‘Self-Ornamentalize’ is a multidisciplinary installation challenging the resources limitation and experimenting on material manipulation through a custom computational design of structure, skin, and ornamentation.
A collaborative installation work by VINN PATARARIN brand (Vinn Chokkhatiwat — architect and designer, Patararin Pongprasit — fashion designer) and FAHPAV (Paveena Amornkul — architect and digital designer) held by Compeung, the artist-in-residency program located at DoiSakt, a suburban village of Chiangmai, a Northern province of Thailand. The exploration is based on a curiosity for suburban culture in the postmodern era through local crafts. Materials’ on-site specifications brought the realization that local craft and material such as hand-weaving products and natural local-grown materials are fading because of the expansion of the city and occupation changes. From that expansion and change, the area itself has shown an obvious large amount of used plastic products presented around the locals, discovering that plastic products are actually the true local materials of the present day. The plastic bottle was chosen as a primary material after many explorations because of its properties of transparency, self-strength, and deformable shape.
After significant points discovered from the location of the residency situated next to the large lake, an attraction landmark where all local recreational activities are, along with the offering of environment such as the magnificent area of water reflection, mountainscape scenery, and extensive pathways on water, this site was chosen to place the installation with the intention for it to become a showcase for villagers to appreciate, observe, and be inspired from.
The pattern motif is an ongoing design from VINN PATARARIN that experiments with textile and architecture through human body. The motif is capable of dynamic change and form manipulation. Designed globally by using a computational technique calculated the pattern formation on curvature to generate form. Sourced and fabricated locally by computationally flattened 3D form to 2D drawings then transferred onto paper as guidelines to trace and shape-mold manipulated plastic bottles on and later handcraft for finishing.
850 drink bottles were recycled to a 30-by-13-foot installation where its serenity is mirrored by lake reflection as well as dispersion shadow projected on the audiences captured and triggered the understanding of villagers’ self-identities beyond current changes.
‘Self-Ornamentalize’ is an experiment that totally transformed the unawareness of locals’ identity through technology, materials, and craftsmanship toward the wonder of self-discovery in the postmodern era.