Mixed Media Installation Art : Recreating Phra Putthabhat Mountain

Abstract

This visual arts research article aims to analyze the mixed media installation art works as a guideline for creating works, based on the researcher’s experience of encountering limestone mountains in the area between Phra Phutthabat and Ban Mo districts, Saraburi province, during his childhood, which were blasted and significantly changed the landscape from the past. The researcher’s experience and those who had shared experience of seeing the original mountain ranges were analyzed through the framework of actor-network theory (ANT). The creative guidelines and research methods are as follows: 1) Interviewing those who had shared experience of the previous forms of Phra Phutthabat Mountain in the past; 2) Studying the concept of actor-network theory and analyzing it together with the concept of anthropocene; 3) Analyzing four related artworks from five artists; 4) Experimenting to create the artworks based on the content, experiences and data analysis; 5) Analyzing and revising the artworks; and 6) Summarizing the guidelines from the creation of the artworks. The results show that the researcher's creative guidelines are as follows: 1) Selecting local objects that are connected to the study area (found object); 2) Story telling through materials that link to the stories; 3) Using lights and shadows to create movement on these objects (projection mapping); and 4) Creating the installation arts based on the concept of ANT, and arranging objects with a video (video installation). This creative approach resulted in the researcher's works being a combination of several different medias, which telling the stories of the researcher's experiences through an anthropocene framework. This differs the creative works from general mixed media installations by combining media with simulated objects using the ceramic process (Imitation Ceramics Sculpture: ICS) as a guideline that can be further developed artwork in the future.