Tradisexion was an exhibition staged in 1995, following a meeting in Bangkok of a group of six Thai women artists. It was held on International Women's Day 1995 at Concrete House, Nonthaburi, Thailand. It was a precursor to the formation of Womanifesto.
Artists: Mink Noparat (the catalyst), Jittima Pholsawek (Ukabat group), Phaptawan Suwannakudt (art mural painter), Khaisaeng Phanyawatchira (performance artist), Charassri Roopkamdee (print-maker) and Nitaya Ueareeworakul (artist).
About Tradisexion
Pantini Chamnianwai and Nitaya Ueareeworakul on Tradisexion, Womanifesto.com
"The result of the meeting was a painting, installation and performance event called “Tradisexion”, emphasising traditional conflicts stemming from being a woman.
It was held at Concrete House (founded by Chumpol Apisuk), celebrating World Women’s Day (March 8th).
The feedback was good, but the event had too small an impact as only artists attended: That was the starting point of the first and second Womanifesto.
Studio Xang has always been the unofficial centre for art networking and a meeting place for artists in Bangkok. The six artists continued to meet regularly at Studio Xang and eventually realised their plan for Womanifesto I.
Baan Chao Phraya (Chaiyong Limtongkul Foundation) and Concrete House, offered their premises. Thanks to the kind collaboration of Varsha Nair, an Indian artist, residing in Bangkok and Professor Somporn Rodboon of Silapakorn University, we were able to invite eighteen participating artists: nine from Thailand and the remainder from Japan, Indonesia, India, Singapore, Pakistan, Austria, Italy and the United States. Their work comprised: paintings, ceramic art, video art, installation and performance art.
It was highly successful in many ways, particularly in establishing international networking among women artists." Read more...
Phaptawan Suwannakudt in Southeast of Now: Directions in Contemporary and Modern Art in Asia, Volume 3, Number 1, March 2019, pp. 175-180
"When we worked on Tradisexion, we did not construe it to be exclusively for Thai artists. We were just a group of likeminded individuals who were available and gathered at a time when the terms ‘curator’ or ‘curate’ had yet to exist. We were open to ideas and arguments. We even talked about including male artists whose work dealt with women’s issues, but in the end, we thought we would leave it for another time. Women artists in Thailand then were far and few between and were under-represented, so everyone was excited to be able to get a space to show their work in the first place. On the opening day, each artist wore a pah tung (sarong) to honour Thai women and introduced themselves and their works in front of the crowd. The exhibition also launched the book with the same title, which included works and writings by participating artists, as well as essays, poems and articles on women by Sri Daoruang, Chiranan Pitpreecha, Chantawipa Apisuk, Chama, Prae Jaru, Chitraporn Vanuspong and Ngao Silp. The exhibition featured paintings, installations and performances." Read more...
Further Reading
Tradisexion Full Catalogue on the Asia Art Archive https://aaa.org.hk/en/collections/search/archive/womanifesto-archive-publications-20021/object/tradisexion-the-work-of-art-sexuality-and-tradition-tradisexion
Images from Tradisexion on the Asia Art Archive https://aaa.org.hk/en/collections/search/archive/womanifesto-archive-1995-tradisexion/object/tradisexion-set-of-2-photographs
Pantini Chamnianwai and Nitaya Ueareeworakul on Tradisexion on Womanifesto.com http://www.womanifesto.com/events/womanifesto-2-1999/
Phaptawan Suwannakudt, 'Before Womanifesto, In My Recollection', in Southeast of Now: Directions in Contemporary and Modern Art in Asia, Volume 3, Number 1, March 2019, pp. 175-180 https://muse.jhu.edu/pub/43/article/721051/summary
Related pages
Share a Reflection
log in to share a reflection.