Ruangsak Anuwatwimon

Humankind has long pursued the idea of perfection in life. Religious beliefs and social values have often positioned human beings as the pinnacle of creation, superior to all other species and governed by a different set of principles. Some believe that humanity was created by God, while others imagine origins beyond Earth, on Mars or Venus. Such beliefs in human exceptionalism and superiority have, at times, contributed to devastating consequences, from world wars and the Holocaust to racism, discrimination, and the inhumane treatment of others.

Yet, these notions of hierarchy are challenged by a fundamental truth: life is life. No form of life is inherently higher or lower than another. Every living organism is interconnected and subject to the same laws of nature, rather than the ideal of perfection that humankind continually seeks to attain.

GOLEM 2022 – Uncanny is a solo exhibition by Ruangsak Anuwatwimon and a continuation of GOLEM 2022 – Embodying the Monster, presented at SAC Gallery. Drawing inspiration from the legend of the golem in Jewish folklore, the exhibition examines the relationship between creation, control, and destruction. Traditionally, the golem is a mythical, human-like creature formed from clay and brought to life through magical or sacred incantations. Created to protect and serve the intentions of its maker, the golem possesses physical strength beyond that of ordinary humans. However, it can also be returned to its original material when it becomes uncontrollable, embodying the fragile boundary between creation and destruction.

At Gallery VER, the exhibition unfolds through four performances taking place throughout its duration. Each performance brings together a series of artworks made from the ashes of different animal and plant species, assembled to form the anatomy of a human body. These works are brought into being through the participation of performers from different professional and disciplinary backgrounds, creating a collective process of reconstruction and transformation.

The exhibition invites audiences to reconsider the human position within the natural order, questioning the boundaries between human and non-human life, creator and creation, and the living and the dead.

Audiences are invited to consult Gallery VER's communication platforms for the performance schedule.

Edited excerpt from texts by Chol Janepraphaphan and Nattanon Dungsunenarn.