In Tandem with the Artist: How Ikon Gallery curator Melanie Pocock introduced Mit Jai Inn’s work to the European public
Mit Jai Inn and Melanie Pocock. ‘Dreamworld’ (15 September — 21 November 2021), Ikon Gallery. Photo by Dave Warren. By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team.
The first-ever major solo exhibition in Europe featuring Mit Jai Inn (b.1960, Chiang Mai), one of the leading contemporary Thai artists, opened at the Ikon Gallery in Birmingham on the 15th of September 2021. Despite being quite well-known and actively exhibited in his native Southeast Asian region, it is only in recent years that Mit's artistic practices have become recognised and appreciated internationally. ‘Dreamworld’, which ended successfully recently after two months of operation, has, undoubtedly, contributed to the further development of the artist's career — this time, at a global level.
Mit Jai Inn lives in Chiang Mai, Thailand, where he is working and creating art objects in his studio. Having completed studies at the University of Fine Arts in Bangkok in 1986, he moved to Austria two years later to continue learning art at The University of Applied Arts, Vienna. Upon his arrival back to his hometown in 1992, Mit co-founded ‘The Chiang Mai Social Installation’ project together with his Thai friends (also from art backgrounds) and members of the local art institutions. The CMSI project, which lasted until 1998, aimed at bringing arts — mainly installations and performances — out of conventional venues, such as galleries, into the non-conventional and public places within the city, putting the emphasis on social engagement.
Throughout a career spanning more than thirty years, Mit Jai Inn has developed a variety of art forms and explored different ways of medium treatment. Breaking away from traditional methods of painting, Mit’s kaleidoscopic, densely layered artworks often appear as ‘hybrid’ objects. Some of the examples include canvases, painted on both sides (Wall Works, 1986 –); colourful rollable sculptures (Scrolls, 1987 –); mixed media installations incorporating mounds of paint (Pools, 2016 –). Whilst being incredibly vibrant and uplifting, Mit’s art objects embody laborious process of creating, unveil deep philosophical beliefs of the artist and, at times, convey his attitude to the political issues of Thailand.
Installation view. Mit Jai Inn: Dreamworld (2021). Photo by Stuart Whipps. By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team.
Needless to say, Mit Jai Inn’s first solo show in Europe was largely made possible thanks to Melanie Pocock, Ikon Gallery’s curator. Before coming to Ikon, Melanie was working at the Institute of Contemporary Art in Singapore, where she was developing projects mainly in collaboration with local and Southeast Asian artists. She was based there until January 2020, when she moved back to the UK and joined the Ikon Gallery team, right before the pandemic started. As Melanie comments, although it has taken longer for her “to get into the swing of things” given all the restrictions and lockdowns due to Covid-19, this period has also been productive as it gave her time “to think more about the forward programme at Ikon, consider different possibilities for exhibitions as well as get to know both the physical and socio-cultural context of Birmingham.”
Melanie first met Mit during her visit to Chiang Mai in 2017. At that time the Thai artist was mostly working alone in his relatively small studio. The curator has been following the artistic practice of Mit since then, however, it took some time for her to fully grasp the philosophy of his work. “A lot of people who first encountered [Mit’s] paintings thought that those were very colourful and beautiful objects.” Melanie says. “[At the beginning] it seemed that I didn’t have the conceptual framework to understand where these bright, kaleidoscopic colours came from.” Nevertheless, as Melanie was learning more about the background of Mit’s practice, in particular about his social initiatives like that of CMSI, she soon began to realise that the Thai artist’s works were not solely about the creation of the objects and painting as a form of mediation.
The Ikon Gallery curator recalls: “At the same time Mit’s artistic practice [in 2017 – 2018] was also very much developing. He got an invitation to represent Thailand at the 21st Sydney Biennale in 2018. There, his installation on Cockatoo Island (one of the Biennale’s locations, a UNESCO World Heritage Site) was incredibly impressive, ambitious, large-scale, made directly in relation to the site, whilst many elements of it were made on-site. That presentation also showed Mit’s capability to produce remarkably immersive works, really engaging and stimulating from the public perspective. It got to a point where I thought that it would be wonderful to have an opportunity to work with Mit.”
Mit Jai Inn, Planes (Hover, Erupt, Erode), 2018. Mixed media installation, dimensions variable. Commission by Biennale of Sydney 2018.
It was not long before this personal idea gained a real chance to come to life. “Mit was actually one of the artists I had proposed to do an exhibition with in my job interview. The director, Jonathan Watkins, said that it could complement very well both the Ikon’s history of working with the Thai artists, for example with Rirkrit Tiravanija (b. 1961) and Navin Rawanchaikul (b. 1971), as well as its trend to engage with the experimental and very bold languages of painting. Those two things together suggested that Mit was really appropriate for the Gallery’s programme.” Thus, it was from that point when the Gallery’s team started developing the proposition of the exhibition and also working on their own publication covering the life and career of Mit to date – something that they are justifiably very proud of.
View of the exhibition. Mit Jai Inn: Dreamworld (2021). Photographer: Stuart Whipps. By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team.
What is crucial within the ‘Dreamworld’ project, is that the Thai artist himself participated directly in the process of its planning as well as installation. He came for a residency before the exhibition, in the beginning of August 2021. “It was quite difficult to organize [Mit’s visit] given the restrictions on travel, there was a fear that Thailand could become a ‘red’ country. However, in the end things worked out in our favour and we managed to get Mit in Birmingham.” Melanie comments. The Thai artist had about three weeks before the installation of ‘Dreamworld’. Throughout this period, he has been working at the Birmingham School of Art, creating new art objects. Some of the sculptures that were featured in the show, the elements of Midlands Dwelling (2021) for instance, came out from this residency. Mit Jai Inn was also in the city for the whole installation period and hence had a very important role in shaping the exhibition.
Mit Jai Inn, residency at Birmingham School of Art, Birmingham City University (2021). By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team.
Midlands Dwelling (detail), 2021. Mit Jai Inn: Dreamworld (2021). Photographer: Stuart Whipps. By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team
Perhaps, one of the most remarkable aspects of the exhibition was that the visitors had the opportunity to walk out of the Ikon gallery with an actual artwork created by the Thai artist. The only condition demanded from Mit for obtaining a piece of his art was to take a polaroid photograph of oneself with the chosen work and to share one’s social media account details on it. This extraordinary gesture is intrinsically linked to the concept of cultivating generosity called ‘dāna’ in Buddhism which is running through the whole artistic practice of Mit Jai Inn. “The majority of people didn’t know about this particular project before coming to the show. [When they found out about such an opportunity], visitors couldn’t believe it, they were astonished and overwhelmed by the generosity of the gesture. Upon leaving the gallery, they were really happy and smiling.” Melanie recalls. “I think, aside from that gesture, people really formed a connection with the exhibition. The feedback that I’ve got was that a lot of them did return, more than once, to the show. Visitors who participated in this project, in particular, formed a special connection with the works of Mit.”
Installation view (works by Mit that were available to carry home). Mit Jai Inn: Dreamworld (2021). Photographer: Stuart Whipps. By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team.
‘Dreamworld’ is, unquestionably, a great example of how the synergy between the artist and the curator could result in the creation of an inspiring and stand-out project, which is capable of resonating strongly with the audience. In addition to the innovative ways of interaction with the public, this exhibition has become particularly important in terms of representing the arts of Southeast Asia in the Western world. “I think there is not as much of a platform for artists from Southeast Asia yet in the UK, Europe and America. It is different in Australia, as there are more established networks as well as a much longer tradition of exchange with the Southeast Asian region.” Melanie explains. She then proceeds: “Also… Of course, Mit is from Thailand and the culture of Southeast Asia is present in what he does, but, ultimately, his work speaks on a universal level. [As a curator], I also think about artists' personal practices, what they’re doing as individuals and whether this itself can form a connection with Ikon and the context in Birmingham.”
With this approach in mind, Melanie Pocock continues to develop new projects together with the members of the Ikon Gallery’s team. This december, Ikon will present the first major solo exhibition of a Midlands-based artist Betsy Bradley (b. 1992), together with the show of Taiwanese-American filmmaker James T. Hong (b. 1970).
Mit Jai Inn: Dreamworld. Catalogue published by Ikon and ArtAsiaPacific Foundation. By courtesy of the Ikon Gallery team.
The artist is represented by Silverlens (Manila, https://www.silverlensgalleries.com) and TKG+ (Taipei, https://www.tkgplus.com).
Mit Jai Inn in conversation with Melanie Pocock: Art Basel. How I became an artist: Mit Jai Inn (April 2021) https://artbasel.com/stories/how-i-became-an-artist-mit-jai-inn
To learn more about ‘Dreamworld’ and the upcoming exhibitions please visit Ikon Gallery website: https://www.ikon-gallery.org
Special thanks to Melanie Pocock for providing valuable insights into the exhibition and to her colleague, Rebecca Small, for sharing the photos pertaining to the ‘Dreamworld’.
Daria Ozerskaya
Contributor, MADE IN BED