My work is often centered on issues of homelessness, both in the physical and emotional sense. I consider myself an outsider and as someone lacking a sense of belonging to my own family and society in general.
Having worked at a dog shelter in Chiang Mai, Thailand for a number of years, I have explored personal feelings of exclusion related to the stray animals I surround myself with. My perspectives on stray dogs, along with the relationships I have developed with them, play an important role in my work.
Most people feel sorry for stray dogs that have been discarded or ignored by society but I see benefits in their homelessness. Having a home can offer us some sort of security but in some ways also restricts our freedom and independence.
My feelings of stray lead me to confront the world outside of my comfort zone. Emotions of confusion and hesitation are represented in my later works. I normally use organic and local materials such as natural fiber, thread or animal faeces. These elements represent the connection between me, my temporary home and the effects of my surroundings. Thread or rope is often used to tie two things together and to represent feelings of unbounded freedom. I use feces as an ingredient in food that is inedible, changing its form, composition and meaning.
Pitchaya Ngamcharoen is a young artist who graduated from Painting department, Chiang Mai University. She works with various techniques and medias which mainly focus on how people use objects, animals or relationships to replace and rebuild memories of their beloved ones or their deep desires, which means many things around each person usually have special meaning to them. Her work is often centered on issues of homelessness, both in the physical and emotional sense.