The Thammasat University Libraries are pleased to have acquired a new book reminding us of the artistic talents of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. Poetry of Light: Photographs by H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand is a collection of recent images showing an outstanding sense of color and composition. As all Thais know, the Princess’s intelligent curiosity has long been expressed by studying nature and science, as well as different forms of artistic expression. Throughout her travels, the Princess focuses alternately on people in different places and scenes of nature. Captions that accompany the photos reveal an endearing affection for the natural subjects. For example, about one iguana, the reader is told that it
has a very beautiful smile. You will fall in love with him once you get near.
As usual, the Princess is chatmingly modest and self-effacing about her talents; only one selfie is included among these images. The book is located in the General Stacks of Pridi Banomyong Library, Tha Prachan campus.
The photographic prints reproduced in the book may also be appreciated through March at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) on Rama 1 Road, Wangmai, Pathum Wan, Bangkok. This lively contemporary arts centre features the visual arts, music, theatre, film, design and cultural/educational events. BACC includes cafes, commercial art galleries, bookshops, craft shops, and an art library. It is intended as a venue for cultural exchange, giving Bangkok an operational base on the international art scene. There until March 4, the photography exhibition by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn: Poetry of Light is on view.
Organized by the Royal Photographic Society of Thailand (RPST) and BACC, as the website of the latter gallery notes, the exhibition
is considered as an auspicious occasion for the public to appreciate Princess Siridhorn’s artistic intelligence. All of the photographs reflect the Princess’s vision and perspective encountered during her journeys in 2016 – 2017. Since 2007, H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has graciously granted permission to exhibit the photographs as source of knowledge and wisdom to students and wider public. This royal initiatives have been consecutively implemented yearly from “Color Is Light. Light Is Color” in 2007; “Always Roaming with A Hungry Heart” in 2008; “Destinations” in 2009; “The Colors of Life” in 2010; “Born To This World” in 2011; “Camera in Motion : a Global Perspective” in 2012; “Traveling Photos, Photos Traveling” in 2013; “Clairvoyance” in 2014; “Happiness that Long Life Brings” in 2015; and “Along the Way of Splendour” in 2016 and “Poetry of light” in 2017. This year, H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has granted permission for the video display which features H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn’s presentation on the photographs, concepts and stories.
Visitors are asked to be sensitive and polite photographers themselves, and refrain from using flash, tripods, or selfie sticks while seeing the exhibition. Also, no videos are permitted, which is a restriction found in most galleries and museums around the world.
The TU Libraries also own other books of photographs by the Princess. These include Always Roaming with a Hungry Heart, a collection of images taken from 2004 to 2008, which were displayed in a special exhibition from July to August 2008 at the BACC. There is also Saeng Kue See, See Kue Saeng (Light is Color, Color is Light). This is a collection of photographs taken by the Princess during a series of trips to the People’s Republic of China from 1981 to 2006. These images were displayed in June 2007 at the Siam Paragon shopping mall, Rama I Rd, Khwaeng Pathum Wan, Khet Pathum Wan, Krung Thep Maha Nakhon. Captions to the photos are printed in captions in Thai, Chinese and English, which is helpful to readers from many countries. Among other books in the TU Libraries that express the Princess’ visual creativity is Vietnam Through the Lens of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. In 2016, the Princess visited the Vietnamese Embassy in Bangkok to attend a ceremony launching this book on Vietnam. His Excellency Ambassador Nguyen Tat Thanh and Vietnamese citizens welcomed her as part of the activities celebrating the 40th anniversary of Thai- Vietnamese diplomatic relations. The bilingual book Vietnam Through the Lens of Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhon includes 60 photos taken by the Princess during her visits to Vietnam from 1993 to 2015. The book also features photos of the Princess’s meetings with Vietnamese leaders and people, photographed by Vietnam News Agency reporters. The book was intended to demonstrate the growing strategic partnership between Thailand and Vietnam. Although there are serious messages of international good will and cultural exchange in the Princess’ images, they may also be enjoyed for their good humored visual exuberance.
An earlier volume, Camera in Motion: a Global Perspective reproduces photographs by the Princess from 2011 and 2012. In the book’s preface, reprinted on the BACC website, the Princess writes:
Towards the end of 2011 and in 2012, I traveled to various places in Thailand and abroad. My camera always accompanied me wherever I went. If it was an official event, I would put my camera in my pocket. Foreigners who know me would ask, “You didn’t bring your camera with you today?” if they did not see me with one. My camera has thus become an important piece of equipment for me when I travel, like my notebooks, pens, mobile phone and computer. At times they can be quite cumbersome. For instance, for the Opening Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, I had to bring my big camera, my small camera as well as a tripod. Even so, I still felt the results were not as good as I had hoped because so many things happened simultaneously I did not know where to aim and take a picture. I was also sitting quite far away.
When I was young, there was quite a serious incident that took place in Asia which was the Vietnam War. In addition to the regular news reports about the war, a new form of reporting through photographs called “photo journalism” was made famous by “Life” magazine. It is believed that “the camera never lies,” to which others have added “but photographers can and do. Some photographers set the scene before taking a picture and use technology to enhance their photographs to their liking. But all the photographs in this exhibition are real [there may be one or two photographs where people were asked to pose!), and therefore serve as my “photo essay” of my travels. “We do not know the future, but we still have to march on.” (Lyrics from a navy song.)
(All images courtesy of Wikimedia Commons)