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SOI NANA
2012
BY
FAN Hsiao-Lan
SOI NANA
2012
double-channels-video
18'55''/ 30'28''
SOI NANA
2012
double-channels-video
18'55''/ 30'28''
SOI NANA
2012
double-channels-video
18'55''/ 30'28''
SOI NANA
2012
double-channels-video
18'55''/ 30'28''
SOI NANA
2012
double-channels-video
18'55''/ 30'28''
SOI NANA
2012
double-channels-video
18'55''/ 30'28''
SOI NANA
2012
SOI NANA
2012
01 / 10

This work was done during my residency in Thailand. With the help of local residents, I invited some of the women in the sex industry to participate in the project. I bought a period of their services, and asked them to accept "my interview" and "a karaoke party only for them". It was an attempt to create a "red light district art happening", or in simpler terms, an artistic action achieved through the exchange of money. The karaoke is the location where they usually work, but now it is where they entertain themselves and a physical space in which art takes place. Their original work to meet men's physical desires is now altered to meet the needs of art. The entire action confounds the contradictory relationship between aesthetics, money and power. This process is recorded into two separate films, and synchronically played in the exhibition.


The residence was located near the old red-light district in Chinatown, Bangkok, hence, the vicinity was filled with erotic hotels and karaoke bars, while prostitutes could be seen everywhere alternating between day and night. Since, the art space where I did my residency was situated on this old street and the glass entrance on the first floor was often open to the public, brothel frequenters would constantly wander inside.

Each day, I would walk across the street to buy a cup of coffee or stand in the doorway to smoke, which would always attract the attention/stare of many strangers. I think such reactions came mostly from my being a woman. Since the climate in Thailand is hot, we as artists would also wear more revealing clothing in this heat. However, when an Asian woman dressed in revealing clothing stands in the doorway smoking, she would look just like any other girl standing on the street (a Westerner's countenance, on the contrary, would look distinctly different). To pedestrians, this seems to represent a kind of sex symbol, but for me it forms a very interesting scenerio, a similar but contrary spectacle ─ the coexistence of the Art Space(Artist) and the sex industry (prostitute). Sometimes the girls across the street and I would glance at each other, and sometimes our eyes would meet. I watched them making transactions with vehicles pulled up to the sidewalk; sometimes they would get in the car and leave, while other times they would just turn upstairs in the company of their clients. Occasionally, these clients would head our way, and then leave disappointed after taking a look inside.

Soon I knew I wanted to work on a project associated with these girls, of course, not because they surrounded us and were linked to everything we were exposed to on a daily basis; on the other hand, one cannot deny the fact that the sex industry is indeed one of the illustrious images of Thailand. You simply cannot deny this as a fact, or pretend they did not exist. If you would like to understand the local culture of contemporary Thailand, you must not ignore the significance of this major foreign currency exchange and tourism revenue since at least World War II.

Therefore, with the help of local residents, I invited some of the women in the sex trade to participate in my project. I bought a period of each their services, requesting them to accept "my interview" and "a karaoke party only for them". It was an attempt to create a "red light district art happening", or in simpler terms, an artistic action achieved through the exchange of money. The karaoke is the location where they usually work, but now it is where they entertain themselves and a physical space in which art takes place. Their original work to meet men's physical desires is now altered to meet the needs of art. Therefore, the entire action confounds the contradictory relationship between aesthetics, money and power.

This process was recorded into two separate films, and synchronically played in the exhibition.

PS. Interestingly, these women were puzzled but full of gratitude towards the entire event, and afterwards stated that they "felt very honored and grateful, [they] never thought that [they] could also be involved in art, despite not knowing what art is." They were also very pleased that "[we] were kinder than the other clients and respected them. [We] did not ask for much and paid for the services rendered immediately."

ARTISTS
5 artworks / 33 exhibition
Video Art
My works often use images and texts as the medium to explore the relationship among human being, society and nature. In the seemingly chaotic status, an artist contemplates and touches on contemporary issues based on sensibility. Because through e ...
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KEYWORDS
FAN Hsiao-Lan, 2012, Video Art
FAN Hsiao-Lan, 2011, Video Art
FAN Hsiao-Lan, 2010, Video Art
FAN Hsiao-Lan, 2013, Video Art