Victoria Smith
Bookings: victoriasmith268@outlook.com
About
EUNIC Photographic Residency,
Bangkok Thailand
Victoria was one of the 8 Europeans students to travel to Bangkok to participate in a 15 day residency with 8 students from Silpakorn University International College to produce a photographic series based around the theme ‘Walls & Beyond’. Each EUNIC member was selected by the mentors of the project: Manit Sriwanichpoom, Photographer and Gabriel Camelin, Professor at Silpakorn University International College.
At the end of the residency, the artworks were presented at Galerie Oasis with all the students involved on November 1st 2019 and on November 9th at Goethe Institute and at Alliance française for the 30th Anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall.
The objective of EUNIC members is to develop sustainable partnerships with European and Thai students, always around an artistic theme and to develop strong links between Thai and French schools.
European Union National Institutes for Culture (EUNIC) is a network of European national institutes of culture and national bodies engaged in cultural and related activities beyond their national borders. The European Institute and Embassies involved on this project in Bangkok are : French Embassy & Alliance française, British Council, Camoes Institute, Embassies of Austria, Italy, Poland, Spain and Goethe Institute.
Walls & Beyond
Installation, Cinema Oasis Bangkok
EUNIC Photographic Residency
Focusing on the wall as a divide of social classes, In and Victoria have photographed the markets and slums of Bangkok focusing on Khlong Toei and Talad Noi. Their presentation replicates the materiality of these places, and have also chosen cyanotypes to showcase their work - a low cost, photographic printing process.
Through observing their chosen locations, In and Victoria recognised that the wall is often utilised as a function of communication. A repetition of metal structures is present, with photographs and posters pasted upon them. Using sheets of metal sourced from Talad Noi, they construct a piece influenced by their surroundings, and bring it into the gallery context.
Their second piece takes inspiration from another common structure; the clothes rail. By replacing the garments with their prints, In and Victoria create an interactive artwork that illustrates the objects, people and social structures of Khlong Toei and Talad Noi.