appearance1

1. Appearance: Photograph, Chronology and Artist’s eye
view
Thavi Chotpradit
Prateep Suthathongthai, an emerging Thai
photographer, employs himself in creating photographic
images and process of photography. His artworks are a
dynamic process of collaboration between his photographs
and viewers’ eye view. As viewers, gazing at his
photographs, we are always in silent wonder and question
that how those works created. It seems they were repeatedly
shot so that those outcomes appeared. Some said that
photo shoot is the way of stopping time, but Prateep’s
works show a periodical subject. A piece of his photograph
probably means a hundred of photo shoot. He concerns on
more the process of photography than the photographic
outcome. However, to present the total process of recording
pictures, necessaries of concreteness are needed. For the
exhibition of “Appearance”, he decides to use 35mm color
slide film instead of photograph.
Film is a material that can show an entire process of
photography very well as it is a part of process before the
result (photograph) produced. Any doing before film
developed was a happening after photographer had pressed
the shutter button for recording pictures. Photograph is
then the final outcome which is probably totally different
from the original. Additionally, computer graphic now
becomes a major part of managing pictures. In term of
presenting a process of recording pictures, film is a proper
medium as itself.
Sheets of film fitted together by Prateep himself give
viewers his consecutive eye view. Perhaps, architecture is
the best topic for his chronological presentation as stillness
of its object. The movement shown is made by two different
techniques; firstly, he slightly moves himself from one
position to another position and secondly, he takes a picture
in sequence; from the left to the right, from the bottom to
the top and 360 degree. The distortion of perspective and
proportion are visible as the result of those. From his
techniques, photograph is not a record of the truth as it
actually is, but it becomes a record of the reality creation
which is formed and controlled.

2. For the size of artworks, small piece of art creates an
impact to viewers’ perception in different way that the
gigantic one do. Beholders are often mesmerized by the
large piece of art because of its large dramatic statement.
However, smaller piece gives a dissimilar impact as viewers
will get closer to the piece, stop in front of it and then
search for details embedded in picture. Not only a tiny piece
was entirely captured in their eyes, but they are also
attracted to its approachable appeal so it means they have
to take time for discovering its communication. Moreover,
figure captured by Prateep is also about a small element. His
process of re-perception on the existent is shown as; a
selection of architectural angle; a ladder, a corner of Wat
Pho’s structure, a base of pagoda, and a marble floor. Those
are details usually overlooked, but he picks and emphasizes
them by his repetitious shoots along with his gentle moves.
Each sheet of film fitted together so that the total pictures
finally give a dramatic impact and rare view of the reality.
Some photos are like a pattern of something’s part but when
we carefully observe it, what actually discovered is a part of
architecture.
The intended communication of photograph is artist’s
angle. When we see various photos of temple through his
view, we also see what in front of him is. Photograph is not
objectivity, but it is subjectivity of photographer. Especially,
an intended communication in his photograph is a different
angle of hundred shoots on an only figure. It coveys that all
things uncertain is like we think, but it changed by the way
we perceive it. To present the process of photography
relating to “Chronology”, his appeared photographs show
the periodical subject as they can draw viewers’ imagination
to think about his repetitious shoots along with his slight
moves. A sequence of sheets of film shows the period of
time which is the past of the reality. The collaboration
between chronology, the move of artist, the unique process
of photography, and the communicated pictures are an
appearance of subjects through his eye view which is about
what he wants to see and wants it be.
The exhibition of photography “Appearance” by
Prateep Suthathongthai is taken place at I Gallery LAB from
14-26 September 2006.