Chumpon Apisuk is one of the pioneers of performance art in Thailand and SE Asia. He is known for his activism in AIDS, Human Rights, democracy. He works with EMPOWER Foundation, which was founded by his partner Chantawipa Apisuk, an organization advocates for the rights of sex workers in Thailand. Where he conduct art for advocates training for sex workers leaders and activists in Thailand and SE Asia.
His performance is mentioned as “organic”, responsive to surrounding, and to create environment for social encounter, interact, political responses, being inside, cunning, almost humoristic, with “little or no art”.
„Paper Works“
Video-Performance, 2021
„When living in isolation by force of the pandemic – in my mind means we must learn how to live with self-sufficiency. Party is not possible, going outside is at risk, go to the market for food better if avoidable. I have been lucky to live in the country side, where I grow my own vegetables and fruits. I feel very much the value of living in this situation, during this time, more than ever.
However, in arts, especially in performance, I feel desperately that we may not be able to communicate at all, if we do not have this on line technology. I feel thankful to this scientific discovery of internet.
Performance on line is no longer organic for our practice. I hope the technology is not here to replace live gathering, the value of physically interaction is very important for our social lives.
To work on line we performing artists must do a lot of paper work, fill up forms, read instruction of how to apply the grant, making poster to announce our on line event – lots of paper works – indeed. Creating our own space, head covering gears, and confine our comfortable inside.
Salute Isolation.“