Watching: The Rise and Fall of Absolutism

Overview

Blending TikTok-style viral dance routines with a virtual tour of sites tied to Thailand's historical and present-day political landscape, from the Democracy Monument through to Wat Phra Kaew and the Equestrian Statue Plaza. Overlaid onto images of these locations are Ramvong folk dancers who perform the graceful movements of the centuries-old traditional dance. The accompanying soundtrack, composed by Tanat, reimagines the five activist songs in his distinctive musical style. Blending together national dance gestures with uprising songs, the work juxtaposes symbols of control and centralised power with examples of resistance against power structures.