Technique & medium: Acrylic collage on canvas.

We love the title of your exhibition, what does it refer to?
It refers to my everyday feelings towards things that happen in today’s society. When I get up in the morning and watch the news on TV, the general state of affairs is just downright depressing. It sometimes discourages me and makes me want to get away from it all. On a whole, I’ve tried to capture that melancholic feeling and translate it into the artworks featured in this exhibition.

But your works, on the other hand, are fun and light-hearted?
I like drawing cartoons and characters. I think most of us grew up drawing and doodling stuff in our school notebooks. My work may seem like they come from the page of a comic book, but they’re not to be taken lightly.

Can you tell us about Cruising Ahead?
This painting was inspired by a piece I did for BACC’s exhibition Imagine Peace where each artist was assigned to create an artwork which reflected their visions of peace. Cruising Ahead is all about the will to go forward even though there’s an obstacle in front of you, which, in this case, is the waterfall.

What does the curtain symbolize?
The fabric collage symbolizes concealment—things that you don’t want other people to see or know about. Curtains are also associated with the past and nostalgic feelings that come with it.

This painting reminds us of the biblical story of Noah’s Ark, is that intentional?
I didn’t start out with that notion, but now that you’ve mentioned it, I guess it is a little bit!

Catching up about Yuree Kensaku more in her exhibition Shortcut to Melancholy Hill

Can you tell us about 1+1=1?
It primarily deals with losses, what’s left from them and how to come to terms with them. The show will focus on individuals as well as the country itself.

How did you get involved with this show?
Dao [Dujdao] and I are friends from university and we have worked together before. She was an actress in one of my short films called My Dear Enemy. After receiving a degree in dance movement therapy from the UK, Dao asked me to collaborate with her on a multi-disciplinary project. And since I love to experiment and try new things, I said ok right away.

Is this your first time working on a stage production?
It’s a first time after a long hiatus. I’d always been involved in theater up until the time I graduated from Thammasat University. I was in two of my high school’s plays, and I helped put together annual productions at the Faculty of Journalism and Mass Communication.

What will be your contribution to the show?
My work makes use of several sources. It’s a habit I got from making movies. As much as I like to shoot new stuff, I also use old footage and clips from other people’s home videos, mobile phones or sometimes the internet. It’s kind of like a modern-day Super 8, which fits perfectly with Dujdao’s theatrical flair.

How will it complement the performance?
Physical theater can be challenging for those who are not familiar with it. I use motion and graphics to help guide the audience. It’s basically the same idea when you make a movie—that is to try to make it comprehensible without making it too obvious and predictable. The audiences wouldn’t want you to point out every single thing for them.

Keepinh up with Manussa Vorasingha at 1+1=1

As a child: Used to set a dance club in a pigsty.
First job: A comedian on a daytime TV show.
Rule for life: Never take it seriously and you’ll never get hurt.
Last thing that made me stop and think: My cheesy pink bedroom.
Stupidest trend: Cliched quotes about life and love on Twitter.
Favorite crowd: The crazy people at Trasher parties.
Most inspirational person: Neil Patrick Harris.
Listening to: Simon and Garfunkel.
People always assume I’m: sad
But I’m really: totally drunk.
Last lie: I’m from Kenya.
Most annoying thing I have to encounter everyday: Whitening cream adverts on the BTS.
Hum this tune in the shower: “Runaway” by Kanye West.
Fail-safe crowd pleaser: “Hey Ya” by Outkast
On a night out, I: always wear my most favorite underwear.
In 20 years: I’ll have a film about my life with Willow Smith playing me as a gay boy.

Dance to DJ JoJo's cheesy, fabulous guilty pleasures at Trasher: There’s a Hero this Sat (Jan 29).

Technique & medium: Polaroid print.

Why No Superego?
My style of photography has always been raw and edgy. It’s stripped loose of any technicalities and external factors. I’m interested in human bodies and my specialty is nude photography, so this is a fitting title for the show.

What’s going on in this image? Who are the couple?
I met them when I went back to visit my hometown in Korat. I was a bit surprised when they told me that they’re actually cousins, and have been together for three years. I took it not because I wanted to be controversial, but rather because of how interesting incest is. It’s considered a taboo, yet it does exist in every level of society and every walk of life.

Your works are quite risque, how do you deal with censorship?
I’ve been very lucky as I’ve never had to deal with censorship or harsh criticism before. People come to see my show expecting to see nudity. Those who are not familiar with what I do say that my works are honest. I’m not afraid that my works will be misinterpreted, because they are not intended for anyone to get a hard-on. In a sense, I try to create a utopia where everything is pure and organic.

Where do you find the models?
Believe it or not, I never have to pay for models. They’re all my friends. We work together on the understanding that this is art not pornography.

Your photographic flair has been compared to Apichatpong’s cinematic style, why do you think that is?
I think we both like to make the most out of whatever settings we find, and we try not to alter them for the sake of our works. My landscape pieces show the nature as it is whereas the nude photos show human beings and their emotions as they are.

Catch photographer Tada Hengsapkul with his Solo Exhibition "No Superego"

Can you tell us about the project?
It’s an annual tradition for the final year drama students to put on a full-scale production in order to graduate. We call it lakorn kornjob [drama before graduation]. This year there will be two productions, The Good Body and R.U.R: Rossum’s Universal Robots.

Why did you choose to do Eve Ensler’s The Good Body?
I was looking to do something that would challenge me as an actress and hold my interest at the same time. In this book, Eve encounters seven women of different backgrounds who tell her their struggles of self-acceptance and issues with body image. That’s exactly the kind of thing I find intriguing. And to portray all of these women in one production is a perfect challenge any actress could ever ask for.

How difficult is it to play seven different characters?
It’s a big responsibility to take on, but I made sure I took my time to get to know each character properly before moving on to the next. It’s a tough process, but I’ve now managed to get through most of the characters. The rest shouldn’t be a problem.

What’s next for you?
I’ll definitely pursue acting. Acting on a stage has that unique power of informing and educating. It’s not just about entertainment.

Keeping up with Thiptawan Uchai at The Good Body on stage