Philippines, Inc. Philippines,
Cannes Cannes 63 the at the won , Palme d’Or Palme Lives Past His Recall Can Who Boonmee
Book Store, Craftpoint Brewing Company, Premier Wine & Spirits, Inc., and Pacific Paint (Boysen) (Boysen) Paint Pacific and Inc., Spirits, & Wine Premier Company, Brewing Craftpoint Store, Book rd
with Joselina Cruz. Additional support has been provided by the Royal Thai Embassy, National National Embassy, Thai Royal the by provided been has support Additional Cruz. Joselina with Prize, South Korea (2014) and the Fukuoka Prize, Japan (2013). His film, film, His (2013). Japan Prize, Fukuoka the and (2014) Korea South Prize, (2000). and Uncle Uncle Mysterious Object at Noon at Object Mysterious
has been organized in collaboration collaboration in organized been has Manila (MCAD), Design and Art Contemporary of Museum at of the order in 2008, and an Officer in 2011. He was a recipient of the Yanghyun Yanghyun the of recipient a was He 2011. in Officer an and 2008, in order the of (2002) (2002) (2003), (2004), Blissfully Yours Blissfully Pussy Iron of Adventures The Malady Tropical
Museum, Chiang Mai, the ICI Board of Trustees and ICI’s International Forum. The presentation presentation The Forum. International ICI’s and Trustees of Board ICI the Mai, Chiang Museum,
(Order of Arts and Letters), as a Knight Knight a as Letters), and Arts of (Order the under (2006), (2006), (2010), Ordre des Arts et des Lettres des et Arts des Ordre Syndromes and a Century a and Syndromes Lives Past His Recall Can Who Boonmee
and tour are made possible, in part, with the generous support from MAIIAM Contemporary Art Art Contemporary MAIIAM from support generous the with part, in possible, made are tour and
he has twice been honoured by the French Ministry of Culture and Communications Communications and Culture of Ministry French the by honoured been twice has he (2015), (2015), include: films feature His London. in Britain Tate Uncle Uncle Splendor of Cemetery
Gaweewong and produced by Independent Curators International (ICI), New York. The exhibition exhibition The York. New (ICI), International Curators Independent by produced and Gaweewong
with the prestigious Silpathorn award conferred by the Thai Ministry of Culture, and and Culture, of Ministry Thai the by conferred award Silpathorn prestigious the with and Hangar Biccoca in Milan. In 2016, a retrospective of his films was screened at at screened was films his of retrospective a 2016, In Milan. in Biccoca Hangar and is a traveling exhibition curated by Gridthiya Gridthiya by curated exhibition traveling a is Apichatpong Weerasethakul: The Serenity of Madness of Serenity The Weerasethakul: Apichatpong
Bangkok Experimental Film Festival from 1999 to 2008. In 2005 he was recognized recognized was he 2005 In 2008. to 1999 from Festival Film Experimental Bangkok the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris Paris de Ville la de Moderne d’Art Musée the Minneapolis, in Center Art Walker the
currently lives and works in Chiang Mai. With Gridthiya Gaweewong, he ran the the ran he Gaweewong, Gridthiya With Mai. Chiang in works and lives currently today. cinema and art contemporary in imaginations fiercest the of of solo presentations by esteemed institutions including Haus der Kunst, Munich, Munich, Kunst, der Haus including institutions esteemed by presentations solo of
graduating in film from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1997, and and 1997, in Chicago of Institute Art the of School the from film in graduating one with experience graceful a of imprint the with us leave that images and stories of (2013), Liverpool (2006), Busan (2004) and Istanbul (2001). He has been the subject subject the been has He (2001). Istanbul and (2004) Busan (2006), Liverpool (2013),
northeastern Thai city of Kohn Kaen. He studied architecture there before before there architecture studied He Kaen. Kohn of city Thai northeastern constellation a creates instead and end, or beginning of ideas conventional dissolves including dOCUMENTA 13 in Kassel, Germany (2012), and the biennales of Sharjah Sharjah of biennales the and (2012), Germany Kassel, in 13 dOCUMENTA including
Apichatpong Weerasethakul was born in 1970, Bangkok but grew up in the the in up grew but Bangkok 1970, in born was Weerasethakul Apichatpong that narrative peculiar filmmaker’s the of logic internal the convey influences Film Festival in 2010. He has participated in numerous international exhibitions exhibitions international numerous in participated has He 2010. in Festival Film
ABOUT THE ARTIST ARTIST THE ABOUT same time the political conflict that overshadows his region and country; these these country; and region his overshadows that conflict political the time same
that subsumes his work is marked by spirituality and the supernatural, and at the the at and supernatural, the and spirituality by marked is work his subsumes that
national, cultural, historical and mythical context of the artist. The lyrical language language lyrical The artist. the of context mythical and historical cultural, national,
propelled and inspired by a myriad of influences that digs deep into the personal, personal, the into deep digs that influences of myriad a by inspired and propelled
and modernity reveals the filmmaker’s cinematic language of contrast and texture, texture, and contrast of language cinematic filmmaker’s the reveals modernity and
In this first solo exhibition in Manila, Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s use of tradition tradition of use Weerasethakul’s Apichatpong Manila, in exhibition solo first this In
evoking the fluidity and distortions of history. of distortions and fluidity the evoking
personal memories are interwoven with the ephemeral and the supernatural, supernatural, the and ephemeral the with interwoven are memories personal
American experimental film. In both his narrative films and experimental projects, projects, experimental and films narrative his both In film. experimental American
genres including science fiction, adventure and myth, as well as the tradition of of tradition the as well as myth, and adventure fiction, science including genres
traditions of his native Isaan region. His stories reflect diverse literary and cinematic cinematic and literary diverse reflect stories His region. Isaan native his of traditions
explored themes of faith, memory and rebirth, often drawing upon narrative narrative upon drawing often rebirth, and memory faith, of themes explored
For the past two decades, Weerasethakul’s reflexive and non-linear work has has work non-linear and reflexive Weerasethakul’s decades, two past the For
and archival material. archival and
recent work, ranging across media from short films to video art, video diaries, prints prints diaries, video art, video to films short from media across ranging work, recent
, 2009. Vinyl print. Courtesy of the artist. , 2009. Vinyl print. Courtesy most his to films experimental first his from practice Weerasethakul’s following
filmmaker based in Chiang Mai. This exhibition presents more than 20 works works 20 than more presents exhibition This Mai. Chiang in based filmmaker
of Apichatpong Weerasethakul, the internationally acclaimed artist and independent independent and artist acclaimed internationally the Weerasethakul, Apichatpong of
is a selective survey of the work work the of survey selective a is Ghost Teen Madness of Serenity The Weerasethakul: Apichatpong Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Photo by Chai Siris. Photo Apichatpong Weerasethakul. Apichatpong Weerasethakul, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, SUPPORTED BY
PROJECT MANAGER Justin Felix Pascua
EXHIBITION VOLUNTEERS
Invisibility, David Laboy Bianca Santos Erico Carlos Shannon Balangue 2016. 2- Rodora Garcia
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
channel synchronised video installation. Aji Manalo Patrick Sunico DLSU Library DLS-CSB Learning Resource Center DLS-CSB GASD-Engineering DLS-CSB Music Production Laboratory BenildeFilm
GRAPHIC DESIGN Bon Corachea
EXHIBITION RUN 18 FEBRUARY - 14 MAY 2017
MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART AND DESIGN G/F De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde SDA Campus Dominga St., Malate, Manila, Philippines www.mcadmanila.org.ph /MCAD.Manila @MCADManila
Apichatpong Weerasethakul Emerald (Morakot) 2007 Cinema version and single-screen installation Digital Dolby 5.1 / Colour 01 02 05 06 08 10 11 12 Ghost Teen The Palace TON Nabua Fireworks (Archives) Invisibility Father Ashes 2009 (Pipittapan Tee Taipei) 2004 2009 2014 2016 2014 2012 from the Primitive Project 2008 Single-channel video installation Single-channel video installation, HD Digital Single-channel video installation, HD Digital 2-channel synchronised video installation Single-channel video installation, SD Digital HD Digital Vinyl print 5-channel video installation, Digital Silent / Color Dolby 5.1 / Color Dolby 5.1 / Color Silent video but use live sound from the shutters Silent / Color Shot with Lomokino, 35 mm still films 3900 x 3200mm (Selected 3 pieces for the exhibition) 11:32 mins 9:11 mins 6:40 mins Color 14:07 mins Stereo / Color Silent / Color 12:29 mins 20:18 mins Various Lengths For his feature film,Tropical Malady, Nabua was produced as part of the multi- Fireworks (Archives) chronicles the animal The original footage in Father was shot Apichatpong asked his colleague Ton to platform Primitive Project, created during sculptures at the Kaewku temple, Nong Invisibility displays Apichatpong’s in 2003 by Weerasethakul’s brother In collaboration with Lomo, an Austrian 03 The Palace (Pipittapan Tee Taipei) is a visit the army in the Kaeng Krajan Dam the production of the artist’s feature Khai, a town on the border of Laos and continued interest in the issue of when their father was undergoing kidney camera company, and Mubi, a global film site-specific project that Weerasethakul area to study the lives of soldiers and film,Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall his Thailand. The founder of this temple, perception and memory. The installation dialysis. Forever stuck in his memory, website, Weerasethakul was invited to Haiku originally created in response to the their daily routines. This video documents Past Lives. Nabua is a village located in Lungpu Bunleua, built statues based on takes a thread from his recent pieces, the artist reuses the footage here as well make a work to launch the new Lomokino, 2009 National Palace Museum in Taipei’s Ton during his research trip, which later northeast Thailand, a poignant site for fantasy, folk tales, and political myths Cemetery of Splendour (2015) and as in a prominent scene in his feature a portable motion picture camera. Ashes Single-channel video installation, HD Digital collection and architecture as part of became a reference for the main character Thailand’s Cold War history during the which unpacked his belief in several Fever Room (2015-2016), both of which filmUncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His juxtaposes the intimacy of his daily routine Stereo (Shown here in silent) / Color 1:58 mins the exhibition Discovering the Other. He in Tropical Malady. 1960s. This period marked the first time the Buddhist teachings referring to life, feature the same actors. Here he Past Lives. with the destruction of memories and his explores spiritual elements of the art military fought against comrade farmers. love, legends and reincarnation. Unfairly takes them deeper into an imaginary observations of the dark side of Thailand’s Weerasethakul has produced a number institution, which is filled with centuries- The fighting reached such a high degree treated due to accusations of being a world and ponders the future of shared social realities. of shorts, feature films, and video old ancient objects and artifacts. The of violence that the farmers decided communist during the cold war period, the consciousness. The videos depict a installations. Over the years he has artist saw the room in the museum as a to migrate into the forests to join the vernacular sculptures he produced is seen landscape where the protagonists are also made numerous video sketches witness of time and space. Communist Party and the resistance. by Apichatpong as a mode of resistance to confined to a room, along with the and studies called “video diaries” with a the oppression he received from the ruling viewers. With no way out they infiltrate 13 portable digital camera he carries with center. Fireworks (Archives) invites us to each other’s dreams. him on a daily basis. Some of the videos experience walking through the temple One Water Tilda Swinton, a prominent British actress featured here have later influenced his 04 07 grounds alongside the actors in a very Invisibility mirrors the troubled state of 2013 who became a good friend of Apichatpong more narrative films such asTropical intimate way. This piece was first exhibited Thailand’s politics. It proposes a decayed Single-channel video installation, SD Digital for a few years, organized a gathering of Stereo (Shown here in silent) / Color Malady and Uncle Boonmee Who Can An Evening Shoot Bullet Bullet is Weerasethakul’s first film, an at kurimanzutto in Mexico City and is the vision of the future where one needs 1:11 mins friends in Maldives. Apichatpong asked Recall Past Lives. In this video diary, 2009 1994 experimental short that explores light and first in a new series titled Fireworks. to constantly evade reality. The viewing Swinton to recall her dreams in front of Weerasethakul documents the set of HD Digital 16 mm transferred to Digital HD time. Here, one can see many tropes that experience shifts between seeing and not- his camera. Dolby 5.1 / Color Silent / B&W and color Primitive Project in Nabua, particularly the 10:56 mins 6 mins continue to be developed throughout the seeing, fact and fiction, space and void. scene when teenagers are hypnotized and artist’s career. sleep inside a time-machine. On a particular evening a group of 09 teenagers gather at a house near 14 a rice field, where they dress up as Fireworks Sketch (Frog) soldiers, supposedly to shoot an 2014 Velocity unknown movie. Their target is a young Single-channel video installation, Digital 2016 Sound / Color man who miraculously returns to life 2-channel video installation 1:50 mins Sound / Color after being shot. 3:34 mins, 0:26 mins
15 16 18 19 20
Emerald (Morakot) Selected polaroids Primates’ Memories Archival documents Film posters GROUND FLOOR MEZZANINE 2007 and photos 2014 Mysterious Object at Noon Syndromes and a Century Cinema version and single-screen installation Prints for lightbox Lightjet Print on Duratrans, Lightbox REFERENCE AND FACSIMILE BOOKS Blissfully Yours Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Digital 1000 mm x 1500 mm Bradbury Stories: 100 of His Most Celebrated Tales Tropical Malady Cemetery of Splendour Dolby 5.1 / Colour Mysterious Object at Noon Ray Bradbury, 2005 10 12 11:50 mins Blissfully Yours Mr. Electrico (For Ray Bradbury) Paperback publication Tropical Malady 2014 In The Pilgrim Kamanita, a Buddhist novel Lightjet Print on Duratrans, Lightbox The more things change: 11 21 written in 1906 by the Danish writer Karl 1000 mm x 1500 mm The 5th Bangkok Experimental Film Festival 21 Gjellerup, the protagonists are reborn David Teh, 2008 20 13 19 as two stars and take centuries to recite 17 This light box series is part of Fireworks Paperback publication Like the Relentless Fury of the This is one of the first experimental films their stories to each other, until they no (Archives) and includes two photographs: Apichatpong Weerasethakul made while 09 08 CUJO Pounding Waves (Mae Ya Nang) 1994 longer exist. The Vapor of Melancholy Primates’ Memories and Mr. Electrico (For Issue 2, 2009 studying filmmaking at the School of the 14 Originally 16mm, re-edited on transfer to digital 18 2014 Ray Bradbury). The flashes of light were Publication Art Institute of Chicago, where he began in 1996 Morakot is a derelict and defunct hotel Lightjet Print on Duratrans, Lightbox captured on camera and then digitally 480 pages to find his own voice and visual expression 800mm x 1200mm Mono / B&W 07 in the heart of Bangkok that opened its painted, creating fictional topographies. 22:37 mins in the filmmaking process. In this work, 06 Et al. doors in the 1980’s: a time when Thailand This manipulation was inspired by recent the narrative form is broken, sometimes 15 shifted gears into accelerated economic Produced as part of the video series, MIT molecular research in which light and improvised and sometimes rigidly 16 industrialization and a time when Fireworks (Archives), The Vapor of color were used to artificially activate a ORIGINAL FILM SCRIPTS structured, which expresses his interest 04 05 17 Cambodians poured into Thai refugee Melancholy depicts Weerasethakul’s memory. Primates’ Memories echoes the Tropical Malady in mood and ambience rather than in plot. 03 camps after the invasion of Vietnamese partner in bed, caught exhaling smoke current color-coded conflict in Thailand’s Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives Using footage from his everyday alongside forces. It was a hosting time. Later, when and surrounded by exploding fireworks. streets where violence and revelry coexist. the popular radio drama by Katethip 02 the East Asian financial crisis struck in A cosmos-like phenomena engulfs Mr. Electrico (For Ray Bradbury) is drawn Company, Mae Ya Nang (The Guardian 01 1997, these reveries collapsed. his body, concealing an otherwise from Apichatpong’s favorite writer’s Goddess of Boats) as a background, the work mundane activity of breathing. This memory. In 1932, a young Ray Bradbury explores memory, myth and reincarnation, Like Kamanita, the unchanged Morakot intimate portrait manifests a marriage of met with circus performer Mr. Electrico tropes that continue to appear in his more is a star burdened with (or fueled by) intoxication and dream. who could endure fifty thousand volts of recent works. memories. Apichatpong collaborated with electricity. The man claimed that Ray was his three regular actors, who recounted a reincarnation of his friend who died in his their dreams, hometown life, bad arms fourteen years earlier. “Live Forever” moments, and love poems, to re-supply the man whispered to Ray and forever the hotel with new memories. became the author’s driving force.