Mekong Platform, Milan Image Art & Design fair 2014, Singapore: 24-26 October, 2014
Being the longest river in Southeast Asia, the Mekong rises in China, crossing and bordering Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. For centuries these populations have depended on the river and its tributaries for food, water and transport, shaping their life and culture along its magnificent watercourse. Worldwide the Mekong is known for its arresting landscapes. From deserts to flourishing vegetation, the river offers life and death to its inhabitants. At the same time, the rapid transformation of its indigenous communities towards global societies and invasive human intervention is jeopardizing the river’s reach cultural identity. The artists and works featured in WATER/ Life Line – Photography and Video Art from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam bring together diverse stories from the Mekong countries about their relationship with water: how the river pervades their lives, its impact on the surrounding landscape and how this rapidly transforming region adapts to global expectations. By featuring an array of telling images and personal stories of the community living on the riverbanks, the viewer is immersed in the spectacle of nature, at times indulgent while at other times unforgiving.
Featured Artists Anida Yoeu Ali, Lim Sokchanlina (Cambodia) Bounpaul Phothyzan (Laos) Nge Lay (Myanmar) Piyatat Hemmatat, Supaparinya Sutthirat (Thailand) Thao Nguyen Phan (Vietnam)
