Being held in Chiang Mai from Sept 11-29, the Limbo Festival is being organised by the Limbo Collective, an ad-hoc collective of Thai and Myanmar artists, chefs, curators, designers, researchers and scholars.
The Limbo Festival is a series of Thai-Myanmar creative and cultural events, held to express creative solidarity, at Some Space Gallery, The Goodcery and Sapphic Riot in Chiang Mai. The festival is the result of a year-long dialogue between Thai and Myanmar activists and artists, “Active People”, who share their stories of how their futures, hopes and dreams have been taken from them, and how they learned to transform their anger and desperation into hope through a democratic, caring and safe community where all voices are heard. These are stories of how to deal with conflict, and how to support each other through food, art, culture and humour.
Activities being held are:
• “Re-Imagination Work In Progress” by Limbo Exhibition x A New Burma from Sept 11-29 Some Space Gallery. Curated by Thawiphat Praengoen and Ma Hnin, the exhibition displays works by Jakkrapan Sriwichai, Ants Are Always Busy, Setthasiri Chanjaradpong, Nuntana Wongtawee, Krai Sridee, Htet Khine Soe, Yotsunthon Ruttapradid, Heinny, Shivanjali Vitthaya-serivaddhana, Annt Hmue Mahr, HABo, Khin Sandar Nyut, Mg Phoe, Joni and Anonymous. Seven Thai and seven Myanmar artists were given the task of imagining the society they dream of living in and produced 15 artworks and performances. The opening includes performances and a talk (in English) by project director Somrak Sila and curators about stories of solidarity and the Limbo Collective.
The artworks take various forms, including painting, photography, VDO art, multimedia installation, short film, internet art, art toys, interactive art and performance. The opening reception will be on Sept 11. Admission is free.
• “Playing With Fire” by Bamama x Maadae Slow Fish, a solidarity event featuring food, panel discussion and a performance on Sept 12 will be held at The Goodcery.
The event begins with registration and networking with the Limbo Collective, followed by a panel discussion in English on “What does fire mean for the Thai and Myanmar people and how is it related to food and waste management?” In Chiang Mai, fire is associated with the annual swidden-burning season, when agricultural waste and stubble across the region are set alight to fill the air with toxic smog for months on end. In Myanmar it evokes images of burnt-down villages and consequently of the importance of preserving culture and heritage outside one’s homeland. Both lead to urgent questions of sustainability and waste management.
The panelists are from Food Not Bomb & SOS; Bamboo Nest; Zay Collective (a Burmese food collective in Chiang Mai); and Slow Foods.
Dinner will be a buffet from Maadae Slow Fish and Bamama. Maadae Slow Fish is a Thai restaurant in Chiang Mai focused on using sustainable ingredients, while Bamama, by chef Trish, is a food initiative that uses Burmese food as a medium for social change, storytelling, cultural integration and community building.
After dinner, there will be a performance of “Echoes And I” by the Movement Theatre and a musical composition by Prapassorn Konmuang, Kelvin and Contrition from the Ukraine. The evening ends with a DJ and a party. Tickets to the events can be acquired by calling 094-846-0762 or 098-441-6637.
• “Burma Night Live” will see a Burmese traditional satirical performance, “Thangyat” By DooDooChat, a documentary screening karaoke and a food party on Sept 15 at Some Space.
“Thangyat” is Burmese performance art that blends traditional folk verse performances accompanied by the beat of traditional drums or a “hsaing waing” ensemble, interspersed with song, dance and chant routines, and performed during festive occasions, particularly during Thingyan in the lead up to the Burmese New Year.
There will also be a screening of the Burmese documentary “Public Bullet”. The traditional satirical performance will be about current affairs in the contemporary context of the Myanmar diaspora in Thailand. There will also be open mic karaoke and food to transport the audience into a Burmese home. Admission is free.
• “Suffer Surfer” will see a poetry reading and acoustic music at Sapphic Riot on Sept 20.
The evening of poetry-reading and acoustic music (open mic), hosted by the Limbo collective will be under the theme “Suffer Surfer: When life leaves us no choice but to coexist, how do we confront and cope with our painful memories when there is little immediate prospect of a brighter future?” Admission is free.
The Limbo Festival is being held with support from the Austrian Embassy Bangkok, the Embassy of Luxembourg in Bangkok, the German Embassy Bangkok and the Goethe-Institut Thailand.
