Som Supaparinya: A Mini-Retrospective at Gallery VER
A Reflection on Thailand’s Political, Social, and Ecological Imbalances
Som Supaparinya, Collapsing Clouds Form Stars. Credits: Som Supaparinya - Gallery VER
On January 30, 2025, Gallery VER in Bangkok opened its latest exhibition: Collapsing Clouds Form Stars: A Mini-Retrospective by Som Supaparinya, one of Thailand’s most significant contemporary artists. This exhibition brings together three of her works—previously unseen in Thailand despite their strong connection to the artist’s home country—each addressing themes of political instability, censorship, environmental transformation, and globalization.
Collapsing Clouds Form Stars, which also lends its title to the exhibition, and Band Books series delve into the precarious state of Thai society in the aftermath of the 2014 coup d’état. In contrast, The Unsung Lyric of Ping revisits one of Supaparinya’s recurring themes: the river.
Som Supaparinya, Collapsing Clouds Form Stars. Credits: Som Supaparinya - Gallery VER
The river serves as a metaphor for transformation—not only of the geographic landscape but also of social, economic, and political structures. For the Thai artist, rivers have often been both a source of inspiration and a gauge of humanity’s evolving relationship with nature. They serve as a lens through which she examines the impact of economic development and globalization on Thailand’s natural environment.
Previous works, such as My Grandpa’s Route Has Been Forever Blocked and The Rivers They Don’t See, explored these themes through river journeys, with the latter currently exhibited at the National Gallery as part of the Bangkok Art Biennale 2024.
Som Supaparinya, The Unsung Lyric of Ping. Credits: Som Supaparinya - Gallery VER
Despite their differences, both works share a critical examination of humanity’s connection to the land. Similarly, in The Unsung Lyric of Ping, Supaparinya turns her focus to the Ping River and its transformation following the catastrophic flood of 2024.
Som Supaparinya, The Unsung Lyric of Ping. Credits: Som Supaparinya - Gallery VER
Som Supaparinya, The Unsung Lyric of Ping. Credits: Som Supaparinya - Gallery VER
Born in Lamphun in 1973, Som Supaparinya graduated with a degree in Fine Arts from Chiang Mai University and later studied Media Arts at the Hochschule für Grafik und Buchkunst in Leipzig, Germany. She employs a variety of media, including video, installations, and moving images. Her work has been exhibited at prestigious venues such as the 12th Gwangju Biennale, Documenta 15, Bangkok Art Biennale, Mori Art Museum, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, and Hong Kong Arts Centre.
The exhibition Collapsing Clouds Form Stars: A Mini-Retrospective is on display at Gallery VER from January 30 to April 26, 2025. Check their website for more information.
For more info about Gallery VER and other Bangkok galleries and art institutions, check our Exhibitions section.