THAI ARTIST TRANSFORMS TRASH TO ART: AN INTERVIEW WITH WISHULADA PANTHANUVONG

In this edition of SEAtizens, we are featuring the story of Wishulada Panthanuvong, an artist and social activist from Bangkok, who transforms waste into something more.

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Protecting and preserving the environment has always been one of Wishulada’s passions in life. From her perspective, the importance of environmental awareness is not just limited to the present—it also means being mindful about the future. After all, what we leave behind now is what future generations will have to deal with. For Wishulada, her art is more than just art—it’s a message to inspire others, to be more aware about our environment, and to use our creativity as an outlet for sustainability.

 

Wishulada’s first steps towards being an environmental advocate were made at home. Her parents liked to DIY everything in their home, where she witnessed them separate and repurpose different plastic wastes, sparking her first source of inspiration. “My dad always repaired every broken thing instead of buying a new one…we usually collected plastic coffee cups or plastic containers to reuse, and I learned to separate newspapers, used paper, plastic bottles and some electronic devices or metals and sell them to scrap buyers,” shared Wishulada during the interview.

Another source of inspiration was the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who addressed environmental issues throughout his reign like poor waste management, deforestation, soil degradation and global warming. In a country like Thailand, which is the world’s sixth biggest contributor to plastic litter in the sea, King Bhumibol the Great’s words ignited Wishulada’s passion, as she saw firsthand the harmful effects of trash on the environment.

Wishulada’s drive and upbringing enabled her to come up with her own way to bring awareness to this problem. As she was studying at the Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts at Chulalongkorn University, she had the chance to learn about materials, textures and installations. While her focus remained on this field, her graduation project pushed her to explore more creative applications of art media. “I began to relate with waste materials and environmental consumption,” she shared.

She saw the value in waste and believed they could be turned into something more, resulting in her graduation project, which she can say was the first piece of her environmental artworks. “Since then, my work concepts have been related to the environment. I have intentionally used waste materials for more than ten years to create my artworks, with my belief that art is an instrument to change people’s ideas, and artworks are a useful channel to convey ideas and messages from an artist to their audience,” said Wishulada.

Wishulada’s works are known for their scale, color, variety, and most importantly, their detail. Each piece of her art is a reused waste item, that when combined with other items, are turned into beautiful, intricately designed creations that capture the imagination. She uses all sorts of materials from bottle caps, to aluminum cans, to broken hangers, to used textiles, and even used toys. “I source materials from various places, including recycling centers, local communities, and even collaborate with businesses to intercept waste before it reaches landfills,” she shared.

But despite the gargantuan proportions and numerous pieces that go into her art, Wishulada always aims to conserve resources while reducing the amount of waste that comes from her pieces. “I also explore ways to extend my artworks’ lifespan through repurposing or donating them to organizations that align with my values,” she said, explaining how she and her team of artists ensure that each unused piece can always be reused or repurposed. “My staff are concerned about separating the trash or creating useful equipment from waste materials, which is inspiring for me,” she added.

“Over the past decade, I’ve learned that art has the power to connect people and inspire change,” shared Wishulada. “To the next generation of artists creating art for environmental awareness, I say: stay committed and passionate about what you do. Don’t be afraid to experiment and to create new things. Most importantly, use your voice through art to raise awareness and inspire positive change.”

Wishulada’s art remains a reflection of what she believes in, and her experience has shown that it’s also an effective tool to confront people with new ideas and to change their perspectives and behavior. “I would like to spread awareness about the circular economy model, how reused materials can be made valuable, and to inspire others towards waste materials management such as reusing, reducing and repairing…I believe that when people’s ideas are changed, their lifestyles can be changed, and finally our environmental issues can be solved.”

Wishulada continues to promote her message of environmental responsibility through her art and through collaborations with multiple sectors. While she’s working on a multitude of projects, you can check out her upcoming art installation in Bangkok Art Biennale 2024 this October. And if you were inspired by Wishulada’s story, you can show your support on her website and her Instagram page.

SEA Wave Magazine’s SEAtizens initiative is a series of inspiring stories of people in Southeast Asia who champion the human spirit by demonstrating courage, ingenuity, generosity, and selflessness.

For more Southeast Asian stories and stories about SEAtizens all around the world, visit seawavemag.com.

 

 

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