The traditional Thai headpiece “Chada” never fails to generate both praise and controversy whenever it is featured in a modern context in the media. It symbolises untouchable power and elaborate pageantry, causing it to be disconnected from the realities of regular people. The exhibition challenges the untouchable sacredness of the Chada and the dominant image it can bestow. From a golden ornament elaborately adorned with precious jewels to today’s rendition made from papier-mâché painted gold, would the latter retain the same authority? The Chada presented here was deliberately elongated high up, as if it would pierce into heaven, and was anchored to the floor with five chains of flower garlands, resembling a five-limbed prostration in Theravada Buddhism. While it seems that one can simply put on a Chada with its absurd height and leap up the social status, deep down they remain moored to the ground, subjected to the deep-rooted repressive power dynamic, especially to those of higher hierarchy.
Performer: Sareena sattapon