Saman Pracham Baan, 2020

The title of this exhibition, “Saman Pracham Baan” (common households), is not used as the familiar term meaning common household medicines. Instead, it refers to ordinary domestic objects we live with. Over time, some of these items have become obsolete, while others have evolved in status, form, function, or materiality to meet the needs of people in their modern lifestyles. A lot of household items, however, withstand the test of time, their original values being passed on through generations of users due to local, traditional beliefs and practices that have taken root.
 
In the context of globalization, adaptation is crucial for survival from extinction. Change and modification are based on wisdom, skills, as well as the redefinition of values, which are the route to survival for everyday objects in the world of capitalism.
 
The objective of this exhibition is not essentially to fight against the stream of change. It is, instead, to provide a space that invites us to take a fresh look at objects in our home (or our country, in analogy) based on memories we share. This is an opportunity to explore new paths in search of change, through Chiang Mai artists and artisans’ creativity, with function in contemporary society. The exhibits will amplify their meaning as social and traditional symbols and invite the audience to reconsider “beauty in simplicity” where the original meaning and worth of these ordinary objects is maintained.
 
If “good utensils” are defined by functionality, convenience, and aesthetics, they can enhance the quality of life and fulfill spiritual values. We hope that these typical everyday objects, which are reinterpreted in this exhibition, will act like “common household medicines” to heal and give new meaning to our lives.