DArlen Projects: I WILL EAT PORK WHILE I'M HERE…BANGKOK, THAILAND

I WILL EAT PORK WHILE I'M HERE.
SO TO; STICKY-RICE AND MANGO, NOODLE SOUP, NASAM RAMBUTAN, HOLLAND PAPAYA, EDO LONGAN.
BANGKOK STYLE.

Meticulous hands have carved this ancient space, of warm soft earth, red bricks, mothers' milk drawn deep from the wells of divinity. The space seems spiritual in all of its meaning of wealth and poverty. I have gazed into the sun, walked the path of the ages, leapt into the insecurity of modernity, all this swells up in this mega city. Neo-liberalism is here, but the City of Angels, holds him in her arms, cradling him, in some sense acknowledging him and the knife that he wields. Bangkok seems to have embraced neo-liberalism with a seamlessness that blends into some kind of sweet soup that you can get at the entrance of the subway, where tradition is served daily. Neo-Liberalism is here, but he is no commander, as the people have a living history, a now that reaches into the past; all are the same, meeting here at the edge of the land, warm in their hands.

The city's development is large, complicated, intense which is maybe one of the reasons why people sit at their steps, on the way to and from work, for breakfast, lunch, dinner; quickly shifting spaces set up for people to sit and eat. Communal spaces, hold them together, hold an old historical socio-economic system together. Here on the street I see how a people hold neo-liberalism at bay. So when I asked a friend, as we walked through the shiny high-end Siam Paragon Mall, how would you identify a wealthy young woman here. She mentioned if you can eat here (at this mall) you have some money. The mall is the border of wealth, outside there is a mother, living, suckling her child while a daughter sips green tea or eats sticky rice, all tongues have tasted this is national pride.

A young man on the subway, leaned over to me and asked to take a picture. My hair interested him so much that he wanted to take a photo… I constantly felt eyes on me, I never felt those eyes to be malicious though, although those eyes, may be filled with remnants of colourism brought down through their own distinct history and tradition.

Here I am at the centre where many tongues come to lap at the Chao Phraya River, partake in a meal, partake in its vulnerabilities. There is a darkness that lies in the city, at the centre there is pain, an activist friend tells us that they are dealing with it and shares with us a book of stories by women who have survived human trafficking. Later on in Hua Lamphong I look at one woman's face as she directs us towards the subway. It is hard here, I am seeing it in her face, I see it in her eyes.

Take you shoes off, cover your shoulders, sit at the side street cafe and have a meal, there is so much that comes at you, you need to really consider what you are seeing, as there is a cultural thing going on here that has nothing to do with me. But I do feel compelled to be part of it as I feel a divinity to this space. But deep in me, I know that I don't belong…

This is Bangkok, she allowed me a moment to lean against her walls, suck at her breast, listen to her heartbeat. As milk swirls within my mouth. I allow the taste to settle, like a seasoned wine taster, trying to sense taste. Bangkok, is bright reds, with a fruity taste, with an after burn that holds you in your stride. A subtle, subtle burn that can seriously affect the mind and the body if one over does. It means that with all that calm inviting charm, there is an old monarchy of tradition, which means, be aware.

WE ENTER THE SPACE SIT QUIETLY IN THE CORNER.

WE WALK TO THE SUBWAY DOWN THE NARROW ROAD. THIS ROAD INITIALLY REMINDED ME OF BELMONT, BUT THEY WERE GENERALLY WELL MAINTAINED. MAYBE I'M NOT AT HOME,
I CHANGE MY MIND.

WHEN I SAW THIS I FELT AT HOME, THE IDEA OF MAKING DO WITH WHAT WAS, IS THIS THING THAT WE ALSO HAVE, PULLING TOGETHER THE MATERIALS, THAT WILL MAKE LIFE.

AH NIGHT! WHEN THE SIDE WALKS WILL CHANGE TO DINING ROOMS, PEOPLE WILL SIT ON THEIR STOOPS AND EAT MANY MEALS FILLED WITH SWEET PORK, FISH, RICE AND NODLES. CHICKEN COMES LATER.

I SAW THIS, I HAVE TO USE IT IN A PAINTING, WHICH I WILL WHEN I RETURN TO THE STUDIO.

AH MODERNITY CAME IN SWEET MALLS, SO WELL AIR CONDITIONED THAT YOU HAVE TO WEAR A LITTLE COAT TO PROTECT YOUR SKIN, THERE WERE ALL THE ENTRAPMENTS OF GLOBALISED MODERNITY.

BACC, THE BANGKOK ART AND CULTURAL CENTRE.

AFTER THE VIST TO THE CULTURAL CENTRE WE WENT TO JIM THOMPSON HOUSE A HOUSE BUILT ON TRADITIONAL THAI ARCHITECTURE BY JIM THOMPSON KNOWN AS THE FATHER OF THE MODERN THAI SILK INDUSTRY. THE JIM THOMPSON SILK COMPANY IS THE MOST FAMOUS IN THAILAND. WE HUNG OUT THERE, THEN WENT TO VISIT SVENN AT THE SEVEN SPOONS, A HIP EATERY RATCHADAMNERN NOK. WE HAD A MEAL AND TOOK A TAXI HOME. WHEN WE GAVE HIM THE $100 BHAT FOR THE $60 BHAT TRIP. EXPECTING CHANGE, WHEN ASKED HE RESPONDED, "TIP, TIP". WE WHERE A BIT PUT OFF, OR CULTURALLY SHOCKED, SO WE LEFT IT WITH HIM.

IT DID NOT HAPPEN AGAIN.

THERE IS A BROWNING OF SPACE, A CRACKED, BRITTLENESS THAT TELLS A STORY OF OLD, HISTORICAL, RENEWAL AND CONGESTION IN SOME AREAS. THIS MEGA CITY IS FILLED WITH PEOPLE. IT AMAZES ME HOW IT DEALS WITH NEW MOVEMENTS OF PEOPLE, IT IS ALWAYS INTENSE.

LIFE IS ON THE STREET YOU MAKE LOVE AT HOME, THERE IS ALWAYS THE SIGHT OF THE MAN AND WOMAN WALKING WITH THE PLASTIC BAG FILLED WITH CUCUMBER, FRIED CHICKEN, MEAT BALLS, RICE, FRUIT ETC.

SOMEONE TOLD ME THAT THAIS EAT ALL THE TIME, THE SCOOTER IS THE SYMBOL OF FREEDOM, WITH THIS THE BODY CAN MOVE THROUGH THE CITY WITH IMPUNITY AMIDST THE TRAFFIC. THEY ARE THE LORDS. WITH GREAT POWER COMES MUCH RESPONSIBILITY.

THE MAN IN THE ORANGE VEST WILL TAKE YOU TO YOUR HOME, FOR ABOUT A $5 BHAT, MAYBE MORE ACCORDING TO HOW FAR ONE WANT TO GO FROM THE MAIN ROAD.

A MAN BUSKING, HE WAS PLAYING A TRADITIONAL INSTRUMENT.

OH THE FOOD, MAN THE FOOD, MANY SMALL BITS, BUT IT COMES IN WAVES. NOT EVERYTHING WAS EATEN, BUT MOST OF IT, WAS NYAMED DOWN TRINI STYLE.

THIS IS THE HAPPINESS STREET FESTIVAL, ALONG THE SKY TRAIN ROUTE, OUTSIDE THE MALLS, HERE THE ARTISANS CAME OUT.

AN OIL DRUM BECOMES A SEAT. MALL DESIGN.

I LOVE THIS STALL, THIS WAS PART OF THE HAPPINESS STREET FESTIVAL. IT WAS SO CUTE, HOW THEY ALL STOOD THERE ON THE STREET MAKING SENSE. CAN WE LEARN SOMETHING…YES WE CAN, WILL WE, NO!

WHAT I LLOVED OF THESE SIDE STREET KTICHENS, WAS HOW THEY WHERE ABLE TO PLACE THE WHOLE KITCHEN! IN THERE, YOU SEE THE SEAT AT THE SIDE, THEY WILL BE ARRANGED WITH TABLES, PEOPLE WILL EAT, MAMMY WILL TALK, THE WILL LISTEN, THEY WILL TALK, MAMMY WILL LISTEN. THEY WILL LEAVE, MAMMY WILL PACK UP AND LEAVE. AN AMAZING ARRAY OF MEALS. MAMMY CAN HANDLE, SHE STORIES.

THIS WAS THE STREET FESTIVAL….

OH THE STREET, THIS COULD BE GEORGE STREET.

MAN THIS IS WHERE THE WEALTH, COULD BE SO IN YOUR FACE. THERE WERE SOME SERIOUS BRAND NAMES….

DESIGN.

WE WHERE HERE AFTER THE COUP, THERE WAS A MILITARY GOVERNMENT.
YOU WILL SEE THEM, I HEARD
http://prachatai.org

THE ROLLING GATES.

OH SO SIMPLE, THEY ARE ALL OVER THEY PLACE, USED TO ROLL IN AND OUT, TEMPORARY MOVEABLE GATES.

THE MARKET

WHAT I LIKE ABOUT THIS IS THE ABILITY TO REST THE COCONUT ON THE TABLE, THE CIVILIZED WAY OF DRINKING AND HAVING A MEAL WITH THE COCONUT, WAS COOL. WHAT I WILL DO IS JUST CUT OFF THE BASE AND SERVE CHILLED.

NOW UNDERSTAND THAT WE IN A MARKET EH.
WE IN A MARKET!

AN EXAMPLE OF COLORISM, SEE THE AFRICAN BLACK DOLL. LOOK.

WTF GALLERY. ONE OF THE GALLERY THAT I MET WITH THE CURATOR. NEXT TO IT WAS A SHOP SELLING THAI MUSIC, I BOUGHT SOME NIGERIAN JAZZ AND WE SAW A CALYPSO CD.