SAC Gallery: VESSEL OF DESIRES

In my first solo exhibition with SAC Gallery titled “Vessel of Desires,” I offer insights into my wide and varied interests curated into a wonder room with objects of different sizes and materials. My inspirations are drawn from 16th – 18th century illustrations, as well as historical objects and design language found in the rococo period. Although they come from various origins, they are tied together by my interest for traditional craftsmanship.

As a visitor to foreign countries, I am often drawn to the crafts that not only reflect traditions but also the values and history of the local cultures. I find it fascinating to apply those objects with unusual patterns or vice versa, such as Thai Bencharong pattern on a skull, or Portuguese azulejos tiles on an obelisk made of reclaimed teak. I find the juxtaposition to have a ‘striking’ effect that forces attention to what would otherwise be easily ignored.

Over the years, I have been collecting antiques, such as Meiji period Japanese screen or one hundred year old window frames from Punjab, I am attracted to the historical qualities and the patina, a sign that an object is touched and interacted with over the span of time. Instead of fixing them back to serve their original function, I render them to art objects that resist the connection to a specific time period; at once old and rich in history, reexamined through a contemporary lens.

My exhibition presents over 50 pieces in mixed media, including paintings, woodwork, prints and sculptures, that serve as my autobiography of my experiences, journeys, and the cultures I’ve visited. From my outsider perspective, I appreciate traditions and crafts that are often overlooked. By living in Thailand and presenting an exhibition here, I aim to critically examine the intersection between traditional crafts and their place within the Thai contemporary art scene.

Trevor Foster (b. 1990) is an American artist living and working in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Although multidisciplinary in practice, Foster is known for his ceramics works, as well as highly detailed mezzotint prints. As a young child, Foster often traveled with his family to Asia to seek for rarities, collectibles and historical objects, which would go on to influence much of his aesthetics as an artist. In the last few years, Foster has been living in Chiang Mai where he’s set up his studio and integrated into the Northern contemporary art scene.

– SAC Gallery