HEMP Project
Border Landscape – Mekong River unfolds like an abstract map of northern Chiang Rai, Thailand, near the borders of Laos and Myanmar, where three countries meet along the Mekong River. Political, geographic, and human boundaries overlap and shift within this landscape. While political borders are defined by law and history, natural features such as rivers, mountains, and forests shape boundaries in their own rhythms. Through weaving, the artist translates these layered boundaries into a tactile language of color, form, and texture. Using both natural and synthetic fibers, the work reflects on how land, ecological cycles, and human activity—through trade, travel, and daily life—continuously reshape the landscape.
This specimen box presents the artist’s ongoing research on hemp cultivation and processing in Thailand. Displayed in an acrylic case, the work shows hemp materials together with tools and media used in different stages of fiber preparation, revealing the transformation from raw plant to usable fiber. By visualizing the processes of labor, technique, and material change, the work documents the artist’s field research and engagement with both traditional and contemporary hemp practices. Beyond its scientific and craft aspects, the specimen display also reflects on the complex relationships between humans, plants, and labor. It functions both as a research record and as an artistic reflection on how knowledge, materials, and techniques are transmitted, preserved, and reinterpreted over time.