.P. Studio, Chiangmai, Thailand Cicada Press, New South Wales, Australia Fukuoka Asian Art Museum, Fukuoka, Japan National Gallery of Australia, Canberra, Australia Rama IX Art Museum Foundation, Bangkok, Thailand Wagga Wagga Art Gallery, New South Wales, Australia 55

Dimensions Variable เกศ ชวนะลิขิกร Kade Javanalikhikarara

Head of the art center / Prapon Kumjim Manager of the art center, Writer / Suebsang Sangwachirapiban Public relation / Siriwat Pokrajen Staff of the art center / Phichaya Choktavepakaphong Photograph / Pandit Watanakasivish / Surawee Vanichseni / The Artist Graphic design / Chonlawit Rodjaturakun Installation Team / Jaran Dokruenkum / Suk Kunlor

The Art Center, 7th Floor, Office of Academic Resources, Chulalongkorn University Phyathai Rd, Pathumwan, Bangkok 10330. Tel: 02-218-2965, Fax: 02-218-2907 Email: info.artcenterchula@gmail.com www.car.chula.ac.th/art Facebook: The Art Center - Chula Monday-Friday 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m., Saturday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Closed on Sunday & Public Holidays

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