The exhibition "Soft-core" by Natnaree Kosum, aka, MM.Kosum, at Offbeat Box on Lat Phrao 21 resembles an oasis in a desert or any imaginary place where visitors can walk on beautiful white sand and enjoy viewing drawings, paintings and ceramics in a small room.
Emerging artist Natnaree is recognised for her minimal aesthetic and blurry techniques projecting a fantasy that seems whimsical. The 27-year-old artist titled her exhibition "Soft-core" because it has double meaning.
"My latest artworks contain light, soft and minimal lines. I have light energy, so my works are tiny or minimal. These elements give a feeling of softness. The phrase 'Soft-core' popped into my head while I was working on a piece. I think it is kind of funny since the title can be interpreted either in a sexual way or as my latest style. The exhibition can also be either my comfort zone or my soft side," said Natnaree.
Natnaree created her artworks from her experiences during the Covid-19 lockdown on a quiet day, during a nice meal and a day that she had menstrual cramps. Interpretations can be different depending on visitors' perspectives.
"The exhibition consists of small pieces of art connected together to become a big image. The exhibition room resembles a place that visitors can see memories or events that they can relate to. I chose white sand, which is whiter than natural sand, because it can be interpreted as powder or shaved ice or other objects," she said.
Natnaree earned her bachelor's in Multimedia Design from Silpakorn University International College. She has had a passion for drawing and painting since junior high school when she was sent to study at an all-girl boarding school. She felt isolated from other students, so she focused on reading manga, drawing cartoons and illustrations while chatting with friends on the internet who shared similar interests. Even though Natnaree realised that she is an art enthusiast, she did not choose to study fine art because she was doubtful about her career path in the industry.
During a university break, Natnaree took a short course, Expanded Field of Drawing at Slade School of Fine Art in the UK, which changed the way she worked on her drawing and painting.
"People who took that course came from diverse fields, from an architect to an art teacher to a farmer. In the class, a lecturer told everyone to close their eyes and grab an object from a bag. We were instructed to draw that object with our eyes closed. It was an eye-opening experience that changed my perception of painting. I have felt more free and have worked without any rules," said Natnaree.
After returning from the UK, Natnaree noticed that her illustrations were different from her previous work.
"My earlier drawings were influenced by manga and elements of my cartoons. For example, the anatomy of a character was realistic. In my current drawings, I didn't think about reality and drew without thinking about formats. My drawing turned into abstract forms. I also try to draw subjects that are not people and enjoy drawing more," she said.
After graduation, Natnaree worked as a freelance graphic designer, but she had a hard time following other people's instructions.
"I am not good at creating artwork that involves advertising and corporate identity because the designer must consider how to sell the product. I prefer to work on illustrations because it has less restrictions. I used to design commercial artwork, which must appease the clients' needs. I designed each artwork slowly and eventually decided to stop working on client orders. After that, I posted my drawings and paintings on social media, where clients contacted me because they liked my work. Most of them allowed me to design the artwork freely, so I did not feel pressure and my work came out naturally," said Natnaree.
At "Soft-core", Natnaree experimented with pigment powder on paper and ceramics. The lockdown was an opportunity for her to work with ceramics which was a long-term goal.
"I have been interested in creating three-dimensional artworks because it can express my narrative in different ways. When I began to work on ceramics, I was afraid that if each piece got ruined, I would have to recreate it again. Making ceramics is challenging. After moulding clay and glazing it, the firing process is unpredictable. I have no idea how the outcome will be," said Natnaree.
Natnaree quickly became committed to ceramics, purchasing a kiln so she could dedicate time to her designs.
"I feel more confident in working on ceramics after having my own kiln. The ceramic piece Funny Beach Game was cracked, but I decided to treat the crack as a memory. Thus, I put the ceramic pieces together by glazing them and the crack became a part of the piece," she explained.
The young artist believes in freedom, so her works are exhibited without being categorised even though they are in different art forms. Most characters in her works are non-binary gender.
"I want to blur lines that separate each art form from one another. I also used mixed materials on some pieces. Playground is a painting with pigment powder and graphite on paper and is in a ceramic frame. Many of the characters that I drew cannot be identified as male or female," said Natnaree.
Natnaree intends to experiment on ceramic design and continue to use mixed media to express herself. She hopes that art enthusiasts who visit "Soft-core" will enjoy the exhibition. In the future, Natnaree wants to continue to create her work honestly and design more quality work.
"I have fun experimenting with various kinds of materials in order to discover materials that suit myself and my self-expression. Art has no rules, no right or wrong, so I want to express this freedom to others. I hope my work will lead me to a new life, new friends, new spaces and new opportunities in the future," said Natnaree.
"Soft-core" runs until Nov 28 at Offbeat Box, Lat Phrao 21. Admission is free. Visit facebook.com/OBBThai or call 082-612-0672.
