21 May – 3 July 2010

Catching the Moment; Each Step is the Past is an exhibition of major new work by Thai-Australian artist Phaptawan Suwannakudt.

Catching the Moment; Each Step is the Past is an ephemeral installation using silk and hand-woven fabric, layered with delicate drawings and Thai texts.The softness of Suwannakudt’s work is underpinned by a serious meditation on communication. Her work is imbued with allegorical and everyday references, resonating with personal memory and experiences.

Suwannakudt migrated to Australia in 1996. She describes her entry into Australian culture as both shocking and disorientating. The tactility of the materials used in her works evoke a shared need to connect and allows a space to contemplate the dual existence of living both here and elsewhere.

Suwannakudt trained as a temple painter in Thailand. After rising to a respected status within a traditionally rigid, patriarchal tradition, Suwannakudt continued to challenge her practice by migrating to Australia. She has exhibited widely internationally in Paris, Bangkok, Tokyo, Melbourne, Manila, and recently completed a residency with Womanifesto in Thailand.