Group Exhibition ‘The Natural Philosophers of the 21st Century’ – Gallery VER

Gallery VER

Apr 20 - Jun 23, 2024

^{All images courtesy of Gallery VER} 

Natural philosophy is considered a concept of the past. The term encompassed many variations, but according to Edward Grant in A History of Natural Philosophy, its earliest interpretation can be assigned to ‘all inquiries about the physical world’. Even though the term itself originated from the ancient Greeks, we can assume that the inquiry into nature comes with human existence, the wonder and curiosity humans must have from exploring their surroundings and looking up to the stars at night.
 
This project was initiated from a love of art and science and a fascination with the story of the search for knowledge throughout human history. What is interesting about the concept of natural philosophy lies in its interdisciplinary nature, combining various fields concerning the world around us.
 
Working in the art sector, I started to form the notion that it could be said that in current society, the spirit of natural philosophy may be found in artists and their practice. Artists have the freedom to pursue any topic of interest. There is no limitation in terms of their chosen subjects or working processes. But instead ofinquiring through a scientific method, they do it via the artistic process and represent the result as works ofart.
 
In this exhibition, a group of artists represent the reconstructed concept of natural philosophy. Unlike natural philosophers of past centuries, these artists reflect not only on the natural world but all the physical world with its social and political structure within it.

Naraphat Sakarthornsap documented bougainvillea for his new series Bract and Flowerpot (2024).
For him, each bougainvillea in various settings could be used to reflect the social structure of the city.

Ruangsak Anuwatwimon presents his ongoing series, Anthropocene (2008 – present).
He reconstructed a new landscape from toxic soil collected from various parts of Thailand. These samples were then tested for chemical contamination.

Jinjoon Lee presents two series of works. Manufactured Nature: Irworobongdo (2022) uses the new mediatechnology of AI and its collected datasets results in a fabricated spatial narration.
Another work is On Air Garden (2024) is an interactive installation using a brainwave device.

Phornphop Sittiruk’s research looks back to early human society and evolution, and he presents his findings through multiple art objects. Each piece, with its visual and material symbolizations, represents crucialevents in human history.